Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-24
DEPARTMENT FOR COLONIES
Detached Possessions Important and Large
Enough for Cabinet Officer.
HARSH SOUNDING TITLE FOR THE ANTS
Subject Diseased AID urged IN Inhu-
entIaI ouarters-Reassns why
the Department shsuId
Ne Created.

suggestion Of establishing colonial de-
partment will call forth all the opposition
70 imperialism that has been pent up to
some extent or which has lain dormant
while other questions have absorbed the
public mind. But It has become apparent
that under some name-colonial OF insular-
new department Of the government with
y cabinet Officer at its head. must be Gre
lted The detached possessions OF the
United States I'm the Pacific and Atlantic
oceans and In the strip of land connecting
dhose oceans. are OF SUFFICIENT Importance
90 engross all the attention OF one man and
would keep him very busy IL he attend d
to them properly. with the exception Of
Hawaii, Porto Rico and Guam. the least
important OF the island possessions. they
are now under the War department. This
entails too heavy a burden upon one man.
who would have enough to DO by taking
care OF all the business that naturally falls
to the head OF the department which ad-
ministers the affairs Of the army and all
that pertains to IT,
At the close of the Spanish war the
United States was in possession OF Cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines. and nat
urally administered the governments of
these islands through the army. which had
taken possession OF the islands. They were
ruled by the military until civil govern
ments were established. During this period
there was built up in the War department
q bureau through which the affairs OF the
islands were conducted, and It has been
quite natural to continue this machinery in
operation and continue the control of the
Islands and the bureau Of insular affairs
under the secretary OF war. The islands
must be under some cabinet officer. and
why remove them from the War depart
ment? is the question asked and which can
not be answered save to say that II they
are territories they should be placed undsr
the Interior department, as has been done
with Hawaii and Porto Rico.
The construction of the Panama canal
has also been placed under the control OF
the War department; not that 1t belonged
there more than under any other depart
ment, but It had to go somewhere. and the
president preferred that 1t should be under
Secretary Taft rather than any other cab
met officer. The Canal commission is ad-
ministered through the bureau of insulRr
affairs. Here we have the Philippine gov
eminent and the isthmian canal, two OF
the greatest and most important fields OF
operation engaging the attention and on
ergy Of the people Of the United States.
administered through bureau Of the War
department. II a cabinet oficer should
give all his time and attention to these
great questions he would be fully occupied
yet he must also manage the affairs of the
army, with ali the increased duties which
have occurred since the War department
was created.
Question of Name.
A colonial department. OF an insular de-
partment, IL that would be less harsh to
ears that are sensitive to the imperialistic
word colony" seems to be necessary. OF
administrative purposes in the War de-
partment It Is such now. OF course, a
double name might be used, as was, done to
appease the labor interests when the De-
partment-- of Commerce and Labor was
created, and, a new department to be called
Islands, and Canals might be provided
But the question OF name is a matter OF
detail. What is apparent is that the Philip
pines and Panama canal are out OF place
in the War department. Neither are under
military control nor have aught to do with
war. They would as properly be under the
control Of the Navy department as the
War department had II not been for train
OF natural circumstances. The construction
Of the canal and the administration of the
Philippines are both civil functions Peace
has been established and Acknowledged in
the Philippines. The army has less to do
than 1t had during the pioneer days OF the
west, when Indians were on the warpath.
Consequently, there is not the least neces-
sity for keeping the management OF the
Philippines under the war secretary. Az
present there is no other place for them 10
Eo-that is. no practical place. Besides. a
change of administration from one depart
ment of the government 10 another Is not
made unless for good reason and by au-
thority OF congress. The authority of con-
gress would be in an act creating a depart
ment Of colonies and placing the govern.
ment OF such possessions as are not ex-
pected to become states under its jurisdic.
ton, and also making the Canal Zone a
colony in the method Of it's government
Such department would be one OF the
most important in the government, much
more important than the War department
with the Philippines and canal removed
from it's Jurisdiction.
While there are strong reasons for Great,
ing new department and better admins
tration would no doubt result from Sc
doing, yet It would be difhcult TO bring Il
about. In the first place, the support OF
the president and secretary Of war would
be necessary, and in the next there would
be serious opposition in congress to addinl
another department to the nine cabine
places now in existence. At the same tim,
the subject Is being discussed and urged
in some influential quarters. Ten year.
ago neither the Philippines nor the cana
were features OF our government. Toda,
they are the most important features. ant
both have been added to a department o.
the government which was already fun,
occupied with important business.
Creating New Department.
Departments OF the government with I
cabinet ofieer have been created from
time TO time as the growth of the countr,
and Its business demanded Bureaus o
one kind or another have been created a.
separate organizations. but IL has beef
found necessary in time TO attach them [,
some department so that this bushes
may be taken direct to the presiden
when occasion demanded. some bureau
have been allowed to remain independent
even when the latest cabinet position wa
created. but for the most part every new
bureau created by congress has been at
taehed to some department in order tina
II may be controlled by a man OF sum
cient importance to be a member of tn
presidents ofiicial family.
The interest OF the United States in aRri
culture was frst vested In a commissio
and was administered as a bureau @
subordinate proportions. But Il grew yea
by year Bureaus and divisions were {
ated. II was vast machine and the de