The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-12-06

point in the Pacific to fortify in order
to conserve the interests Of this coun-
try. 1t would be hard to overstate the
importance of this need. Hawaii is
| too heavily taxed Laws should be
enacted setting aside for a period of,
say, twenty years rs per cent Of the
internal revenue and customs receipts
from Hawaii as a special fund to be
expended in the islands for education
and public buildings, and for harbor
improvements and military and naval
defenses.
I earnestly advocate the adoption
of legislation which will explicitly
confer American citizenship on all ci-
tizens of Porto Rico. There is in my
| Judgment. no excuse for failure to do
this The expense of the Federal
court of Porto Rico should be met
from the Porto Rican treasury. The
elections in Porto Rico should take
place every four years, and the legls-
lature should meet in session every
two years. The present form of gov
ernment in Porto Rico, which provides
for the appointment by the president
Of the members Of the executive coun-
ell or upper house of the legislature,
has proved satisfactory and has in
spired confidence in property owners
and investors.
| I earnestly ask that Alaska be CIV
en- an elective delegate. Some l.erson
should be chosen who can speak with
authority of the needs Of the Terri
tory. The government should aid in
the construction Of railroad from
the gulf of Alaska to the Yukon river.
| in American territory.
| I recommend that Indian Territory
and Oklahoma be admitted as one
State and that New Mexico and Ari-
zoaa be admitted as one State. There
is no obligation upon us to treat ter
ritorial subdivisions, which are mat
ters of convenience only, as binding
|us on the question Of admission to
statehood. There is no justification
for further delay; and the advisa bility
Of making the four Territories into
two States has been clearly establish
ed.
The treaty between the United
States and the Republic Of Panama.
under which the construction Of the
Panama Canal was made possible.
went into effect with its ratification
| by the United States Senate on Feb
ruary %, 1904. Active work in canal
construction, manly preparatory, has
been in progress for less than d year
and a half During that period two
points about the canal have ceased to
be open to debate First, the ques-
ton Of route; the canal will be buil-
the question Of feasibility; there are
no physical obstacles on this route
that American engineering skill will
not be able to overcome without Sc
rious difficulty. or that VIII prevent
the completion Of the canal Within d
reasonable. time and at q reasonable
cost. This is virtually the unanimous
testimony Of the engineers Who have
Investigated the matter foS 5hs GOV
ernment.
The point which remains unsettled
is the question Of type whether the
cana! SHALL be oaa Of several locks
above sea level. or at sea level With .
single tide lock. On ,his POINT l hore
TO lay before the congress at an carly
cay The findings Of the Advisory board
OF American and European engineers.
that at ny invitation have been con-
sidering the subject. togc:her With
TIE report Of the comm ssioa thereon;
and such comments Tie. II or recon-
nae.dations in reference t;lereto as
may seem necessary.
The American peop,e is pledged to
the speedest possible construction of
canal adequate to meet the demands
which the commerce of the world will
make upon it, and / appeal most ear
nestly to the congress to ai5 in the
fulfllment Of the pledge
What is needed now and without
delay is an appropriation by the cor.
gress t. meet the current and accru-
| ing expenses of the commission. The
first appropriation of $40. 100000. out
of the s135, 100000 authorized by the
Spooner act. was made three years
ago. 1t is nearly exhausted. T::ere
is barely enough of it remaining to
carry the commission 10 the end ct
the year. Unless the congress shall
appropriate before that time all Work