The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-06

way discriminating against the efficiency of our business organisations. In the same way we can not afford to allow our insular posssssions to lag behind in industrial de- velopment from any twisted jealousy of bus mess success It is. of course. mere tru- ism to say that the business interests of the islands win only be deteloDed If 1t becomes the financial interests of somebody to de- veIop them. Yet this deveIopment is one of the things most earnestly to be wished for in the interest of the islands themselves. We have been paying all possible heed to the political and educational interests Of the islands. but. important though these objects are 1t is not less important that We should favor their industrial develoDment- The Government can in csrtain ways help this directly, sas by building good roads; but the Fundamental and vital help must De given through the development of the industries Of the islands. and a most efficient means to this end is to encourage big American cor porations to start industries in them and this means to make it advantageous for them to do To limit the owenrship of mining claims has been done in the Philippines is absurd. In both the Philippines and Porto Rico the limit of holdings at land should bs largely raised
 earnestly ask that Alaska be given an elective Delegate. Some person should be chosen who can speak with authority of the needs of the territory. The Government should aid in the construction of a railroad from the Gulf of Alaska to the Yukon Riv- CT. in American territory. In my last two messages dvocated certain additional ac- tien on behalf of Alaska. shall now re- peat those recommendations. but shall lay all my stress upon the one recommendation of giving to Alaska some one authorized to speak for it. should prefer that the Delegate was made elective. hut if this is not deemed wise then make him appointive. At any rate give Alaska some person whose business 1t shall be to speak with authority on her behalf to the Congress. The natu- ral resources of Alaska are great Some of the chief needs of the peculiarly energetic. self-reliant. and typicaily American white population of Alaska were set forth in my last message I also earnestly ask your attention to the needs of the Alaskan In dians. All lndians who are competent should receive the full rights of American citizenship, It is. for instance. gross and tndefensihie wrong tot deny to such hard working. decent-iivlng Hndians the Metia- kahtlas the right to obtain licenses as cap tains. pilots, and engineers. the right to en- ter mining claims. and to profit by the homestead law. These particular Indians are civilized and are competent and enti-| tied to be put the same basis with the white men around them.
 Admission to stateh6od.
 I recommend that the Indian Territory and Oklahoma be admitted as one State and that New Mexico and Arizona be admitted as one State. There Is no obligation upon usfto treat territorial subdivisions which arg matters of convenience only. as binding us on the question of admission to statehood. Nothing has taken up more time in the Con sress during the past few years than the question as to the statehood to he granted to the four territories above mentioned. and after careful consideration of all that has been developed in the discussions Of the question recommend that they be imme- dtately admitted as two States There is no Justification for further delay: and the advisability of making the four Territories into two States has been clearly establish. ed.
 In some of the Territories the legislative assemblies issue licenses for gambling. The Congress should by law forbid this prac- tice. the harmful results of which are ob- vious at a glance.
 The Panama Canal.
 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 it's ratifi- cation by the United States Senate on Fob ruary g. 1904. The canal properties of the French Canal Companx were transfer red to tho United States on April ga. 1904, on payment of $40. 000. 900 to that company. On April 1. 1905. the Commission was re- organized. and 1t now consists of Theodore r. Shonts. chairman. Charles E. Magoon, Benjamin M. Harrod. Rear-AdmiraI Morde- cai T. Endicott. Brig. Gen. Peter C. Hains. and Col. Oswald IL Ernst. John F. Stevens was appointed chief engineer on July 1. last. Active work in canal construction. mainly preparatory. has been in active progress for less than a year and half During that period two points about the canal have ceased to beopen to debate. First. the question of route: the canal will be built on the Isthmus of Panama. Second. the question of feasibility: there are no physi- cal obstacles this routa-sthat American engineering skill will not be abie to over come without serious difficulty. or that will prevent the completion of the canal within a reasonable time and at . reasonable cost. This Is virtually the unanimous testimony of the engineers who have investigated the matter for tho government
 The. point which remains unsettled Is the question of type. whether the canal shall be one of several locks above level or at level with a single tide lock. On this point I hope to lay before the Congress at an early day the findings of the Advisory Board of American and European Engineers. that at my invitation have been considering the subject. together with the report of the Commission thereon: and such comments thereon recommendations in reference thereto as may seem necessary.
 The American people Is pledged to the speediest possible construction of canal
  commerce of the world will make upon 1t. and I appeal most earnestly to the Con- ceased to be open 10 debate. First. the Gratifying progress has been made during the past year and especially during the past four months. The greater part of the necessary preliminary work has been done. Actual work Of excavation could be begun gress to aid in the fulfillment of the plegde. only on a limited scale till the canal zone was made a heaithful place to live in and to work in- The Istkmns had to ba sanitated first his task has been thor oughly accomplished that yellow fever has been virtually exterminatsd from the 18th mus and general health conditions vastly improved. The same methods which con verted the Island of Cuba from a pest hole. which menaeed the health of the world into @ healthfuI place of abode. have been ap- piled on the Jsthmus with satisfactory re- suits There Is no reason to doubt that when the plans for water supply. paving. and sewerage of Panama and Colon and tho large labor camps have been fully carried out. the Isthmus will be. for the Tropics. an unusually healthy place of abode The work is so far advanced now that the health of all those employed canal work Is as well gaurded as 1t Is done similar work in this country and elsewhere.
 Ipadditon to sanitating the Isthmus. sat- isfactory quarters are being provided for employees and an adequate system of sup plying them with wholesome food at req sonAble prices has been created. Hospit- als have ben established and equipped that are without superiors of their kind any where. The country has thus been made fit to work in. and provision has been made for the welfare and comfort of those who are to do the work During the mast year