Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-06

| Jaws 20 actual present conditions. Tho
honest disposal ana right uss OF the re-
| naming public lands r. Of Fundamental
| Importance. The Ubiquitous methods by
which the monopoiizing of the public lands
Is being brought about under the present
Jaws are becoming more generally known
nut the existing laws do not Furnish ef-
tecuve remedies. The recommendations Of
the Public Lands commission are wise and
should be given effect.
The creation or small irrigated farms
under the reclamation act Is a Dowerful
onset TO the tendency OF certain other
laws TO foster or permit monopoly OF the
land. Under that act the construction OF
great irrigation works has been Drocced-
ing rapidly and successfully, the lands
retained are eagerly taken up, and the
prospect that the policy of national IT.
rigation will accomplish all that was eX-
pected of II is bright The act should
De extended to include the state OF Texas.
The Reclamation Act derives much OF
Us value from the fact that II tends 10
secure greatest possible number OF homes
on the lands and TO create communities
or freeholders, in part by settlement on
public land, in part by forcing the sub
division OF large private holdings before
they can get water from government IT.
rigation> works. The law requires that no
right TO the use Of water for land in
private ownership shall be sold for a
tract exceedingly leo Gcres TO any one
land owner. This provision has excited
active and powerful hostility. but the sue
cess OF the law itself depends on the wise
and firm enforcement Of II. We can not
afford to substitute tenants for freeholders
on the public domain
The greater part of the remaining
public lands can not be Irrigated. They
are at present and will probably always
De OF greater value for grazing than for
any other purpose. This fact has led to
the grazing homestead of $40 acres in
Nebraska and 70 the proposed extension
Of 1t to other states. IL is argued that
family can not be supported on 16o acres OF
aride grazing land. This is obviously true;
but neither can family be supported on $40
acres of much of the land to which 1t Is
proposed to apply the grains homestead. To
establish universally any such arbitrary
limit would be unwise at the present time.
II would probably result on the one hand
in charging the holdings of some OF the
great land owners, and on the other In
needless suffering and failure on the part
of a very considerable proportion of the
bona fide settlers who give faith to the
implied assurance of the government that
such an area is sufficient The best use
OF the public grazing lands requires the
careful examination and classification of
these lands in order TO give each settler
land enough to support his family and no
more. While this work is being done, and
until the lands are settled. the govern
ment should take control OF the open range,
under reasonable regulations suited to
local needs, following the general policy
already In successful operation on the
forest reserves. It is probable that the
present grazing value of the open public
range is scarcely more than half what
1t once was or what 1t might easily be
again under careful regulation"
The message proceeds to urge continu-
ance of forest reserve work, further assist
ance from the national government toward
the construction and maintenance /of lower
Mississippi levees; asks earnest considera-
ton Of the report of the Merchant Marine
commission; commends the claims OF the
tercentennisl celebration OF the settlement
Of jamestown to congressional considera-
tion; calls attention 60 the excellent work
OF the pension bureau; recommends ma
tional care for the graves Of the confeder-
ate dead, beginning with the graves Of
those who died in northern prisons
Immigration.
The message goes at considerable detail
into the statistics OF Immigration, repeat
ing what was said in the last message, that
I'VE cannot have too much immigration OF
the right sort and we should have none
whatever OF the wrong sort Continuing
to discuss the problem as follows:
"In dealing with this question it is unwise
to depart from the old American tradition
and to discriminate for or against any man
who desires to como here and become a
citizen save on the ground of that mans
fitness for citizenship. 1t Is our right and
duty to consider his moral and social quail
ity. His standard of living should be such
that he will not, by pressure OF competition,
lower the standard of living of our own
wage-worSers; for 1t must ever be prime
object of our legislation TO keep high their
standard OF living If the man who seeks
to come here is from the moral and social
standpoint Of such a character as TO bid
fair to add value to the community he
should be heartily welcomed. We cannot
afford to pay heed to whether he is of one
creed or another. of one nation or another.
We cannot AFFORD to consider whether he is
Catholic or Protestant, Jew or Gentle;
whether he is Englishman or Irishman,
Frenchman or German, Japanese. Italian,
Scandinavian, Slav or Magyar. What we
should desire to find out is the individual
quality OF the individual man. In my
Judgment with this end in view, we shall
have to prepare through our own agents |
a far more rigid inspection IN the countries
from which the immigrants come. 1t will
be a great deal better to have fewer i'm
migrants, but all of the right kind, than a
great number of Immigrants. many of
whom are necessarily OF the wrong kind"
The question of Chinese immigration
we are told. stands by itself. The presi-
dent takes the position that we should
maintain our prohibition upon immigration
of Chinese coolies. but Hberalize our
treatment of Chinese students. business and
professional men of all kinds, encourage
ing them to come here on precisely the
same footing as similar people of other
nations "As a people we have talked
much OF the open door in China and we
expect. and quite rightly intend to insist
upon Justice being shown us by the |
Chinese, but we cannot expect equity I'M
less we do equity. We cannot ask the !
Chinese to do TO us what we are unwilling
to do TO them. Much trouble has come
during the past summer from the organized |
boycott against American goods started |
in China The main factor In producing
this factor has been the resentment offered
by the students and business people of
China, by all the Chinese leaders against
the harshness Of our law toward educated |
Cinnamon"
The Civil Service.
1.-THE civil service law has been on the |
statute books for twenty-five years Every |
president and a vast majority of heads
OF departments who have been in ofice |
during that period have favored gradual |
extension OF the merit system. The more
thoroughly it's principles have been under
stood, the greater has been the favor with |
which the law has been regarded by ad-
ministrative officers. Any attempt to
carry ON the great executive departments
OF the government without this law would
Inevitably result In chaos. The Civil
Service commissioners are doing excellent
work; and their compensation Is in
adequate considering the service
Copyright Laws.