Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-12-07
Adulteration of Foods.


I recommend that a law be enacted to
regulate interstate in mis-
branded and adulterated foods, drinks and
drugs. Such law would protect legitimate
manufacture and commerce, and would
tend to secure the health and welfare Of
the consuming public. Traffic in foodstuffs
which have been debased or adulterated SO
as to injure health or to deceive purchasers
should be forbidden.
Insular Possessions.
He treats at considerable length of condi-
lions In the Philippines, and recommends
that the coastwise laws of the United
states as applied to the archipelago be sus-
pended until July /, 1908. He recommends
the immediate fertilization of Hawaii in
order to conserve the interests of this coun-
try in the Pacific. He also advocates the
adoption of legislation that will explicitly
confer American citizenship on the people
of Porto Rico, and on the general subject
of insular affairs says:
I wish also to call the attention of the
congress to one question which affects our
insular possessions generally; namely, the
need of an increased liberality in the treat
ment of the whole franchise question In
these islands In the proper desire to pre-
vent the islands being exploited by specula-
tors and to have them develop in the inter-
est of their W people an error has been
made in refusing to grant sufficiently lib
eral terms to induce the investment OF
American capital in the Philippines and In
Porto Rico. Elsewhere in this message !
have. spoken strongly against the jealousy
of mere wealth, and especially of cor
porate wealth as such. But it is particular
ly regrettable to allow any such jealousy
to be developed when we are dealing either
with our insular or with foreign affairs.
The big corporation has achieved it's pres
emit position in the business world simply
because it is the most effective instrument
in business competition. In foreign affairs
we cannot afford to put our people at a dis
advantage with their competitors by in any
way discriminating against the efficiency
of our business organizations. In the same
way we cannot afford to allow our insular
possessions to lag behind in industrial de-
velopment from any twisted Jealousy Of
business success. 1t is, of course, a mere
truism to say that the business interests of
the islands will only be developed If 1t be-
come the financial interest of somebody to
develop them. Yet this development 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 OBJ.
jects are, 1t is not less important that we
should favor their industrial development.
The government can in certain ways help
this directly, as by building good roads
but the fundamental and vital help must
be given through the development of the
industries Of the islands, and a most eff
cient means to this end is to encourage big
American corporations to start industries
in them and this means to make 1t advan-
-o1, e. -. m ls-aEA ~
ownership of mining claims as has been
done in the Philippines is absurd.
In treating of Alaska he asks thai that
territory be granted an elective delegate to
congress, and of the territories of Okla
homa, Indian territory, New Mexico and
Arizona he says:
Admission to Statehood.
I recommend that Indian territory and
Oklahoma be admitted as one state and
that New Mexico and Arizona be admitted
as one state. There is no obligation upcz
us to treat territorial subdivisions. which
are matters of convenience only, as bind.
ing us ON the question of admission to state.
hood. Nothing has taken up more time In
the congress during the past few years
than the question as to the statehood te
be granted to the four territories above
LIN Cdl CIul CoIIoldCI dtlOI
of all that has been developed in the dis.
c~ussions of the question I recommend thai
they be Immediately admitted as TIVE
states. There is no justification for further
delay; and the advisability of making the
four territories into two states has been
clearly established.
In some of the territories the legislative
assemblies issue licenses for gambling
The congress should by law forbid this
practice, the harmful results of which arr
obvious at a glance.
The Panama Canal.
He refers to the Panama canal, but asidt
from asking for an immediate appropria
ton does not give any recommendations al
to other legislation at this time, but prom
ises a later communication which shall coz
tain the report of the board of engineer
and his w conclusions as to the type Z,
canal. On this subject he says:
The American people is pledged to Thu
speediest possible construction of a cana
adequate to meet the demands which tn,
m of the world will make upon 1t
and l appeal most earnestly to the con
gress to aid in the fulfllment of the pledge
Gratifying progress has been made durin,
the past year and especially during the pas
four months. The greater part of the nee
essary preliminary work has been done
Actual work of excavation could be begun
only on a limited scale till the Canal Zon,
was made a healthful place to live in an
to work in. The isthmus had to be sanitat
ed first. This task has been SO thorough!
accomplished that yellow fever has beef
virtually extirpated from the isthmus ant
general health conditions vastly improved
The same methods which converted tn,
Island of Cuba from a pest hole, which
menaced the health Of the world, into
healthful place of abode, have been apple
or the isthmus with satisfactory results
There is no reason to doubt that when tn,
plans for water supply, paving and sewer
age of Panama and Colon and the larg
labor camps have been fully carried out
the isthmus will be, for the tropics, an un
usually healthy place of abode. The worl
is SO far advanced now that the health O
all those employed in canal work is as wei
guarded as 1t Is on similar work in thi
country IND elsewhere.
In addition to sanitating the isthmus
satisfactory quarters are being provided
for employees and an adequate system o
supplying them with wholesome food a
reasonable prices has been created. Hos
pitfalls lave been established and equippe1
that are without superiors of their kin
anywhere. The country has thus bee
made fit to work in, and provision has bee
made for the welfare and comfort of thos
who are to do the work. During the pas
year a large portion of the plant wit
which the work is to be done has been or
dered. 1t is confidently believed that b
the middle Of the approaching year a sufii
Gent proportion of this plant will hay
been installed to enable us to resume tn
work of excavation on a large scale.
I, What is needed 10Y and without delay l
II - -. 4ha mr. Ia ar