The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-06

we are dealing either with our insular or with foreign affairs. The big cor poration has achieved it's present pOss ton in the business world simply be- cause it is the most effective instru- ment in business competition. In for eign affairs we cannot afford to put our people at a disadvantage with their competitors by in any way discriminat- Ing against the efficiency of our busi- ness organizations. In the same way We cannot afford to allow our insular possessions to lag behind in industrial development from any twisted jealousy of business success. It is, of course, mere truism to say that the business interests of the islands will only be de- Veloped if it becomes the financial in- terest 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 them selves. We have been paying all pos sible heed to the political and educa- i tional interests of the islands, but, im- l pOrtant though these objects are, it is not less important that we should fla vor their industrial development. The . government "an 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 efficient means to this end is to encourage big American corporations to start industries in them and this means to make it advantageous for them to do so. To limit the ownership of min ing claims as has been done in the Phil ! ippines is absurd. In both the Philip pines and Porto Rico the limit of hold ings of land should be largely raised. 1 Alaska.
 I 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 con- struction of a railroad from the Gulf of Alaska to the Yukon river, in American territory. In my last two messages I advocated certain additional action on behalf of Alaska l shall not now re- peat those recommendations but I shall lay all my stress upon the one recom- mendations of giving to Alaska some one authorized to speak for it. should prefer that the delegate was made elee- tive, but if this is not deemed wise then make him appointive. At any rate, give Alaska some person whose busi- ness 1t shall be to speak with authority on her behalf to the congress. The natural resources of Alaska are great. Some of the chief needs of the peculiar ly energetic, sef-reliant and typically American white population of Alaska were set forth in my last message. I also earnestly ask your attention to the needs of the Alaskan Indians. All h. dians who are competent should receive the full rights of American citizenship. It is, for instance, a gross and inde- fensible wrong to deny to such hard working, decent-living Indians as the Metlakahtlas the right to obtain li- censes as captains, polits and engineers, the right to enter mining claims and to profit by the homestead law. These particular Indians are civilized, and are competent and entitled to be put on the same basis with the white men round- about them.
 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 ob- ligation upon us to trweat territorial subdivisions, which are matters of con- venience only, as binding us on the question of admission to statehood. Nothing has taken up more time in the congress during the past few years than the question as to the statehood to be granted to the four territories above mentioned, and after careful consider ation of all that has been developed in the discussions of the question I recom- mend that they be immediately admit ted as two states. There is no justifi- cation for further delay; and the ad- visibility of making the four territo- ries into two states has been clearly established.
 In some of the territories the legisla- tive, assemblies issue licenses for gam bling. The congress should by law for bid this practice the harmful results of which are obvious 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 ef- feet with it's ratification by the United States senate on February 23, 104. The canal properties of the French Canal company were transferred to the Unit ed States on April 2S, 1904, on payment of $40,000,000 to that company An April 1, 1905, the commission was reorganized and it now consists of Theodore P Shonts, chairman; Charles E. Magoon Benjamin M. Harrod, Rear Admiral Mordecai T. Endicott, Brigadier Gener- al Peter c. Hains, and Colonel Oswald H. Ernst. John, F. Stevens was ap pointed chief engineer on July 1 last Active work in canal construction mainly preparatory, has been in pro- gress for less than a year and half During that period two points about the canal have ceased to be open to de. bate. First, the question of route; the canal will be built on the isthmus oi Panama. Second, the question of feasi. bility; there are no physical obstacles on this route that American engineer. ing skill will not be able to overcome