Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-05

| between the east and the west IS
| from 6 to 10 per cent, whereas in Cam
! ada the corresponding difference Is but
2 per cent. Any plan must, Of course,
guard the interests Of western and
southern bankers as carefully as it
guards the interests of New York or
| Chicago bankers; and must be drawn
from the standpoints of the farmer
and the merchant no less than from
the standpoints Of the city banker
and the country banker.
The law should be amended so
as specifically to provide that the
| funds derived from customs duties
may be treated by the secretary of the
treasury as he treats funds obtained
under the internal revenue laws. There
should be a considerable increase In
bills Of small denominations. Per-
mission should be given banks If nec-
essary, under settled restrictions, to re-
tire their circulation to a larger
amount than three millions a month.
Philippine Tariff
I most earnestly hope that the bill to
provide a lower tariff for or else abso-
lutte free trade in Philippine products
will become a law. No harm will come
to any American industry: and while
there will be some small but real ma
terial benefit to the Filipinos, the main
benefit will come by the showing made
as to our purpose to do all in our
power for their welfare So far our
action in the Philippines has been
abundantly justified not mainly and
indeed not primarily because of the
added dignity 1t has given us as a ma
tion by proving that we are capable Of
| honorably and efficiently to bear the
| international burdens which mighty
| people should bear, but even more be-
cause of the immense benefit that has
come to the people of the Philippine
islands. In these islands we are stead
lily introducing both liberty and order,
to greater degree than their people
have ever before known. We have
secured justice We have provided an
efficient police force, and have put
down ladroneism. Only in the islands
of Leyte and Samar is the authority
of our government resisted and this by
wild mountain tribes under the super
stitious inspiration of takers and
pseudo-religious leaders. We are con-
stantly increasing the measure of
| liberty accorded the islanders, and next
spring, If conditions warrant, we shall
| take a great stride forward in testing
] their capacity for self-government by
summoning the first Filipino legislative
assembly; and the way in which they
stand this test will largely determine
whether the self-government thus
granted will be increased or decreased; !;
for If we have erred at all in the Philip
pines it has been in proceeding too
rapidly In the direction of granting a
large measure of self-government. We
are building roads. We have, for the
immeasurable good of the people, ar
ranged for the building of railroads.
Let us also see to it that they are given
| free access to our markets. This ma
tion owes no more imperative duty to
itself and mankind than the duty of
managing the affairs of all the islands
under the American flag-the Philip
pines, Porto Rico and Hawaii-so as to
make it evident that 1t is in every way
to their advantage that the flag should
| fly over them.
Porto Rican Affairs
American citizenship should be con-
ferred on the citizens Of Porto Rico
The harbor of San Juan in Porto Rice
should be dredged and improved. The
Iexpenses of the federal court of Porte
Rico should be met from the fedora
treasury. The administration of the
affairs of Porto Rico, together with
those of the Philippines, Hawaii, and
our other insular possessions. should
all be directed under one executive de-
partment; by preference the depart
ment of state or the department of war.
Hawaii
| The needs of Hawaii are peculiar;
every aid should be given the islands;
and our efforts should be unceasing to
develop them along the lines of COM
munity of small freeholders, not of
great planters with cooie-tilled estates.
Situated as this territory is, in the mid
die of the Pacific, there are duties i'm
| posed upon this small community
which do not fall in like degree or
manner upon any other American COM
munity. This warrants our treating it
differently from the way in which we
treat territories contiguous to or sur
rounded by sister territories or other
states, and justifies the setting aside
Of portion of our revenues to be ex-
pended for educational and internal i'm
| provements therein. Hawaii is now
making an effort to secure immigration
| fit in the end to assume the duties and
burdens of full American citizenship,
and whenever the leaders in the various
industries of those islands finally adopt
our ideas and heartily join our admin
istration in endeavoring to develop a
middle class of substantial citizens, a
way will then be found to deal with the
commercial and industrial problems
which now appear to them so serious.
The best Americanism is that which
aims for stability and permanency of
prosperous citizenship, rather than i'm
mediate returns on large masses of
capital.
| Alaska
| Alaska's needs have been partially
met, but there must be complete re-
organization of the governmental sys-
| tenn, as 1 have before indicated to you.
ask your especial attention to this.
| Our fellow citizens who dwell on the
shores of Puget Sound with character
istic energy are arranging to hold in
Seattle the Alaska Yukon Pacific ex-
position. Its special aims include the
upbuilding of Alaska and the develop
ment of American commerce on the
Pacific ocean. This exposition. in its
purposes and scope, should appeal not
only to the people of the Pacific slope,
but to the people of the United States
at large Alaska since 1t was bought
has yielded to the government SILL
900, 900 of revenue and has pro-
duced nearly $500, 900 in gold, furs
and fish. When properly developed it
will become in large degree a land of
homes. The countries bordering the
Pacific ocean have a population more
numerous than that of all thescountries