The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-07-26


RESIDENT ROOSEVELT has
~ essnyed many stunts In some
Of which he succeeded and in
some of which he failed. Just
now he Is attempting the impossible,
seeking the unattalnable, In trying to
make people believe that he and Sen
ator Beveridge and Mr.. Speaker Can
non and the whole Republican ma
chine were not whipped clear out of
their boots by the Democrats and in
surgent Republicans In the statehood
fight. The president gave the pen with
which he signed the Oklahoma state
hood bill to Beveridge. What the Hoo
sier senator wants with 1t Is a mys-
terry. 1t seems to me that so often as
he looks upon 1t he will recall his
great defeat. If 1t had not been for
4 the solid Democratic vote, aided by the
insurgents, bill would have been ram
med through congress making one state
out OF Oklahoma and the Indian Ter
ritory and another state out of New
Mexico and Arizona That was the
administration measure, fathered by
Beveridge and pressed with might and
main both from the White House and
from the speakers chair. But the
Democrats and Republican insurgents
stood firm and made the good fight,
triumphing in the end over the presi-
dent, the speaker and other coadjutors.
1t was bitter fight, bitter as gall
the most bitter of the session-and left
scars which will not heal In long
time IL ever Words said and things
done il that contest will rankle when
many of the participants are In their
graves. President Roosevelt might
present Senator Beveridge with all the
! pens in America and then not convince
the observant that those twain achiev-
| ed victory in the statehood matter.
That portion of the new state of
Oklahoma now constituting the Indian
Territory now comes in with n prohi-
bitton condition. 1t may be interesting
to know that at least three other states
were admitted on conditions-Miss
that she would never enforce the con-
stitutional provision against the set
tlement of free negroes or mulattoes In
the state; Michigan on condition that
she relinquish to Ohio all claims to a
certain disputed strip of territory; Utah
on condition that she prohibit polyga-
my within her borders. Texas came in
with two privileges that no other state
enjoyed = first, Of retaining all her
public land and, second, of dividing
herself into five states whenever she
gets ready. which she will never do.
State pride is too strong. The Texan
who would advocate such proposition
would run the risk of being mobbed.
AS result of retaining her public
lands Texas will some day have q pub
lie school fund equal to the combined
school fund of all the rest of the states.
She has pursued the wise policy of
leasing them instead of selling them.
Lake Erie and Ohio River Ship Canal.
The prospects of Pittsburg, always
bright. We're greatly improved ut the
recent session of congress. One of the
most important actions of that body at
that session-perhaps the historians of
the future will rank 1t as the most i'm.
portant-was the granting of a charter
for ship canal from Lake Erie to
Pittsburg. That 1t will when built
make great changes especially In the
growth of Pittsburg. must be clear to
the dullest Intellect. 1t will also settle
for all time to come the question of |
deep water in the Ohio from Pittsburg |
to Cairo Most assuredly Pittsburg IL |
to be most heartily congratulated upon |
her good luck. The canal is to be 103 |
miles long and is estimated to cost
$46,0OO,O0O. The chances are that 1t |
VIII cost more. 1t is to be built by |
private capital-not dollar to come |
out of the national treasury. There
was strenuous objection TO 1t on the
ground that 1t might ruin the water
supply of several small cities and
towns and Of numerous manufacturing |
plants, and there Is much reason In the
contention. There was also strenuous
objection to granting private corpora
tion ownership of ship canal, and
there was much reason in that objec-
tion. But the desire to see such an
important waterway established over
came, after thirteen years of struggle,
the obvious objections and the great
Is launched. II Is said that 1t
is already fully financed and that the
actual digging will begin next April.
OF course certain railroads also OBJ
jected because they think 1t will In
Jure their business. But the chances
are that the commerce of Plttsburg
will be SO Increased that the railroads
will have more business than before.
The truth Is that the American peo-
pie are just beginning 10 wake up to
the possibilities OF increasing our
wealth and commerce by building ca
pals and improving our rivers The
Chicago drainage canal 10 the Mssls
sippi IL almost certain to develop into
q ship canal from Chicago TO the gulf
A canal across Florida from the gulf
10 the Atlantic will surely be built, also
Dne across Maryland. These canals
will bring vast changes with them In
the shipping and manufacturing bust
ness. Ship canals are time savers In
IN eminent degree. No other species OF
compares In eheapness
With water transportation. and the
lime viii come when there will be a
'hip canal built wherever sensible men
lelieYe It Will pay.
Our Merchant Marine.
When Napoleon bad signed the title