Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03
The Message of the President to the Sizeth Congress


! great natural resources. The duty of the
| national government to guard the per-
! sonal and property rights Of the Indians
within her borders remains. OF course.
| unchanged.
| l reiterate my recommendations of last
! year as regards Alaska. Some form Of
local self-government should be provided.
I as simple and inexpensive possible: 1t
| Is impC ssible fer the Congress to devote
the necessary time to all the little details
OF necessary Alaskan legislation. Road
building and railway building should be
| encouraged. - The Governor Of Alaska
wherewith to organize a force to preserve
| the public peace. Whisky selling to the
native. should be made a felony. The
coal land laws should be changed so as
| to meet the peculiar needs of the terri
| tory. This should be attended to at once:
for the present laws permit individuals
to locate large areas of the public domain
for speculative purposes. and cause an
immense amount Of trouble, fraud and lit
igation. There should be another judicial
division established.
Az early as possible lighthouses and
buoye should be established as aids to
navigation. especially In and about Prince
William sound. and the survey of the
| appropriations for lighting and buoying
/ the southern coast and improving the aids
to navigation In southeastern Alaska One
| OF the great industries of Alaska, as Of
i
| fishing. Gradually. by reason Of lack of
proper laws. this Industry Is being ruined.
| II should now be taken in charge and ef-
feetiveiy protected by the United States
| government.
The courage and enterprise Of the citl-
! Gems Of the far northwest In their project
/ ed Alaska Yuken-Pacidc exposition, to be
| held In 1909. should receive liberal en-
couragement. This exposition IL not SEN
timentaf' In Its conception. but seeks to
| exploit the natural resources OF Alaska
and to promote the commerce, trade and
industry Of the Pacific states with their
! possessions and the neighborng countries
OF the Pacific. The exposition asks no
loan from the Congress, but seeks appfO-
! prfations for national exhibits and en-.
general government. The state Of WASH
ington and the city Of Seattle have shown
the characteristic western enterprise In
large donations for the conduct OF this
exposition In which other states are lend
ing fhe iasre Of the shipping
bill at the last session Of the last Congress
was followed by the taking OK Of certain
Pacific steamships which has greatly
hampered the movement Of passengers
between Hawaii and the mainland. IN
less the Congress Is prepared by positive
announcement to secure proper facilities
In the way of shipping between Hawaii
and the mainland. then the coastw.se
70 prevent Hawaii suffering as 1t Is now
suffering. 1 again call your attention to
the capital Importance from every stand
point of making Pearl harbor available
for the largest deep-water vessels and OF
suitably certifying the island.
The Secretary Of War has gone to the
Philippines. On his return 1 shall submit
to you his report on the islands.
I again recommend that the rights Of
citizenship be conferred upon the people Of
Porto Rico.
Bureau Of Mines.
A bureau Of mines should be created
under the control and direction OF the
Secretary of the Interior: the bureau to
have power to collect statistics and make
investigations In al1 matters pertaining
to mining and particularly to the acct
dents and dangers Of the industry. If
this can not now be done, at least addi-
tiona1 appropriations should BE- given the
Interior Department to be used for the
study OF mining conditions, for the pre-
yenti0n OF fraudulent mining schemes. for
carrying on the work OF mapping the |
mining districts, for studying methods for !
Minimizing the accidents and dangers in |
the industry: in short, to aid IN all proper |
ways the development OF the mining in
dustrysf - .'-lf.- - ii s.,..-,
strongly recommend to the Congress
to provide funds for keeping up the Her |
mftage, the home of Andrew Jackson:
these. funds to be used through the exist |
Ing Hermitage Association for the preser- |
walton Of historic building which should |
ever be dear to Americans.
further recommend that q naval mon- |
ument be established I'm the vicksburg
National Park. This national park gives
q Unique opportunity for COMMUNICATING
tho deeds Of those gallant men who fought |
on water, no less than Of those who |
fought on land. In the great civil war.
Legislation should be enacted at the |
present session OF the Congress for the |
thirteenth census. Tho establishment Of |
the permanent census bureau affords the1
opportunity for a better census than we |
have ever had, but In order to realize the |
full advantage Of the permanent organi-
cation ample time must be given for
preparation.
There is a constantly growing interest |
In this country In the question OF the
public health. At last the public mind is
awake to the fact that many iseases
notably tuberculosis, are national
scourxes. The work Of the state and city
boards OF health should be supplemented
by a constantly increasing interest on the
part OF the national government The
Congress has already provided a bureau
Of public health and has provided for
hygienic laboratory.
Tnere are other valuable laws relating |
to the public health connected with the |
various departments. This whole branch |
Of the government should be strengthened |
and aided in every way.
oraicn Annnr4ad MARI ~