Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-12-11

corning Interstate fisheries is at pres
emit being attempted. and in this con
nection the message continues:
I cali the attention Of the congress to
the Importance Of the problem OF the
fisheries In the Interstate waters. On the
Great Lakes we are now. under the very
wise treaty OF April II OF this year, en-
tleavoring to come to an International
agreement Cor the preservation and sat
tsfacto,y use OF tho fisheries Of these wa
tors which can not otherwise be achieved.
Lake Erie. for example, has the richest
fresh water fisheries in the world; hut It
is now controlled by the statutes OF two
nations, four states, and one province.
and this province by two different ordi-
nances In different counties. All these
political divisions work at cross pur-
poses, md In no case can they achieve
protection to the fisheries. on the one
hand. and justice to the localities and in
diyiduals on the other.
Counsry's Foreign Policy.
This nations foreign policy is based
on the theory TINT right must be done
between nations precisely as between
Individuals. ana in our actions for the
last ten years we have In this matter
proven our faith by our deeds. We
have behaved. and are behaving. to.
wards other nations, as in private HE
an honorable man would behave to-,
wards his fellows.
take this opportunity publicly to
state my appreciation of the way IN
which in Japan. in Australia, in New
Zealand. and In allSthe states OF South
America, the battle fleet has been re-
cetved ON its practice voyage around
the world. Tile American government
can not too strongly express its appre-
citation of the Astounding and generous,
hospitality shown our ships in every
port they visited
Our Southern Neiehbors.
The commercial and material prog
ress OF the 20 Latin- American republics
is worthy Of the careful attention ot
the congress. The International Bureau
OF the American Republics Is doing q
useful work in making these nations
and their resources better known to
us and in acquainting them not only
with MS as a people and with our pur-
poses towards them, but with what we
have to exchange for, their goods,
Panama Canal Being Rushed.
The work on the Panama canal 10 be-
ing dene with a speed efficiency and
entire devotion to duty, which make 1t
model for alHwork Of the kind. The
men on the Isthmus. from Col. Goethals
and his fellow commissioners through
the entire list OF employees who are.
faithfully doing their duty, have won
their right to the ungrudgins respect
and gratitude OF the American people.
For Ocean Mail Lines.
/ again recommend the extension OF
the ocean mail act of 1891 so that satis-
factory American ocean mail lines to
South America. Asia, the Philippines,
and Australasia may be established.
Citizenship for Porto Ricans.
I again recommend that American cit
izenship be conferred upon the people Of
Porto Rico.
Should Develop Hawaii.
I call pa rticular attention to the Ter
ritory OF Hawaii. The Importance Of
those islands Is apparent. and the need
of improving their. condition and de-
veloping their resources is urgent.
Progress In the Philippines.
Real progress toward government
is being made In the Philippine islands.
trust that within a generation
the time wiiliiarrive when the Filipnos
can decide for themselves whether 1t Is
we'll for them to become independent. or
to continue under the protection Of
strong and disinterested power, able to
guarantee to the islands order at home
and protection from foreign invasion.
Good Work Done in Cuba.
about two months time; the Cnbans
have inSorderly manner elected their own
governmental authorities, and the island
will be turned over to them. Our occu-
patton on this occasion has lasted a lit-r
tie over two years. and aG'ltJl has thriv-
en- and prospered under tta tOur earnest
hope and one desire Is that the people
of the island shall now govern them
selves with justice, SO that peace and or
der may be secure.
The National Guard.
Urging continued efforts to in
crease the efficiency Of the National
Guard the president continues:
Now that the organized militia, the
National Guard. has been incorporated
with the army as a part OF the national
forces. it behooves the government to
do every reasonable thingsin its power
assisted in it's instruction and other
wise aided more literally than hereto
fore, The continuous services OF many
well strained regular officers will be-
essential sin this connection. A
bill is now pending before the
congress creating a number Of extra
officers in the army, which II passed,
as 1t ought to be, will enable more
officers TO be trained as instructors Of
l<dlf'udti anu hdSSlSHcu W tpdL
duty In case Of war 1t will be of tho
utmost Importance to have large
of trained officers to use for
turning raw levies into good troops.
'5 The Army.
AS regards the army call attention
to the fact that while our junior Off
GERS and enlisted men stand very high,
the present system OF promotion by
results in bringing into the
higher grades many men of mediocre
who have but a short time to
serve. No man should regard 1t as his
vested right to rise to the highest rank
in The army any more than In any
other profession. 1t Is a curious and
by 10 means creditable fact that there
should be 80 often a failure on the
part OF the public and its representa-
tives to understand the great need.
from the standpoint Of the service and
the nation.fof refusing to promote re-
spectacle. elderly incompetents. The
higher places should be given to tho
most deserving men without regard t.
seniority; at least seniority should be
treated as only one consideration. In
the stress Sof modern industrial COM
petition no business firm could succeed
if those responsible for it's management
were chosen simply on the ground that
they were the oldest people in its en-
yet this is the course advo-
Gated as regards the army. and re-
CURED by law for all grades except
those Of general officer AS q matter
Of fact all OF the best officers in the
highest ranks of the army are those
who have attained their present posi-
ton wholly or in part by process Of
selection.
Japanese Exposition.
q i. - q
poned until 1917 the date OF the great
exposition, the action beS
ing taken SO as to insure ample time
In which to prepare to make the expo
sition all that IT. should be made. The
American commissioners have SvisitSN