The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-08


pirate executive departments. 1t is
unwise from every standpoint and re-
suits only in mischief to have any
executive work done save by the pure
Iy executive bodies under the control
of the president, and each such execu-
tive body should be under the immedi-
ate supervision of a cabinet minister.
Statehood.
I advocate the immediate admission
of New Mexico and Arizona as states.
This should be done at the present Ses-
sion of the congress. The people of
the two territories have made it evil
dent by their votes that they will not
come in as one state. The only alter
native is to admit them as two, and 1
trust that this will be done without
delay.
Interstate Fisheries.
I call 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 IL of
this year, endeavoring to come to an
international agreement for the preser-
walton and satisfactory use of the fish
cries of these waters which cannot
otherwise be achieved. Lake Erie, for
example, has the richest fresh water
fisheries in the world, but it is now
controlled by the statutes of two ma
lions, four states and one province, and
in this province by different ordinances
in different counties. All these pOlit-
icaI divisions work at cross purposes,
and in no case can they achieve pro-
lection to the fisheries on the one hand
and justice to the localities and indi-
viduals on the other. The case is
similar in Puget sound
But the problem is quite as pressing
in the interstate waters of the United
States. The salmon fisheries of the
Columbia river are now but Il fraction
of what they were twenty-five years
ago ard what they would be now if
the United States government had
taken complete charge of them by in
tervening between Oregon and Wash
ington. During these twenty-five
years the fishermen of each state have
naturally tried to take all they could
get, and the two legislatures have
never been able to agree on joint ac-
ton of any kind adequate in degree
for the promotion of the fisheries. At
the moment the fishing on the Oregon
side is practically closed while there
is no limit on the Washington side of
any kind and no one can tell what
the courts will decide as to the very
statutes under which this action and
nonaction result. Meanwhile very few
salmon reach the spawning grounds,
and probably four years hence the
fisheries will amount to nothing, and
this comes from a struggle between
the associated or gill net fishermen
on the one hand and the owners of the
fishing wheels up the river. The fish
cries of the Mississippi. the Ohio and
the Potomac are also in a bad way.
For this there is no remedy except for
the United States to control and legiS-
late for the interstate fisheries as part.
of the business Of interstate COM
merce. In this case the machinery
for scientific investigation and for con-
troll already exists in the United
Staes bureau of fisheries. In this as
in similar problems the obvious and
simple rule should be followed of hav-
ing those matters which no particular
state can manage taken in hand by the
United States, problems which, in the
seesaw of conflicting state legislatures
are absolutely unsolvab1e, are easy
enough for the congress to control.
Fisheries and Fur Seals.
The federal statute regulating inter
state traffic in game should be extend
ed to include fish. New federal fish
hatcheries should be established. The
administration of the Alaskan fur seal
service should be vested in the bureau
Of fisheries.
Foreign Affairs.
This nations foreign policy is based
on the theory that right must be done
between nations precisely as between
individuals, and in our actions for the
last ten years we have in this matter
proved our faith by our deeds. We
have behaved and are behaving to-
ward other nations as in private life an
honorable man would behave toward
his fellows.
Latin American Republics.
The commercial and material prog
ress of the twenty Latin American re-
publics is worthy of the careful atten-
ton of the congress. No other section
Of the world has shown a greater pro-
portionate development of it's foreign
trade during the last ten years, and
none other has more special claims on
the interest of the United States. 1t
offers today probably larger opportuni-
ties for the legitimate expansion of our
commerce than any other group of
countries. These countries will want
our products in greatly increased guam
titles, and we shall correspondingly
need theirs. The international bureau
of the American republics is doing a
useful work in making these nations,
and their TaSO11roaS battar. Epovv0 70