The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-06-16

den capture of any seaport in which
the nations flag is flying.
Most important progress has been
made IN the development Of the ma
#tional militia as an aid to the regular
army of the United States. BY well
directed legislation and by the activity
OF the proper bureaus Of the war de
part1nent for the, first time in the
history Of the country adequate steps
are being taken TO bring about an
approximation of armament, equip
ment and discipline Of the militia to
those.o the regular army The i'm
.portance Of this development for ma
tional defense cannot be overestimat-
ed.
The medical department. has rem
sdered most valuable service in stamp
ing out yellow fever. without which
it would have been impossible to con-
struct the Panama canal The army
has aided the stricken people of San
Francisco, saving them from starva-
ton and death due to the earthquake
and fire with which that city was
visited.
Another and most remarkable in
stance of the efficiency of the army
has been the work done by it during
the year Of its stay in Cuba as force
for the maintenance Of the tranquil
cation of that island Not single
report of any abuse by officer or man
has reached the department. during
the entire time.
The management of our outlying
possessions under Republican admin
istration has been attended with re-
n1arkab1e success. Under American
occupation and control the commerce
of the island Of Porto Rico, which III
the most prosperous days of Spanish
rule aggregated but 90 million doll
lars, was, in 1907, Sc millions. The
production of sugar has advanced
from 100000 tons to 1000 tons.
valued at Is million dollars.
When we took possession of the.
island there was but one school build
ing owned by the government. Now
there are over 80, built and under
construction, and the number of
pupils in the public schools is 10000.
Peace and order prevail throughout
the island, and a representative is
accorded to the United States.
In the Philippine Islands the people
have been given a Legislative. body,
the full power Of conducting their
own municipal and provincial govern
ments, the establishment of their
own tariff system, the direction
of the postal service and, indeed,
greater rights and powers than those
possessed by any other people sub
iect to our sovereignty. A sound and
reliable currency system has been es-
tablished, schools SO enlarged that
the number Of primary schools now
aggre gate between 5000 and 1000,
with a total enrolment in March last
of 479, 97s;. postofices have been es-
tabfished throughout the archipelago,
a free. delivery service in the city Of
Manila practically 10000 miles of
telegraph and cable lines are in oper-
alton, and several hundred miles of
new railway are. under construction
or contract; while less than 10 per
cent of the government EMPLOYEES
and municipal Offices are Americans,
and Of the police and constabulary
Iorce % per cent are Filipinos.
The worksof 4icivilizing and uplifting
he inhabitants Of the Philippine
Islands has gone. forward with re-
i11arkable progress.
The resignation of President Palma
of the republic|sof Cuba and the fail
ure of the Cuban Congress to elect a
successor left that island without a
government alta time when great dis
order prevailed, and the president
deemed 1t his duty to establish pro-
Vislonal government, restore order,
administer law and justice, but cou-
pied With the announcement that this
action was preliminary to the re-es-
Enlistment of orderly government in
the island. The threatened .insurrec-
tons were averted, peace and good
order restored and the development
OF production, transportation and
commerce. resumed. Public order has
been perfectly kept, and at no time
Tor a century has the island been so
tree from marauding bands as under
american { m !, l1 provisional administration.
local and national eHctions are to
be held and the government again
turned over to the Cuban people.
Y Our navy has been strengthened
until today we. hold a second place
among the naval powers in the world,
and our feet of battleships rides tri-
umphantly around the globe, receive
ing the friendly situations of the ma
lions, conveying peace and good will
to all the people
The department Of justice has
prosecuted its work with fidelity and
diligence, seeking to prevent viola
tons of federal law and to mete out
meritorious punishment to the guilty.
Its most important work during the
past four years has been tordefend
the soundness Of the positions taken
by it relating to prosecutions Under
the Sherman antitrust law and the
interstate commerce law by carrying
proceedings thus inaugurated through
the various courts and to a final de-
termination by the supreme court Of
the United States, that the constitu-
tionality Of these acts might be adj
Indicated and settled.
The effort Of the national govern
ment to invoke that provision of the
federal constitution which empowers
congress to regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the states
presented problems Of the greatest
perplexity, the solution Of which has
been attended with no little difficulty.
Without rehearsing the legislation
enacted to correct the evils and the
work Of enforcing these statutes it is
gratifying to know that the abuses
complained of are fast disappearing,
and Carrier and shipper alike are CO.
operating in the enforcement Of the
law, and what at one time threatened