Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-07


China, Japan and the Philippines. The
profits on foreign mails are perhaps
sufficient measure of the expenditures
which might first be tentatively ap-
piled to this method of inducing Amer
lean capital TO undertake the establish
ment of American lines of steamships
in those directions in which we now
feel it most important that we should
have means of transportation con-
trolled in the interest of the expansion
of our trade. A bill of this character
has once passed the house and more
than once passed the senate. and L
hope that at this session a bill framed
on the same lines and with the same
purposes may become a law.
interior Observation-Disclosures Mexico and
Arizona.
The successful party in the last cleo
/ ton in its national platform declared
/ in favor of the admission as separate
I states of New Mexico and Arizona.
/ and l recommend that legislation APP
4 propriate to this end be adopted
] urge, however, that care be exercised
/ in the preparation of the legislation af-
! fecting each territory to secure DELHI
GRAFTON in the selection of persons as
members of the convention to draft
( constitution for the incoming state
and l earnestly advise that such con-
stitution after adoption by the conven-
ton shall be submitted to the people of
the territory for their approval at an
/ election in which the sole issue shall
be the merits of the proposed consti-
tuition, and if the constitution IS de
faofaI l,r Y1nrauIar vota moons I,o
provided in the enabling act for a new
/ convention and the drafting of a new
constitution. / think it vital that the
issue as to the merits of the constitu-
ton should not be mixed up with the
selection of state officers and that no
election of state officers should be had
until after the constitution has been
fully approved and hnally settled upon.
Alaska.
With respect to the territory of Alas
ka, I recommend legislation which
shall provide for the appointment by
the president Of a governor and also
OF an executive council, the members
Of which shall during their term Of
office reside in the territory and which
shall have legislative powers sufficient
to enable It to give to the territory To-
cal laws adapted to its present growth.
1 strongly deprecate legislation looking
to the election of q territorial legiSla-
ture in that vast district. The lack Of
permanence Of residence of a large
part of the present population and the
small number Of the people who either
permanently or Temporarily reside in
the district as compared with its vast
expanse and the variety OF the inter
ests that have TO be subserved make it
I altogether uniting, in my judgment,
to provide for u popular election Of a
/ legislative body. The present system
is not adequate and does not furnish
the character of local control that
ought to be there. The only compro-
( mise il seems to me which may give
needed local legislation and secure
conservative government is the one I
propose.
Conservation of Natural Resources.
In several departments there is pre-
scented the necessity for legislation
. looking to the further conservation OF
OUT national resources, and the sub
. fact IS one of such Importance as to
require n more detailed and extended
. discussion than can be entered upon
+ IN this communication. For that req
son 7 shall take an early opportunity
! to send G special message TO congress
or the subject OF the Improvement Of
our waterways, upon the reclamation
and irrigation of arid, semiarid and
swamp lands. upon the preservation
Of our forests and the reforesting of
suitable areas, upon the reclassihca-
ton OF the public domain with a view
of separating from agricultural set
Element mineral. coal and phosphate
lands and sites belonging to the gov
ernment bordering on streams sulta-
bic for the utilization of water power.
Department OF Agriculture.
I commend to your careful considera-
ton the report OF the secretary OF ag-
riculture as showing the immense
sphere of usefulness which that de
partment now ills and the wonderful
addition to the wealth Of the nation
made by the farmers of this country
in the crops of the current year.
Department Of Commerce and Labor
The Lighthouse Board.
The lighthouse board now discharges
its duties under the department OF
commerce and labor. For upward of
forty years this board has been con
stituted Of military and naval officers
and two or three men of science, with
such an absence Of a duly constituted
executive head that it is marvellous
what work has been accomplished. IN
the period of construction the energy
and enthusiasm of all the members
prevented the inherent defects Of the
system from iDtarfari0o ~rraat fv vi .,
/ the beneficial work OF the board, but
now that the work IS chiefly confined
to maintenance and repair, for which
purpose the country is divided into
sixteen districts, to which are assigned
an engineer officer of the army and an
inspector Of the navy, each with a
lighthouse tender and the needed plant
for his work, it has become apparent