The daily sentinel., 1909-12-07

acter has once passed the house and
more than once passed the senate and
| hope that at this session bill
framed on the same lines and with
the same purposes, may become
law.
Interior Department--Ncw Mexico
and Arizona.
The successful party in the last
election in its national platform de
clared in favor OF the admission as
separate states of New Mexico and
Arizona, and | recommend that legis-
Iation appropriate to this end be
adopted. | urge, however, that care
be exercised in the preparation of
the legislation affecting each territory
to secure deliberation in the selection
of persons as members of the conyen-
ton to draft a constitution for the
incoming state and earnestly advise
that such constitution after adoption
by the convention 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 constitution. and If the
constitution is defeated by popular
vote, means shall be provided in the
enabling act for new convention and
the drafting of a new constitution. |
think 1t vital that the issue as to the
merits of the constitution should not
be mixed up with the selection of
state officers, and that no election of
state officers should be held until
after the constitution has been fully
approved and finally settled upon.
Alaska.
With tbn farritpry Of
Alaska, recommend legislation
which shall provide for the appoint
ment by the president of 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 pow
ers sufficient to enable IL to give to
the territory local laws adapted to its
present growth. | strongly deprecate
Legislation looking to the election of
territorial legislature in that vast
district. The lack of permanency of
residence of large part of the pres
ent 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 interests that have
to be subserved. make it altogether
uniting in my judgment to provide
for a popular election of legislative
body. The present system is not ade-
quate and does not furnish the char
acter of local control that ought to
be there. The only comuromise 1t
seems to be. which may give needed
local legislation and secure a conser-
vative government is the one | pro-
pose.
Conservation of National Resources.
In several departments there is
presented the necessity for legisla-
tion looking to the further conserva-
ton of our national resources, and
the subject is one of such Importance
as to require more detailed and ex-
tended discussion than can be entered
upon in this communication. For
that reason, I shall take an early op-
portunity to send special message
to congress on the subject of the i'm
provement of our waterways, upon
the reclamation and irrigation of
arid. semi-arid and swamp lands;
upon the preservation of our forests
and the reforesting of suitable areas;
upon the reclassification of the public
domain with view of separating
from agricultural settlement mineral
coal, and phosphate lands and sites
belonging to the government border
ing on streams suitable for the util-
ization of water power.
Department of Agriculture.
Il commend to your careful con
sideration the report of the secretary
of agriculture as showing the i'm
miense sphere OF usefulness which
that department now fills and the
wonderful addition to the wealth of
the nation made by the farmers of
, this country in the crops of the cur
rent year.
Department of Commerce and Labor.
The Lighthouse Board.
The lighthouse board now dis
charges its duties under the depart
ment of commerce and labor For
upwards of forty wears this board
has been constituted of military and
naval officers and two or three men
of science with such an absence of n
duly constituted executive head that
1t Is marvellous what work has been
accomplished. In the period of con-
struction the energy and enthusiasm
of all the members prevented the
inherent defects IF the system from
Interfering greatly with the benefit
cial work of the board. but now that
the work is chiefly confined to main
tenance and repair, for which pur-
nose the country is divided into six
teen districts. to which are assigned
an engineer officer Of the army and
an inspector of the navy, each with n
lighthouse tender and the needed