The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-27

intricate, complex and grave
The Oriental Question.
"The possession of the Philippines
brings US into the closest relation with
the oriental people and will be pro-
ductive of problems of a far reaching
character. Around the shores OF the
yellow Sea is congested a third of the
population of the globe. China, the
oldest nation known to history, ana
Japan the youngest in point of mod
ern civilized development, represent
tremendous dormant forces that may
work for good or evil to mankind
Back in the dim ages of antiquity, the
Aryan race cut loose from the lofty
plateaus of central Asia and drifting
westward first inhabited western ASA
and then overspread Europe. IL mn
ally crossed the Atlantic and planted
its Deople upon these shores, and with
marvellous rapidity they have multi
piled and covered the continent with
a restless and progressive population.
About the same time, Monaghan
tribe originating in the same mountain
regions. drifted eastward and settled
in the valley of the ShenSi. This trlDe
has multiplied until it has covered
with the denSeSt population eastern
Asia and the islands adjacent thereto
After thousands of years of advancing
in opposite directions, these two races
have encircled the globe and met upon
the waters of the Pacific. what Is 10
be the result of this contact? These
DeOple of q d1nerenC TdcldI OTlSlH,
have a different color of skin, differ
ent habits of life, different conceptions
of human destiny. and different reIlg-
ions Will they live in peace and har-
mony together and ultimately ANAL
gamate into a cosmopolitan race, or
will they contend for the supremacy of
their own deals in commercial. indus
trial and military conflict? Whatever
is to be the ultimate result. the re-
sponsibility of maintaining the prin-
ciples and purposes of Christian civil
ization rests largely with the Ameri-
can people. Our oriental relations
will. without doubt, produce perplex-
ing national questions, and the COM
ine Years are laden with problems of
tremendous Importance to mankind
fHowever, the questions that grow
ont of the construction of the canal,
and our oriental relations are more or
less abstract and may be of more in
terest to the students of history and
sociology than they are to men alb
sorbed with practical affairs of life
The questions relating to our domestic
affairs are of the most vital concern to
the larger number of the people.
The Tariff.
''To aid in the revision of the tariff
will be among my first duties. In the
campaign. / stated that / was in favor
of revising the tariff from the stand
point of a protectionist 1 am in ac-
cord with the published views of
President-eIect Taft on this question
and with the declarations of the Re
publican national and state platforms.
I believe that protection is justified
for two purposes: first, when it will aid
in the development of undeveloped re-
sources and second when it is needed
for the protection of the wages of
American workmen from destructive
competition from abroad. A protective
tariff should be maintained on products
that are manufactured from resources
that are yet undeveloped in order that
our industrial growth may be pro-
NOTED Where the wages paid here are
higher than those paid abroad in the
same industries a tariff should be re-
tained equal to the difference in the
wage scale so that American wages
will not be reduced The increased
earning power of capital in America
should be taken into consideration, but
wherever the tariff is used to encour-
age monopoly or maintain exorbitant
prices, it should be taken off, and
where the duties are higher than are
justified for either of the reasons sug-
gested, they ought to be reduced This,
in my judgment, is a wise and funda-
mental doctrine in dealing with the
tariff question.
The Transportation Problem.
''The transportation problem presents
questions in which the American peo-
pie have the liveliest interest. The in
dustrial development of the United
States is unprecedented in the history
Of civilization. The American railroad
is responsible more than any other
agency for this wonderful evolution of
modern business life. A dozen COM
paratively densely populated and -four
fshtng states have been carved out of
the western prairie that would still be
marked on the map as a desert if it
had not been for the railroads They
have made it possible to develop the
natural resources of these vast areas,
and as a result millions of people en-
ployed in agriculture. manufacturing,
commerce and other kinds of Industrial
have settled upon these
plains, and builded homes. factories,
and vast commercial institutions. BY
virtue of their energy they have fur
nished the railroads with an enormous
volume of business.
The Railroad and the Highway.
''Since the railroads are so
essential to the Industrial life and
welfare of the states. it follows that
the men who control them hold a
tremendous power over the fortunes
Of the people who are dependent
upon these roads for the transporta-
tfon of their commodities and
products. The railroad is the key
to the wealth of the interior of the
United States, and today 1t sustains
the same relation to our commercial
highway did in other times. Rome
expended vast amounts of money in
constructing highways, not only to
factlitate the movement of her
armies, but for the benefit of her
commerce. Before the railroad was
thought out, our government began
to expend large sums of money for
the construction of highways to en-
courage the development of our in
ternal resources. The railroad came,
and, by virtue of its efficiency has de-
stroyed the usefulness of the old or
der of highways The former high |
way was open to the use of all men
upon the same terms. Its use, how
ever, was different from that of the
railroads because, as a rule every
man furnished his own transporta-
tion equipment. The OK cart, the