The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-07
President Taft Sends Message
 To Congress On Legislation
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10,

\ II prevent that tying up of the resources of K the country in the western and less set H tied portion and in Alaska, which means 5 stagnation and retrogression.
 II The question of conservation Is not a i partisan one and I sincerely hope that
 even in the short time of the present ses- Y sion consideration may be given to those E questions which have now been much dis eussed, and that action may be taken upon them.
 Alaska
 E With reference to the government of H Alaska, I have nothing to add to the recommendations made in my last mes sage on the-subject. I am convinced that H the migratory character of the popula- tion it's unequal distribution, and it's II sinallness of number, which the new cen sus shows to be about 50,000, in relation to the enormous expanse of the territory make 1t altogether impractcable to give to those people who are in Alaska today and may not be there a year hence, the power to elect a legislature to govern an immense territory to which they have a relation so little permanent. It is far H better for the development of the terri Il tory that it Joe committed to a commis- Il sion to be appointed by the executive, II with limited legislative powers sufficient H ly broad to meet the local needs, than to II continue the present insufficient govern ment with few remedial powers, or to make a popular government where there l is not proper foundation upon which to
 rest it.
 The suggestion that the appointment of i commission will lead to the control of l the government by corporate or selfish and exploiting interests has not the slightest foundation in fact. Such gov I ernment worked well in the Philippines, 1 and would work well in Alaska, and l those who are really interested in the | proper development of that territory for 1 the benefit of the people who live in it and the benefit of the people of the United States, who own 1t, should sup port the institution of such a govern | ment.
 l have been asked to recommend that 1 the credit of the government be extended | to aid the construction of railroads in Alaska. I am not now ready to do so. l A great many millions of dollars have l already been expended in the construc- ton of at least two railroads, and if | laws be passed providing for the proper development of the resources of Alaska, especially for the opening up of coal lards, I believe that the capital already l invested will induce the investment of | more capital, sufficient to complete the l railroads building. and to furnish cheap | coal not only to Alaska but to the whole Pacific coast. The passage of law l permitting the leasing of government coal | lands in Alaska after public competition,
 
 1 for the government of the territory, with enabling powers to meet the local needs, l will lead to an improvement in Alaska
 and the development of her resources l that is likely to surprise the country National Parks
 Our national parks have become so ex- tensive and involve so much detail of
 action in their control that 1t seems to
 to me there ought to be legislation cre-
 at:ng bureau for their care and con
 tro. The greatest natural wonder of
 this country and the surrounding terri
 tory should be included in another na-
 tional park. I refer to the Grand Can
 yon of the Colorado.
 Pensions
 The uniform policy of the government
 in the matter of granting pensions to
 those gallant and devoted men who fought
 to save the life of the nation in the peri
 lous days of the great Civil war, has
 always been of the most liberal char
 acter. Those men are now rapidly pass
 ing away. The best obtainable official
 sta tistics show that they are dying at
 the rate of something over 5000 month,
 and, in view of their advancing years,
 this rate must inevitably. in proportion,
 rapidly increase. To the man who risked
 everything on the field of battle to save
 the nation in the hour of its direst need we owe debt which has not been and ! should not be computed in a begrudging 4 or pdTslnOnlOuB SplIll. 6ut while we
 should be aetuated by this spirit to the
 soldier himself care should be exer-
 cised not to go to absurd lengths, or
 distribute the bounty of the government i to classes of persons who may, at this late day, from mere mercenary motive. seek to obtain some legal relation with an old veteran now tottering on the brink of the grave. The true spirit of the pension laws is to be found in the noble sentiments expressed by MT. Lin ! coin in his last inaugural address, where ! in, in speaking of the nations duty to be over, he said we should "care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and orphans"
 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE The report of the Secretary of Agricul- ture invites attention to the stupendous Value of the agricultural products of this country. amounting in all to $S,9 .0oe for this year. This amount Is larger | than that of 1909 by $3O5 oOo.00o The ex- l istence of such a crop indicate a good prospect for Business throughout the ||s country. A notable change for the better ! Is commented upon by the secretary in the fact that the south, especially in those regions where the boil weevil has interfered with the growth of cotton has given more attention to the cultivation of corn and other cereals. so that there is a greater diversifcation of crops in the south than ever before-and all to tho great advantage of that section. The report contains most interesting account of the activities of the depart | ment In it's various bureaus, showing how closely the agricultural progress in this country Is following along the lines of l improvement recommended by the de- pertinent through It's publications and the results of it's experiment stations in | every state, and by the instructions given through the agricultural schools. aided | by the federal government and following d the general curriculum urged by the head l and bureau chiefs of the department. The activities of the department have | been greatly Increased by the enactment & recent lea1siation, by the pure food act. Tho meat inspection act, the cattle trans |, ,F5ortatioA act. and the act concerning the