Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-12-14

government Up to our advent all other
experience sought to repress rather than
encourage political power 1t takes long
time and much experience to ingram po-
liticai habits of steadiness and efficiency
Popular self-government ultimately must
rest upon common habits of thought and
upon reasonably developed public opin-
fon- No such foundations for self-gov-
eminent, let alone independence are now
present in the Philippine Islands Disre-
garding even their racial heterogenefty
and the lack of ability to think
ton. it Is sufficient to point out that un-
der liberal franchise privileges only about
per cent of the Filipinos vote and only
per cent of the people are said to read
the public press To confer independence
subject the great mass of their people to
the dominance of olgarchica1 and.
probably, exploiting minority. Such a
course will be cruel to those people as
It would be shameful to us.
Our true course is to pursue steadily
and courageously the path have thus
self-sustaining pursuits; to continue the
cultivation of sound political habits
through education and political practice;
to encourage the diversification of indus
tries, and to realize the advantages of
their Industrial education by conserva-
lively approved cooperative methods, at
once checking the dangers of concentrat-
ed wealth and building up sturdy. indie
pendent citizenship.
Regulation of Water Power.
There pending before congress a
large number or bills proposing to grant
privileges Of erecting dams for the pur
pose of creating water power in our navi-
gable rivers The tendency of these bills
has brought out important defect in
the existing general dam act That act
does not in my opinion, grant sufficient
power to the federal government in deal
ing with the construction of such dams to
exact protective conditions in the interest
of navigation. 1t does not permit the
federal government a condition of its
permit. to require that a part of the
81, A..
further general Improvement and protec-
ton of the stream 1 believe this to be
one of the most important matters of
internal improvement now confronting
rivers of this country comparatively
long and shallow. In order that they
may be made fully useful for navigation
there has come into vogue method of
improvement known canalization,
the slack-water method. which consists
In building a series of dams and locks.
each of which will create long pool of
deep navigable water. At each of these
dams there is usually created long pool
of deep navigable water. At each of these
dams there Is usually created also water
power of commercial value. If the water
power thus created can be made available
for the further Improvement of naviga-
ton in the stream, it is manifest that the
improvement will be much more quickly
effected on the one hand, and the
other. that the burden the general tax
payers of the country will be very much
reduced. Private interests seeking per-
mits to building waterpower dams in
navigab1e streams usually urge that they
thus improve navigation, and that if they
do not, impair navigation they should be
allowed to take for themselves the
tire profits of the water-power develop
ment Whatever they may do by way of
relieving the government of the expense of
improving navigation should be given due
consideration, but it must be apparent
that there may be a profit beyond a
sonably liberal return upon the private
investment which IS n potential asset
the government in carrying out a com
prehensive policy of waterway develop
ment. It is objection to the retention
and use of such an asset by the govern
ment that comprehensive waterway
policy will include the protection and de-
velopment of the other public uses of
water. which cannot and should not be
ignored in making and executing plans
for the protection and development of
navigation 1t is also equally. clear that
fnasmuch as the water power thus Gre
ated is or may be an incident of gen
eral scheme of waterway Improvement
within the constitutional jurisdiction of
the federal government the regulation of
such water power lies also within that
jurisdiction In my opinion constructive
craftsmanship requires that legislation
should be enacted which will permit the
development of navigation in these great
rivers to go hand in hand with the uti1-
ization of this by-product of water pow
er. created in the course of the same i'm
provement. and that the general dam act
should be so amended as to make this pos
sble. I deem it highly important that
the nation should adopt a consistent and
harmonious treatment of these water
power projects. which will preserve for
this purpose their value to the govern
ment whose right it is to grant the per-
NIT Any other policy is equivalent to
throwing away a most valuable national
asset
The Panama Canal.
During the past year the work of
struction upon the canal has progressed
most satisfactorily. About 81 per cent. of
the excavation work has been completed.
and more than SO per cent of the
crete for all the locks is in place. In
view of the great interest which has been
manifested as to some slides in the Guile
of Col. Goethals should allay any ap-
prehension this point 1t is gratifying
to note that none of the slides which
CURED during this year. would have in
terfered with the passage of the ships
had the canal. in fact, been in operation.
and when the slope pressures will have
been finally adjusted and the growth of
vegetation will minimize erosion in the
banks of the cut. the slide problem will
be practically solved and ample sta
bility assured for the Culebra Cut
Although the official date of the open
ing has been set for January ]. 1915. the
canal will. in fact. from present indica-
lions, be opened for shipping during the
latter half of 1913. No fixed date can as
yet be set. but shipping interests will be
given that vessels can pass through with
out unnecessary delay
Recognizing the administrative problem
in the mana gement of the canal con-
gress in the act of August 81 1912 has
made admirable provision for executive
and the government of the Canal Zone
The problem of most efficient organfza-