The searchlight., 1912-12-13


encourage political power. IL takes long
time and much experience to ingram po-
Utica, habits of steadiness and efficiency.
Popular self-government ultimately must
rest upon common habits of thought and
upon a reasonably developed public opln-
ion. No such foundations for self-gov-
ernment let alone Independence. are now
present In the Philippine Islands. Disre-
garding even their racial heterogeneity
and the lack OF ability to think as a ma
tion. II Is sufficient 10 point out that un-
der liberal franchise privileges only about
3 per cent. OF the Filipinos vote and only
per cent. OF the people are said to read
the public press. To confer independence
upon the Ffnpinos nov Is. therefore. TO
subject the great mass Of their people to
the dominance of oligsrchical and.
probably. exploiting minority. Such
course will be as cruel to those people as
II would be shameful TO US.
Our true course Is IN pursue steadily
and courageousiy the path we have thus
far followed; to guide the Eilipinos into
self-sustaining pursuits: to continue the
cultivation of sound political habits
through education and political practice;
to encourage the diversiication 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 a sturdy. indie
pendent citizenship.
Regulation Of Water Power.
There are pending before congress
large number of bills proposing to grant
privileges Of erecting dams for the pur-
pose Of creating water power In our navi-
gable rivers. The pendency Of these bills
has brought ont an 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. IL does not permit the
federal government. as a condition OF Its
permit TO require that part OF the
value thus created shall he applied to the
further general improvement and protec-
ton OF the stream. I believe this to be
one Of the most important matters OF
internal Improvement now confronting
the government. Most of the nayigable
rivers Of this country are comparatively
long and shallow. In order that they
may be made fullS useful for navigation
there has come into vogue a method OF
Improvement known as canaliZation, or
the slack-water method. which consists
In building a series Of dams and locks.
| each of which will create a long pool Of
deep navigable water. At each of these
dams there Is usually created long pool
| OF deep navigabie water. At each OF these
| dams there Is usually created also water
| power Of commercial value. IL the water
| power thus created can be made available
for the further Improvement of naviga-
| tion in the stream. Il is manifest that the
| Improvement will be much more quickly
| effected on the one hand and on the
| other. that the burden on the general tax
| payers of the country will be very much
| reduced. Private interests seeking per
| mits to building waterpower dams In
navigabie streams usually urge that they
/ thus Improve navigation. and that II they
do not impair navigation they should be
| allowed TO take for themselves the en-
| tire profits OF the water-pnwer develop
ment Whatever they may do by way of
| relieving the government Of the expense of
| improving navigation should be given due
| consideration, but II must be apparent
| that there may be a profit beyond rea-
| sonably liberal return upon the private
investment which Il a potential asset Of
| the government In carrying out com
| prehensive policy OF waterway develop
ment. II Is no objection To the retention
and use OF such asset by the govern
ment that comprehensive waterway
| policy will include the protection and de
| velopment OF the other public uses o'
water which cannot and should not D.:
ignored in making and executing plans
for the protection and development al
navigation. I, Is also equally clear tha
inasmueh as the water power thus ere
1
| eraI scheme Of waterway Improvemen
within The constitutional Jurisdiction o
| the federal government the regulation o
such water mower lies also within tina
jurisdiction. In my opinion constructiv,
sta,esmapshIp requires that legislation
| should he enacted which will permit IN,
| deyalonm.pt of Navigation I'm these gr.a
| rivers 10 go hand In hand with the utIi
| ,za,Ion ~ ,bis bv-nroduct of water now
or created In the course Of the same i'm
| provement and that the general dam nc
| sho,,Ia he so amended ns 10 make this nos
sIbIe I deem n highly important tina
,he nathan sbould adopt n consistent an
barmonious treatment Of these water
| mower proIerts which will preserve 10
,h,s nurpose their value to the govern
men, whose right A Is to grant the DER
mi, ANY other policy Is equivalent Z
| ,h,ovIng away n most valuable natIona
asse,
The banana Canal
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