Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-12-12

found THE Fflipfnos wholly unframed in
government. Up 70 our advent all other
experience sought 10 repress rather than
encourage political power. L takes long
time and much experience to ingram po-
hFiCai habits OF steadiness and efficiency.
Popular self-goyernmeut ultimately must
rest upon common habits Of thought and
upon a reasonably developed public opin-
ion. No such foundations for seIE-goy-
eminent. let alone independence, are now
present in the Philippine Islands. Disre-
garding even their racial heterOgeneity
and the lack Of ability 70 think as a ma
ton, it is sufficient to point out that IN
der liberia franchise privileges only about
3 per cent. Of the FiIipinos vote and only
: per cent Of the people are said to read
the public press. To confer independence
upon the FiEpiaos now IS, therefore, to
subject the great mass Of their people to
the dominance Of an oEgaEchical and.
probably, exploiting minority. Such
course viii be as cruel TO those people as
it would be shameful to US.
Our true course is to pursue steadily
and courageously the path we have thus
far followed; to guide the FTlipinOs into
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 concertrat-
ed wealth and bsilding up a sturdy, inde-
pendent citizenship
Regulation of Water Power.
There are pending before congress a
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 tendency Of these bills
has brought out 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. It does not permit the
federal government as a condition of its
permit, to require that a part of the
value thus created shall be 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 navigabIe
rivers Of this country are comparatively
long and shallow In order that they
may be made fully useful for navigation
there has come i'm vogue a method of
Improvement known as canalization. or
the sIack-water method, which consists
in building a series Of dams and locks
each Of which will create a long pool of
deep navigabIe water. At each of these
dams there is usually created a long pool
of deep navigabIe water At each of these
dams there is usually created also water
power Of commercial value. If the water
power thus created n be made available
for the further improvement Of naviga-
ton in the stream, il is manifest that the
improvement viii be much more quickly
effected on the che hand, and on the
IL -
payers Of the country will be very much
reduced Private interests seeking per
mits to building WaterpoweT dams in
navtgable 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 en-
tire profits of the water-power develop
neRt. 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 rea-
sonably liberal return upon the private
investment which IS a potential asset Of
the government in carrying out a com
prehensfve policy Of waterway develop
ment. 1t is no objection to the retention
and use of such an asset by the govern
ment that q comprehensive waterway
policy will include the protection and de-
veiopment OF the other public uses OF
water, winch CdnlOT ana should not De
ignored in making and executing plans
for the protection and development of
navigation. It is also equally clear that
inasmuch as the water power thus ere
ated is or may be an incident of a 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 util-
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
sible. 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 wear the work Of con-
strUction upon the canal has progressed
most satisfactorily About 81 per cent of
the excavation work has been completed,
and more than IS per cent of the con
crete TOT all the locks IS III place. IN
view of the great interest which has been
manifested as to some slides in the Guile
bra Cut, am gla to say that the report
Of Col. GOethals should alay any ap-
prehensiOn on this point. It Is gratifying
to note that nom of the slides which oC-
CURED during tbs year would have in
terfered with the passage of the ships
had the canal, in fact, been in operation,
and when the sIoDe 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 an ample sta
bIIitv assured for the Culebra Cut
Although the Official date Of the open
ing has been set for January l. 1915 the
canal will, in fact, from present indfca-
lions, be opened for shipping during the
latter half of 1913. No fixed date can as
yet be set, but shipping interests will be
advised as soon as assurances can be
given that vessels can pass through with
out unnecessary delay.
Recognizing the administrative problem
in the management of the canal. con-
gress in the act of August u, 1912 has
made admirable provision for executive
responsibility in the control Of the canal
and the government of the Canal Zone.
The problem OF most efficient Organiza-
ton is receiving careful consideration SO
that q scheme Of organization and con-
troll best adapted to the conditions of the
canal may be formulated and put in op-
Grafton as expeditiously as possible Act
ing under the authority conferred on me
by congress, I have. by executive prOcla-
nation, promulgated the following sched-
uel Of tolls for ships passing through the
canal. based upon the thorough report
OF Emory r. Johnson. special commits
sioner on traffic and tolls:
l. On merchant vessels carrying pas
Both Alike.