Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-08-15

who use II as an indispensable part OF
their daily business.
We Don't Own Philippines.
"ln dealing with the Philippines we
we should not allow ourselves to stand
on any mere point OF pride. We are
not the owners Of the Philippine islands.
We hold them in trust for the people
who live in them. They are theirsfor
the use Of their live. We are not even
their partners. 1t is our duty as trus-
tess to make whatever arrangement of
government as well be most servicable
to their freedom and development. Here
again, we are to set up the rule of JUS
tice and right.
Conservation, Waterways, Merchant
Marine.
81 do not know greater question
than that of conservation. We have
been a spentdrift nation and must now
husband what we have left. We must
do more than that. We must develop
as well as preserve our water power
and add great water ways to the trans
portation facilities Of the nation, to
supplement the railroads within their
We must revive our merchant marine,
too, and fill the seas again with our
own fleets. We must add to our pre-
sent postoffice service a parcel post as
complete as that of any other nation.
We must look to the health Of our peo-
pie on every hand, as well as hearten
them with justice and opportunity. This
is the constructive work of government.
This is the policy that has vision
and hope that looks to serve man
kind
"With regard to the development
Of greater and more numerous water
ways and the building up of merchant
marine, we must follow great construc-
tive lines and not fall back upon the
cheap device of bounties and subsi-
dies. In the case Of the Mississippi RI
yer, that great central artery of all our
trade, it is plain that the federal gov
eminent must build and maintain the
levees and keep the great water in har;.
ness far the general use. It is plain,
too, that vast sums of money must be
spent to develop new water ways where,
trade will be most served and trans
portation more readily cheapened by
them. Such expenditures are no larger
on the part of the government, they
are national improvements.
"The very fact that we have at last
take the Panama canal seriously in hand
and are vigorously pushing it toward
completion is eloquent Of our re-awak-
ened interest in international trade.
We are now building the canal and.
pouring out millions upon millions Of!
money upon its construction merely to
establish a water connection, impor.S
tant and desirable as that may be, par
ticularly from the point of view of ma
val defense. 1t is meant to be a great
international highway. 1t would be a.
little ridiculous if we should build it
and then have no ships to send through
it. There have been years when not
single ton of freight passed through
the Suez canal in an American bottom,
so empty are the seas of our ships and
seamen. We must mean to put an end
to that kind of a thing or we would not
no nj
doors merely for the use of our memo !.
war. We shall not manage the revival
by the mere paltry divice of tolls. We
must build and buy ships in competia
ton with the world.We can do it if we
will but give ourselves leave.
For Vocational Training.
"There is another duty which the
democratic party has shown itself great
enough and close enough to the people
to perceive, the duty Of government
to share in promoting agricultural, in
dustrial, vocational education in every
way possible within its constitutional
powers. No other platform has given
this intimate vision Of party's duty.
The nation cannot enjoy its deserved |
supremacy in the markets and enter
prises Of the world unless its people |
are given the ease and effectiveness
that come only with knowledge and
training. Education is part of the
great work of conservation, part of the
task of renewal and of perfected power.
Is no Personal Contest.
A presidential campaign may easily
degenerate into a mere personal con-
test and SO lose its real dignity and
significance. There is no indispensa-
BILE man. The government will not col
lapse and go to pieces if any one of
the gentlemen who are seeking to be
entrusted with it's guidance should be
left at home. But men are instruments.
u |