The daily sentinel., 1913-12-02

mary elections throughout the coun-
try at which the voters of the several
parties may choose their nominees
for the presidency without the in
tervention of nominating conven-
tions. | venture the suggestion that
this legislation should provide for
the retention of party conventions.
but only for the purpose of declaring
and accepting the verdict of the pri-
maries and formulating the platform
OF the different parties; and | sug-
gest that these conventions should
| consist not of delegates chosen for
this single purpose, but of the nomi-
nees for congress, the nominees for
vacant seats in the senate of the
United States, the senator's whose
terms have net yet closed, the nat
icnal committees, and the candidates
for the presidency themselves. in or
der that platforms may be framed by
those responsible to the people for
carrying them into effect.
Helping Our Wards.
These are all matters of vital do
mestic concern, and besides them,
outside the charmed circle of our
own national life in which our affec-
tions command us, as well as our
consciences. there stand out our OBJ
| legations toward our territories over
sea. Here We are trustees. Porto
Rico. Hawaii, the Philippines, are
ours, indeed, but not ours to do what
we please with. Such territories,
once regarded as mere possessions,
are no longer to be selfishly exploit
ed; they are part of the domain of
public conscience and of serviceable
and enlightened statesmanship. We
must administer them for the people
who live in them and with the same
sense of responsibility to them as to-
ward,our own people in our domestic
affairs. No doubt we shall success
fully enough bind Porto Rico and
the Hawaiian Islands to ourselves by
ties Of justice and interest and affec-
tion. but the performance of our du-
ty toward the Philippines is more
difficult and debatable matter. We
can satisfy the obligations of gener-
Gus justice toward the people of Por-
to Rico by giving them the ample
and familiar rights and privileges
accorded our own citizens in our own
territories and. obligations towards
the people of Hawaii by perfecting
the provisions of self-gGernment al
ready granted them, but in the Phil
ippines we must go farther. We
must hold steadily in view their ul-
Innate Independence. and we must
move toward the time of that inde-
pendence as steadily as the way can
be cleared and the foundations
thoughtfully and permanently laid.
Acting under the authority con-
ferred upon the president by congress
| have already accorded the people of
the islands a majority in both hous-
es of their legislative body by ap-
pointing five instead of four native
citizens to the membership of the
commission. / believe that in this
way we shall make proof of their
capacity in counsel and their sense
of responsibility in the exercise OF
political power, and that the success
of this step will be sure to clear
our view for the steps which are to
follow. Step by step we should ex-
tend and perfect the system of self
government in the islands. making
test of them and modifying them as
experience discloses their successes
and their failures; that we should
more and more put under the control
of the native citizens of the archi-
pelago the essential instruments OF
their life, their local instrumentali-
ties of government. their schools. all
the common interests of their COM
munities, and so by counsel and ex-
perience set up government which
all the world will see to be suitable
to a people whose affairs are under
their own control. At last, / hope
and believe, we are beginning to gain
the confidence of the Filipino peo-
| pies. BY their counsel and exper-
ience, rather than by our own. we
shall learn how best to serve them
and how soon 1t will be possible and
wise to withdraw our supervision.
Let us once find the path and set out
with firm and confident tread upon
it and we shall not wander from 1t
or linger upon it.
Duty to Alaska.
A duty faces US with regard to
Alaska which seems to me very pres
sing and very imperative: perhaps |
should say a double duty, for 1t con-
GERS both the political and the mater
ial development of the territory. The
people of Alaska should be given the
full territorial form of government,
and Alaska, as a storehouse. should
be unlocked. One key to it is sys-
TEN of railways. These the govern
ment should itself build and admin
|
should itself control in the interest
of all who wish to use them for the
service and development of the coun-
try and it's people.
But the construction of railways
! is only the first step: is only thrust
ing In the key to the storehouse and
throwing back the lock and opening
the door. How the tempting resour-
ces Of the country are to be exploit
ed is another matter. to which l shall
take the liberty of from time to time
calling your attention. for it Is pol
icy which must be worked out by
well-considered stages. not upon the
ory, but upon lines OF practical ex-
pediency. 1t is part of our general
problem of conservation. We have
freer hand in working out the prob
lem in Alaska than in the states OF
the union; and yet the principle and
object are the same, wherever we
| touch H. We must use the resources