Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-12-04

the common interests of their commu-
mites, and SO by counsel and expert
ence set up a government which all
the world viii see to be suitable TO
people whose affairs are under their
own control. At last, / hope and be-
lieve. we are beginning to gain the
confidence Of the Filipino peoples. By
their counsel and experience, rather
than by our own, we shall learn how
best to serve them and how soon it
viii be possible and wise to withdraw
our supervision. Let US once find the
path and set out with firm and conf
dent tread upon it and we shall not
wander from it or Inger upon it.
Double Duty Toward Alaska.
A duty faces us with regard to Alas
ka which seems to me very pressing
and very imperative; perhaps l should
say double duty, for it concerns both
the political and the material develop
ment OF the territory. The people of
Alaska should be given the full terri
torial form of government, and Alas
ka, as a storehouse, should be un-
locked. One key to it is a system Of
railways. These the government
should itself build and administer, and
the ports and terminals it should itself
control in the interest of all who wish
to use them for the service and de-
velopment of the country and its peo-
pie
But the construction OF railways is
only the first step; is only thrusting
in the key to the storehouse and
throwing back the lock and opening
the door. How the tempting resources
Of the country are to be exploited is
another matter, to which l shall take
the liberty Of from time to time call
ing your attention, for it is a policy
which must be worked out by we'll
considered stages, not upon theory,
but upon lines of practical expediency.
1t is part of our general problem OF
conservation. We have a freer hand
in working out the problem in Alaska
than in the states of the Union; and
yet the principle and object are the
same, wherever we touch it. We must
use the resources of the country, not
lock them up. There need be no con-
ffict or jealousy as between state and
federal authorities, for there can be
no essential difference of purpose be-
tween them. The resources in Ques-
ton must be used, but rot destroyed
or wasted; used, but not monopolized
upon any narrow idea CT individual
rights as against the abiding interests
of communities. That a policy can be
worked out by conference and conces-
sion which will release these resources
and yet not leopard or dissipate
them, | for one have no doubt; and it
can be done on lines Of regulation
which need be no less acceptable to
the people and governments of the
states concerned than to the people
| and government OF the nation at large,
whose heritage these resources are.
We must bend cur counsels to this
end. A common purpose ought to
make agreement easy.
Specially Important.
Three or four matters of special i'm
portance and significance l beg that
you will permit ME to mention in clos
ing.
Our bureau of mines ought to be
equipped and empowered to render
even more effectual service than it
renders now in improving the condi-
lions Of mine labor and making the
mines more economically productive
as well as more safe. This is an all
important part of the work of con-
servatiOn; and the conservation OF
human life and energy lies even near
er to our interest than the preserva-
ton from waste of our material re-
sources.
We owe it. in mere justice to the
railway employees of the country, to
provide for them a fair and effective
employers liability act; and a law
that we can stand by in this matter
will be no less to the advantage of
those who administer the railroads OF
the country than to the advantage of
| those whom they employ. The expert
ence of a large number of the states
abundantly proves that.
We ought to devote ourselves to
meeting pressing demands of plain
justice like this as earnestly as to
the accomplishment Of political and
economic reforms Social justice
comes first. Law is the machinery for
it's realization and is vital only as 1t
expresses and embodies it.
Safety at Sea.
An international congress for the
discussion OF. all questions that affect
safety at sea is now sitting in London
at the suggestion of our own govern
ment, So soon as the conclusions of
that congress can be learned and con-
! sidered we ought to address ourselves,
among other things, to the prompt
alienation of the very unsafe, unjust,
and burdensome conditions which now
surround the employment of sailors
and render 1t extremely difficult to
obtain the services Of spirited and
competent men such as every ship
needs if it is to be safely handled
and brought to port.
May l not express the very real
pleasure | have experienced in CO.
operating with this congress and shar-
ing with it the labors of common
service to which it has devoted itself
so unreservedly during the past seven
months of accomplishing concentra-
ton upon the business of legislation?
Surely it is a proper and pertinent
part of my report on the state Of the
Union" to express my admiration for
the diligence, the good temper, and
the full comprehension Of public duty
which has already been manifested
by both the houses; and I hope that
it may not be deemed an impertinent
intrusion Of myself into the picture II
say with how much and how con-
slant satisfaction l have awaited my
self of the privilege of putting my