Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-12-09

| Ties OF government, their schools, SIT
the common interests of their commu-
mites and so by counsel and expert
ence 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 be-
lieye, 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
will 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 1t or linger 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 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 I'm
locked. One key to It is a system OF
railways. These the government.
should itself build and administer, and
the ports and terminals 1t 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 shall take
| the liberty of from time to time CALI
| 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 l. 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-
! f1ict or jealousy as between state and
| federal authorities, for there can be
no essential difference OF purpose be-
| tween them. The resources in ques-
tion must be used but not destroyed
or wasted; used, but not monopc!iEsd
upon any narrow idea Of individual
rights as against the abiding interests
| of communities. That a policy can 1e
worked out by conferences art ccices-
sion which will release these sources
and yet not leopard or dissipats
! them, | for one have no doubt; and IL
can be done on lines OF regulation
| which need be no less ACCEPTABLE to
| the people and governments of the
states concerned than to abe people
and government of the nation at large
| whose heritage these resources are.
We must bend our counsels to this
end. A common purpose ought to
make agreement easy.
Specially important
Three or four matters of special Inn
| portance and significance ! 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 il
| renders now in improving the condi-
| tons 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 fair and effective
employers liability act; and 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 large number of the states
abundantly proves that.
! We ought to devote ourselves 90
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 tho
| Jico,,rc;o,, op oil o,,ac+{ope fbat .Roo%
safety at sea is now sitting in London
| at the suggestion of our own govern
ment. SO soon as the conclusions CT
! that congress can be learned and corr
! 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 sale 3
] and render II extremely difficult to-
| obtain the services OF spirited anc
! competent men such as every ship
| needs II it is to be safely handled
and brought 10 port.
May / not express the very fes.S
pleasure l have experienced ia CO.
operating with this congress and shar-
ing WIFI IL lHe fdDOTS Vi COHHth
service TO which it has devoted itself
so unreservedly during the past seven
months of accomplishing concentrae
ton upon the business Of legislation?
| Surely it is 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 / hope that
It may not be deemed an impertinent
intrusion of myself into the picture it
1 say with how much and how con-
slant satisfaction | have availed NY
| self of the privilege of putting my
time and energy at their disposal
alike in counsel and In action.
Good Business.
=