The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-02

4
but in the Philippines We must 30 1ur-
Their We must hold steadily In vteW
their ultimate independence. ana We
must move toward the time or that IN
be cleared and the foundations
I thoughtfully and permanently Laid
Acting under the authority CONFER
| red upon the president by congress,
the Islands : majority in both houses
| OF their legislative body by appoint
ing five instead Of four native citi-
gems to the membership Of the COM
we shall make proof OF their capacity
| In counsel ana their sense OF rosp0n-
sibility in the exercise OF political
power. and that the success OF TINS
/ step will be sure to clear our view for
the steps which are to follow. Step
by step we should extend and perfect
the system of self government In the
islands, making test Of them and
modifying them as experience dis
closes their successes and their fall
put under the control OF the native
citizens Of the archipelago the essen
tial instruments Of their life, their To-
Cal instrumentalities Of government.
ests Of their communities, ana SO by
counsel and experience set up q gov
eminent which all the world will see
to be suitable to q people whose at
last, I hope and believe. we are be-
ginning 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 confident tread upon
1t and we shall not wander from it or
linger upon it.
INIT <~~ Aaa~lr~
A duty faces US with regard to Alas
ka which seems to me very pressing
and very Imperative; perhaps I should
say a double duty, for 1t concerns both
the political and the material develop
ment Of the territory. The people OF
Alaska should be given the full terri
torfal form Of government, and Alaska,
as a storehouse, should be unlocked.
One key to 1t 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 development OF the
country and its people.
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 I shall take the lib
erty Of from time to time calling your
attention. for 1t is q policy which must
be worked out by well-considered
stages. not upon theory. but upon lines
OF practical expediency. It 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 prin-
c1ple and object are the same, wherever
we touch 1t. We must use the resources
OF the country, not lock them up.
There need be no conflict or jealousy
as between state and federal authori-
ties. for there can be no essential diff
ference OF purpose between them. The
resources In question must be used, but
not destroyed or wasted: used, but not
monopoltxed upon any narrow idea OF
1neiytdual rights as against the abiding
interests OF commnnitles That q pol
Icy can be worked out BY conferences
and concession which will release these
resources and yet not leopard or dis
sipate them. for one have no doubt:
and 1t can be done on lines Of regula-
ton 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 our counsels to this end.
A common purpose ought to make
agreement easy.
Three or four matters Of special i'm
portance and significance I beg that you
will permit me to mention in CLOSING.
Our bureau Of mines ought to be
equipped and empowered to render
even more effectual service than it
renders now in improving the condi-
tons or 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 nearer
TO our interest than the preservation
from waste OF our material resources.
Railway Employees.
We owe 1t. in mere justice to the
railway employees OF the country. to
provide for them a fair and effective
employer liability act; and a law
that we can stand by in this matter
will be no less to the advantage ct
those who administer the railroads of
the country than to the advantage of
those whom they employ The ex-
perience 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
| its realization and is vital only as It
expresses and embodies it,
An international congress for the
discussion Of all questions that az
feet safety at sea is now sitting in
London at the suggestion of our own
government. So soon as the conclu-
| sions of that congress can be learned
| and considered 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 it extremely Diff
| ncult to obtain the services of spirited
and competent men such as every
ship needs II it is to be safely ham
died and brought to port.
| May I not express the very real