Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-12-10

legislation; and should also supple
ment that great act by legislation
which will not only clarity it but also
facilitate its administration and make
1t fairer to all concerned. No doubt
we shall all wish, and the country will
expect, this to be the central subject
or our deliberations during the pres
ent session; but it is a subject so
many-sided and so deserving of care
fui and discriminating discussion that
shall take the liberty of addressing
you upon it in special message at
later date than this 1t is of capital
Importance that the business men of
this country should be relieved of all
uncertainties of law with regard to
their enterprises and investments and
a clear path indicated which they can
travel without anxiety. 1t Is as i'm
portant that they should be relieved
of embarrassment and set free to
prosper as that private monopoly
should be destroyed. The ways OF
action should be thrown wide open.
| turn to a subject which l hope
can be handled promptly and with
out serious controversy of any kind.
| mean the method of selecting nomi-
nees for the presidency of the United
States. / feel confident that /
90 not misinterpret the wishes
Or the expectations Of the
country when / urge the prompt
enactment Of legislation which will
provide for primary elections through
out the country at which the voters of
the several parties may choose their
nominees for the presidency without
the Intervention of nominating con-
ventions
independence for Philippines.
These are all matters of vital do
mestic concern, and besides them, out
side the charmed circle of our own
national life in which our affections
command US, as well as our con-
sciences, there stand out our obliga-
lions toward our territories over sea.
Here we are trustees. Porto Rico,
Hawaii, the Philippines, are ours, once
regarded as mere possessions, are no
longer to be selfishly exploited; they
are part of the domain of public con-
science and of serviceable and enlight-
ened craftsmanship. We must admin
lister them for the people who live in
them and with the same sense of re-
sponsibility to them as toward our
own people in our domestic affairs. No
doubt we shall successfully enough
bind Porto Rico and the Hawaiian is
lands to ourselves by ties of justice
and affection, but the performance of
our duty toward the Philippines is
more difficult and debatable matter
We can satisfy the obligations of gen.
erous justice toward the people of
Porto Rico by giving them the ample
and familiar rights and privileges ac
corded our own citizens in our own
territory and our obligations toward
the people of Hawaii by perfecting the
provisions of self-g government already
granted them, but in the Philippines
we must go further. We must hold
steadily in view their ultimate indie
pendence, and we must move toward
the time of that independence as
steadily as the way can be cleared and
the foundations thoughtfully and per.
manentiy laid.
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 a 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. anc
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.
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 il improving the condi-
lions of mine labor and making the
mines more economically productive
as we'll 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 II, 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 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 tc
the accomplishment Of political and
economic reforms Social Justice