The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-12-02

IL nave already accorded the people
OF the islands 4 majority in both
houses OF their legislative body by APP
pointing five instead IF four native
commission. shAlieve that in this
way we shall make proof OF their ca
pacity in counsel aud their Of
responsibility iusSthe exercise Of poll
tical 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 extend and
perfect the system of sclf-government
in the islands, making test Of them
and modifying them as experience
dtsclOses' their successes and their fall
ures: that We should more and more
put under the, control Of the native
citizens OF n archipelago the essen
tial instruments of their life. their
local instrumentalities Of government,
their schools. all II common inter-
ests of their communities. and so by
counsel and experience set up q gov
eminent which all the world will see
to be suitable to u people whose At
fairs are under their own control. 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 u own
We shall learn how best to serve them
and how Dol 1t will be possible and
wise to withdraw on r~supervision.
with Arm n confident tread upon it
and We shall not wander from 1t or
linger upon it..
Government Railroads in Alaska.
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 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 control in the interest Of
all who wish to use them for the serv-
ice 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 throw
ing back the lock and opening the
door. How the tempting resources of
the country are to he exploited is an
other matter. to which I 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 the lines Of practical expe-
diency. 1t Is part OF our general prob
lem 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 1t. We
must use the Of the coun-
try. not lock them up. There need be
no conflict o rjealousy as between
state and federal authorities, for there
pose between them. The
in question must be used. but not de-
stroyed or wasted; used, but not mon
opolized upon any narrow idea of in
dividual rights as against the abiding
interests of communities. That a pol
icy can be worked out by conference
and concession which will release
these resources and yet not leopard
or dissipate them. 1 for have no
doubt; and it can be lone on lines Of
regulation which need be no less ac-
ceptable to the people and govern
state
ments 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 pur-
pose ought to make agreement easy.
Three or four matters Of special inn
p%ortance and sighihcance beg that
you will permit me to mention in clos
ing. So. 5.
Improve Mine Labor Conditions.
| Our bureau Of mines ought to be
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