Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-04

us once find the path and set out with
| we shall not wander from it or linger
upon 1t.
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 1t 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 unlock
ed. One key to It is a system Of rail
ways 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 devel-
opment Of the country and its people.
But the construction of railways Is
only the first steps 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 be exploited is an
other matter. to which l shall take the
liberty Of from time to time calling
your attention. for 1t is policy which
must be worked out by we'll consid.
cred stages, not upon theory but upon
lines of practical expediency. 1t is
part of our general problem Of con.
servatiOn. 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 conflict or jealousy
as between state and federal author1-
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 monopolized upon any narrow idea
of individual rights as against the
abiding interests of communities That
a policy can be worked out by confer
ence and concession which will release
these resources and yet not leopard
or dissipate them l for one have no
doubt. and it can be done on lines OF
regulation which need be no less &C
ceptable 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 / 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 1t rem
ders now In improving the conditions 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 conservation, and
the conservation Of human life and en-
ergy lies even nearer to our interest
than the preservation from waste Of
our material resources.
We owe 1t In mere Justice to the rail-
way employees of the country to pro-
vide for them a fair and effective en-
ployer's 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 coun-
try than to the advantage Of those
whom they employ. The experience
of a large number of the states abun-
dainty proves this.
We ought to devote ourselves to
meeting pressing demands Of plain
Justice like this as earnestly as to the
accomplishment Of political and eco
nomic reforms. Social justice comes
first. Law is the machinery for its
realization and Is vital only as 1t ex-
presses and embodies it.
An international congress for the dis
cussion of all questions that affect safe
ty at sea is now sitting In London at
the suggestion Of our own government.
So soon as the conclusions Of that con-
gress can be learned and considered
we ought to address ourselves, among
other things, to the prompt alienation
Of the very unsafe, unjust and burden,
some conditions which now surround
the employment of sailors and render
It extremely difficult to obtain the
services Of spirited and competent men
such as every ship needs If 1t Is to be
safely handled and brought to port
May I not express the very real
pleasure have experienced In coop.
Grating with this congress and sharing
with it the labors Of common service
to which it has devoted itself so unre'
servedly during the past seven months
of accomplishing concentration upon
the business Of legislation? Surely 1t
is a proper and pertinent part Of my
report on '"The State Of the Union to
express my admiration for the dill
gence. 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 II say with
how much and how constant satisfac
ton l have awaited myself Of the priv