The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-10-02

condition, cdpaDle OIL 1T a.
aaems to me that no good Ameilca'ts
@dtizen can fail to rejoice over anu
lave q pride in, the great WORK anu ~
the great record we have "rousn.
the Philippine islands. The recoro u
England in India, of France IN Cocnln
China, or of Holland in Su1latra an .,
Borneo, can bear no comparison W."
the great work we have wrouen' ~
the Philippine islands. Those lslahus'
bv reason of their location III Ine
heart of the Orient, are great asse'
to as in extending our commerce IL
the oriental countries, and our nas'
representing our guardianship ana our
government, is still greater asset
to them. They are still only partl-
ally developed and still only partially
fit for self-government. Under oT
flag and under our supervision, tney
will, in the years to come, gradually
coalesce and grow in strength ana
manhood and become a homogeneous
nation. The great mass of the people
are more than satisfied with our gov
eminent and our supervision. They
prefer that to an oligarchy of schem-
ing native politicians, who, IN ex'
ploitation of themselves, are shouting
Independence"
President Wilson and the Democrat
ic party have taken up this shout and
have advocated the scuttling OF TIE
islands. Shall what Admiral Dewey
and President Mckinley, the Amer1S
can soldiers, and the American school :
teachers have wrought for these peo-
pie and those islands go for naught?
The odor of the Republican party 1s
upon it, and, therefore, it is a stencil
in the nostrils of the Democracy, and,
therefore, the islands should be scut-
tied. The Philippine bill, with the
scuttling Clarke amendment, passed
the senate by the narrowest kind OF
majority, the vote Of the vice presl-
dent deciding it. When the bill
| reached the house, we hoped that
Wilson would at least be neutral, but
such was not the case. He proved
to be as much of scuttler as Sen
ator Clarke. But fortunately there
were about thirty northern Democrats
who united with the Republicans in
defeating the nefarious and unpatri-
otto scheme.
Rural Credit Legislation. n
The so-called rural credit law, .f6r
which much credit is claimed by the
Democrats, will be found to be of
little help or use for northern farm
ers. It is based on foreign models,
| poorly suited to conditions in our
country. It creates a federal farm
loan board of five members, four of
whom are to receive salary of $780,
600 per annum each. The law pro-
vides for the establishment of twelve
farm loan districts, with farm loan
bank in each. Before farmers can
borrow, they must form farm loan
associations, in which they must take
and pay for stock to the amount of
SIS for every 500 they want to bo.r
row. The scheme will be found to
be so complicated and involved that
few farmers will care to make use OF
it, unless money can be borrowed
through it at materially lower rates
than from other sources, which seems
highly improbable; at least, in the
north. If a farmer can borrow money
| from his local banker, on his farm, at
say six per cent interest, he is not
likely. to join farm loan associate
and take stock at the rate of S. fl {
every 500 he borrows In the north
ern states, where money as a general
rule can be obtained on first class
farm mortgages at from five to six
per cent interest. 1t is not likely that
much use will be made of the law.
It may be that in the south, where
money is less plentiful and interest
higher, some help may be obtained
through the law. Tenants, who are
often times needy and worthy of help,
can not secure money under the pro.
visions of the law. Only land own
ers, who occupy and till their farms,
can borrow money under it. The sys-
tenn will prove to be very expensive
and, inasmuch as it is to some ex-
tent Of foreign importation, it is, to
say the least, questionable whether
it will prove to be a success in this
country. 1t is, in short, a new ex-
pertinent of doubtful value which
remains to be tried and tested
Law for Railway Men.
This law, hurriedly rushed through
during the last hours of the last ses-~
sion of congress, is the culminatioK
OF Democratic legislative wisdom. 1t
is at the very apex of their so-called
scheme of constructive legislation.
What are the facts in the case? Four
orders of railway trainmen had by
vote, of which we have no reliable
data, determined upon a strike to hold
up the railway freight traffic of the
entire country If their demands were
not complied with prior to Sept. 4.
this year. These demands were
chiefly of two-fold character:
First. The trainmen insisted upon
&~~