RATES OF ADVERTISING: One Square, one Inch, one week... J 100 One Square, one inch, one month.. 3 0 One Square, ene inch, 3 months.. . 5 0 One Square, on inch, one year ..... 10 00 Two Squares, one year 15 00 Quarter Column, one year 30 00 Half Column, one year. 50 00 One Column, one year 190 00 Legal advertisement ten cents per line each insertion. We do fino Job Printing of every de scription at reasonable rates, but it's cash on delivery. Published evory Wednesday by J. E. WENK. Offioe in Emearbaugh (t Wenk Building, KLM BTIlr.KT, TIONKHTA, PA. Terms, 9I.OO A Year, Htrlrtly In Advance. No subscription received fur a shorter period Hum three months. Correspondence solicited, but no notice w ill bo taken of anonymous communica tions. Always give your name. Fore ubl JL T O VOL. XXXVI. NO. 39. TIONESTA. PA., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1903. $1.00 PER ANNUM. THE FOREST REPUBLICAN. Rep st TT A AT 11 ft m 1 1 1 VM JUL. JL JJL, BO HO UGH OFFICERS. Hurgeita. V. R. Sanson. .,ttM!iwwn. Ir. J. C Dunn, CI. O. Ghs , j; . Mhhh, O. K. Weaver, J. W. Landera, J. I Diilo.W. K Kill r. J nut ice Ml the Peace C. A. Handull, 8. I. Nolle v. Coiatle S. K. Maxwell. ColActorH. J. Setley. Xrhotil IHreclornl,. Fullon. J. O. Scowdon, .1. 10. Wenn, K. L. Haslet, E. W bowman, Geo. Hnleitian, FOHliST COUNTY OFFICERS. Member of Congrex Joseph C. Sibley. Member of HeunleJ. K. P. Hall. Amiemlilii ('. W. Am-lor. I'reniilenl Judge W. M. Llndsey. ' Asmietait Judge 11. H. Crawford. W. II. II. Dottorer ' t'rolhmwtary, UegMerJt Recorder, t. --J. (!. Heist. MrrilT. Geo. V. Nolilit. fryixurer Frd. A. Keller. Ooiiiiiiixioner O. Burhenil, A. K. Shipe, lh-nrv Weingard. Ihatru t ttorncy S. D. Irwin. jury OommtHMioners Ernest Kibble, Lewis Wanner. CSironer lr. J. W. Morrow. (nanli Auditors W. II. Stiles, Geo. W. Holeinan, It A, McCloskey. Count)) Surveyor -U. W. CKrk. tlouniy HuierinlendentK. E. Stltzin- gor. Iteaiilnr Terms of t'surt. Fourth Monday of February. Third Monday or May. Fourth Monday of Nepteniber. Third Monday of November. t'hnrrh mid Habbnth Nrbaol. Presbyterian Sabbath School at 9:46 a. in.; M. K. Sabbath School at 10:00 a. in. Preaching .n M. 14. Church every Sab bath evening by Rev. O. II. Nlckle Preach! m In the F. M. Church every Sabbath evening at the UHtial hour. Kev. McGarvv, Pantor. Service in the Presbyterian Church every .Sabbath morning and evening, Rev. K W. Ilnnuworth, Pastor. The regular meetings of the W. C. T. 17. am held at the headquarter on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each in nib. BUSINESS DIRECTORY. 1M F.STA LOHUK, No. 8ii, LO.O. F. M." every Tuesday evening, in Odd Fellows' Hall, Partridge building. l.'oRKST LOUOK, No. 184. A.O. U. W., I M eels every Friday evening liA.O.U. W. Mull, Tionesta. CAPT.G ICO It" 1 H STO W POST. No. '274 II. A. R. Moet 1st and 3d Monday .evenimr in each mouth, in A. O. U. W. Ilnll, Tmi'eHta. fVi'T. GEORGE STOW CORPS, No. 1 17, Ws R. C, meets first and third Wednesday evening of each month, in A. O. U. W. hall, TloiiHMla, Pa. 'PloNKSTA TENT, No. IH4. K. O. T. 1 M., ineois and and 4th Wednesday evciiiuuiti each month in A. O. U. W. hall Tionesta, Pa. 'H K. RITCHKY. 1 . ATTORN EY-AT-LAW. A run ii i TIoiiphih, Pa. C t'ltris M. Sll WKEY, A V TORN KY-AT-LAW, Warren, Pa. Practice in Forest Co. AC UKOWN, ATTORNEY-AT LAW. Ollicn in Arner liiiildniir, Cor. Kim and llri'itfM Sl., Tionesta. Pa. J. W MORROW. M. D., Phvsician. Surgeon A Oontlst. OtHce. and Residence three doors north of Hotel Agnew, Tionesta. Professional calls proiiiplly responded to at all hours. I) It. F. .1. RoVARl), .. i- . Plivsician A Hurireon, ' TIONKSTA, PA. DR. .1. V. 1UNN, PHYSICIAN AND SU KG ICON, and lKUi'JI -T. Olll-e over slere, Tionesia, Pa. Professional calls prompt ly responded to at all hours of day or nighl. Residence Klin St., between Grove's grocery and Gerow's restaurant. D R .1. B SlllGlNS. Phvsician and burgeon, OIL CITY, PA. I? R. LANSON, 1 . Hardware, Tinning Jt Plumbing. . Tionesia, Pa J.SKTLEY, JUSlK'tOFTIlEPRACK, Keeps a complete Ifie of Justice's blanks lor sale. Also Klajik deeds, mortgages, eti TioneHta, Pa. HOT HI. WHAVKR, . 13. A. WHAVKR, Proprietor. This hotel, formerly the Lawrence Holm, has undergone a conidete change, and is now rur.iiNlied with Hi: the mod ern improvements. Heated and lighted ihr.iimlioiii with natural iras, bathrooms, hoi and cold water, etc. The comforts ol iruests never neglected. (IKNTKAI. HOI'S K, V GKROW ,V HHKOW Proprietor. Tionsela, Pa. This is the most centrally located hotel iu the place, and has all the modern Improvement. No pains will be spared lo make it a pleasant stopping phice for the iraveiinu public. First i'wim- l.iverv in connection. )IIIL. K.MKRT FANCY BOOT A SHOKMAKKR. Shop In Walters building, Cor. Klin nd Walnul streets, Is prepared to do all Kind- ol ciMoiii work from the tli.est to 'he coarsest and guarantees his work lo liive ierleei stiMslai'lion. Prompt atten tion iven to mending, and prices rra "iiiilile. j KI. FULTON. ManiilHi'turer of and Healer In HARNESS. LOLURS, BRIDLES, And all kinds of HORSE FURNISHING GOODS. TIONKMTA. PA. ii muTftsin - GEERai MERCHANTS, iMirnitiiro Dealers, AND UNDERTAKERS. TIONKSTA, PKNN HI B a. Wiislilnglui), Iec. 7. The prcsident'H ru(wsng has been transmitted to con gress. Its principal features aro as fol lows: The oounlry Is to be congratulated on the amount of suliHtantlul achieve ment which lias marked the past year both as regards our foreign and as re gards our domestic policy. With a uatlon as with a man the most Important things are those of the household, and therefore the country Is especially to be congratulated on what has been accomplished In the di rection of providing for the exercise of supervision over the great corporations nd combinations of corporations en gaged In Interstate commerce. The congress has created the department of commerce and labor, including the bureau of corporations, with for the first time authority to secure proper publicity of such proceedings of these Kreut corporations as the public has the right to know. It has provided for the expediting of suits for the enforce ment of the federal antitrust law, and by another law It lias secured equal treatment to all producers In the trans portation of their goods, thus taking a long stride forward In making effec tive the work of the Interstate com merce com mission. The preliminary work of the bureau of corporations In the department of labor has shown the wisdom of Its cre ation. Publicity in corporate affairs will tend to do away with Ignorance and will afford facts upon which Intel ligent action may bo taken. Systemat ic, intelligent Investigation Is already developing facts the knowledge of which Is essential to a right under standing of the needs aaid duties of the business world. The corporation which Is honestly and fairly organ ized, whose managers in the conduct of Its business recognize their obliga tion to ileal squarely with their stock holders, their competitors and the pub lic, has nothing to fear from such su pervision. The purpose of this bureau Is not to embarrass or assail legitimate business, but to aid in bringing about a better Industrial condition a coudl flon under which there shall be obedi ence to law and recognition of public obligation by all corporations, great or small. The department of commerce and labor will be not only the clearing house for Information regarding the business transactions of the nation, but the exectrtive arm of the government to aid In strengthening our domestic and foreign markets, la perfecting our transportation facilities, in building up our merchant marine. In preventing the entrance of undesirable immigrants, iu improving commercial nd industrial conditions and in bringing together on common ground those necessary part ners iu industrial progress capital and labor. Capital and Labor. The consistent policy of the national government, so far as it has the power, Is to hold In check the unscrupulous man, whether employer or employee, but to refuse to weaken individual initia tive or to hamper or cramp the indus trial development of the country. We recognize that this is an era of federa tion and combination, in which great capitalistic corporations and labor un ions have become factors of tremendous importance In all Industrial centers. Hearty recognition is given the far reaching, beneficent work which has been accomplished through both cor porations and unions, and the line as between different corporations, as be tween different unions, is drawn as it Is between different individuals-rthat is, it is drawn on conduct, the effort being to treat both organized capital and organized labor hlike, asking noth ing save that the interest of each shall be brought Into harmony with the In terest of the general public and that the conduct of each shall conform to the fundamental rules of obedience to law, of individual freedom and of Jus tice and fair dealing toward all. When ever either corporation, labor union or individual disregards the law or acts In a nph'lt of arbitrary and tyrannous Interference with the rights of others, whether corporations or Individuals, then where the federal government has Jurisdiction it will see to it that the misconduct is stopped, paying not the slightest heed to the position or power of the corporation, the union or the in dividual, but only to one vital fact that is, the question whether or not the conduct of the Individual or aggre gate of Individuals is In accordance with the law of the land. Every man must be guaranteed his liberty and bis right to do as he likes with his prop erty or his labor so long as ho does not infringe the rights of others. Government Receipt and Expend Hares. From all sources, exclusive of tho postal service, the receipts of the gov ernment for the last fiscal year aggre gated $5G0,39(i,(!74. The expenditures for the same period were 5500,01)9,007, (the surplus for the fiscal year -being !S34,2l7,Ci!7. Tho indications are that the surplus for tiie present fiscal year will bo very small, If indeed, there be any surplus. From July to November the receipts from customs were, ap proximately, $9,000,000 less than the receipts from the same source for a corresponding portion last year. Should this decrease continue at the same ra tio throughout the fiscal year the sur plus would bo reduced by, approxi mately, $30,000,000. Should the rev enue from customs suffer much fur ther decrease during tho liscal year the surplus would vanish. A large sur plus is certainly undesirable. Two years ago the war taxes were taken off with the express intention of equalizing the governmental receipts and expenditures, and, though the Urst year thereafter still Fhowed a surplus, It now seems likely that a substantial equality of revenue and expenditure will be attained. Such be ing the case, it Is of great moment both to exercise care and economy In ap propriations and to scan sharply any change In our fiscal revenue system which may reduce our Income. The need of strict economy in our expend itures Is emphasized by the fact that we cannot afford to be parsimonious In providing for what Is essential to our national well being. Needs of I'lnuiirlal Situation. The integrity of our currency is be yond question, and under present con ditions it would be unwise and unnec essary to attempt n reconstruction of our entire monetary system. The same liberty should lie granted the secretary of the treasury to deposit customs re ceipts as is granted him In the depos it of receipts from other sources. In my message of Dee. 2. 1902. I called mention to certain needs of the finan cial situation, and I again ask for consideration of the congress for these questions. The president commends tho work of the International monetary confer ence and advises Its continuance. A majority of our people desire that otcps be taken In the Interests of American shipping, so that we may once more resume our former position In the ocean carrying trade. But hith erto tho differences of opinion as to the proper method of reaching this end have been so wide that It has proved Impossible to secure the adoption of any particular scheme. Having In view these facts, I recommend that the congress direct the secretary of the navy, the postmaster general and the secretary of commerce and labor, asso ciated with such a representation from the senate and house of representatives as the congress In Its wisdom may des ignate, to serve as a commission for the purpose of Investigating and reporting to the congress at its next session what legislation is desirable or necessary for the development of the American mer chant marine and American commerce and Incidentally of a national ocean mall service of ndeqnate auxiliary na val cruisers and naval reserves. While such a measure Is desirable in any event, it I especially desirable at this time, in view of .the fact that our pres ent governmental contract for ocean mail wllli the American line will expire in 1903. The establishment of new lines of cargo ships to South America, to Asia and elsewhere would be much In the Interest of our commercial ex pansion. luiiiilerotion. , Wo cannot have too much immigra tion of the right kind, and we should have none at ail of the wrong kind. The need is to devise some system by which undesirable Immigrants shall be kept out entirely, while desirable im migrants are properly distributed throughout the country. At present some districts which need immigrants have none, and In others, where the population Is already congested, Immi grants conic In such numbers as to de press the conditions of lifo for those al ready there. 1 luring tho last two years the immigration service at New York has been greatly improved and the cor ruption and inelticloney which former-, ly obtained there have been eradicated." Tills service lias just been investigated by a committee of New York citizens of high standing, Messrs. Arthur v. lirleseu, Lee K. Frankel, Eugene A. rhilbin, Thomas W. Hynes and Ralph Trautman. Their report deals with the whole situation at length and concludes with certain recommendations for ad ministrative and legislative action. It is now receiving the atteution of the secretary of commerce and labor. Naturalization Fruud. The special investigation of the sub ject of naturalization under the direc tion of the attorney general and the consequent prosecutions reveal u condi tion of affairs calling for the Immedi ate atteution of the congress. For geries and perjuries of shameless aud llagraut character have been perpe trated not only In the dense centers of population, but throughout tho country, and it is established beyond doubt that very inauy so called citizens of the United States have no title whatever to that right and are asserting and en joying the benefits of the same through tho grossest frauds. It is never to be forgotten that citizenship is, to quote tho words recently used by tho su preme court of the United States, an "inestimable heritage," whether it pro ceeds from birth within the country or Is obtained by naturalization, and we poison the sources of our national character and strength at the fountain if the privilege is claimed and exer cised without right and by means of fraud and corruption. The federal grand jury lately iu ses sion In New York city dealt with this subject and fhado a presentment which states the situation brielly ajid forcibly and contains important suggestions for the consideration tif t lie congress. This presentment Is Included as an appendix to the report of tjie attorney general. Public Land and Postal Frauds. Ill my hist annual message, in con nection with tho subject, of the due regulation of combinations of capital which are or may become Injurious to the public, I recommended a special ap propriation for the better enforcement of the antitrust law as It now stands, to be expended under the direction of the attorney general. Accordingly (by the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation act of Feb. 25, 190,'!. 32 Stat., S."4, 00-11, the congress appro priated for the purpose of enforcing the various federal trust and Interstate commerce laws the sum of $."00,nno, to lie expended under the direction of tho attorney general in the employment of special counsel and agents in the de partment of Justice to conduct proceed ings and prosecutions under said laws ill te courts of the-United Stales. I now recommend, as a matter of the ut most Importance and urgency, the ex tension of tiie purposes of tills appro priation, so that, it may bo available, under the direction of the attorney general and until used, for the due en forcemeM of the laws of the United States in general and especially of the civil and criminal laws relating to pub lic lands and the laws relating to postal crlpics and offenses and the subject. of naturalization. , Recent Investigations have shown a deplorable state of af fairs In these three matters of vital tbneern. By various frauds and by forgeries and perjuries thousands of acres of the public domain, embracing lands of different character and ex tending through various sections of the country, have been dishonestly acquir ed., It is hardly necessary to urge the importance of recovering these dishon est acquisitions, stolen from the people, and of promptly aud duly punishing l ie offenders. Through frauds, forgeries nnd per juries and by shameless briberies the laws relating to the proper conduct of tho public service In general and to the due iKftiiliiistration of the postolliee department have been notoriously vio lated, and many indictments have been found, and the consequent prosecutions are in course of hearing or on the eve thereof. For the reasons thus indicat ed and so that the government may be prepared to enforce promptly nnd with the greatest effect the due pen alties for such violations of law, and to this end may be furnished with suffi cient Instrumentalities and competent legal assistance for the investigations and trials which will be necessary at many different points of the country, I urge upon the congress the necessity of making the said appropriation avail able for Immediate use for all such purposes, to be expended under the di rection of the attorney general. Need For Trentle Making Bribery Extraditable. Steps have been taken by the state department looking to the making of bribery an extraditable offense with foreign powers. The need of more ef fective treaties covering this crime Is manifest. The exposures and prosecu tions of official corruption In St. Louis, Mo., ami other cities and states have resulted in a number of givers and tak ers of bribes becoming fugitives In for eign lands. Bribery has not been In cluded In extradition treaties hereto fore, as the necessity for it has not arisen. While there may have been as much olllclal corruption In former years, there has been more developed nnd brought to light in the Immediate past than in the preceding century of our country's history. It should be the policy of the United States to leave no place on earth where a corrupt man fleeing from this country can rest in peace. Aliisknu noundory. After unavailing attempts to reach an understanding on the Alaskan bound ary question through n Joint high com mission, followed by prolonged negotia tions, conducted hi an amicable spirit, a convention between the United States and Groat Britain was signed Jan. 24, 1903, providing for an examination of tho subject by a mixed tribunal of six members, three on a side, with a view to Its final disposition. Ratifications were exchanged on March 3,. last, whereupon the". two governments ap pointed , their .respective members. Those on behalf of the United States were Elihu Root, secretary of war; Henry Cabot Lodge, a senator of the United States, and George Turner, an ex-senator of the United States, while Great Britain named the. Right Hon. Lord Aiverstone, lord chief justice of England; Sir Louis Amable Jettc. K. C. M. G., retired judge of the supreme court of Quebec, and A. It. Aylesworth, K. C, of Toronto. This tribunal met in London on Sept. 3 under the presi dency of Lord Aiverstone. On the 20th of October a majority of the tribunal reached and signed an .agreement on nil the questions submitted by the terms of the convention. Ry this award the right of the United States to the control of n continuous strip or border of the mainland shore, skirting all the tidewater Inlets nnd sinuosities of the coast, is confirmed; tho entrance to Portland canal, concerning which legitimate doubt appeared. Is defined as passing by Tongass-inlet and to the northwestward of Wales and Pearse Islands; a line Is drawn from the head of Portland canal to the llfty-sixth de gree of north latitude, and the Interior border line of the strip is fixed by lilies connecting certain mountain summits lying between Portland canal and Mount St. Elias and running along the crest of the divide separating the coast slojio from the inland watershed at the only part of the frontier where the drainage ridge approaches the coast within the distance of ten marine leagues, stipulated by the treaty as the extreme width or the strip around the heads of Lynn canal and its branches. While the line so traced follows the provisional demarcation of 1S7S at the crossing of the Stikine river and that of lS'J'J at the summits of the White and Chilkoot pusses, it runs much far ther Inland from the Klehini than Hi" temporary line of the later modus Vi vendi and leaves the entire mining district of the Porcupine river and Gla cier creek within the jurisdiction of the United States. The president here recapitulates the details of the Imbroglio between Euro pean powers and Venezuela and the reference of certain points of the con troversy to The Hague tribunal through the influence of the United States. Tliis lie calls a victory for American diplomacy and a triumph for international arbitration. He advo cates an extension of International law to exempt all private property at sea fr.m capture of destruction by forces of belligerent powers. Iiilermilloiial Arbitration. Last year the interparliamentary un ion for international arbitration met nt Vienna, '100 members of the diff'T- ent, legislatures of civilized countries attending. It was provided that the next meeting should be in 1904 at St. IjjuIs, subject to our congress extend ing an invitation. Like The Hague tribunal, this interparliamentary union is one of tiie forces tending toward peace among the nations of the earth, aud It Is entitled to our support. 1 trust the Invitation can be extended. Early In July, hpvlng received intel ligence, which happily turned out to bo erroneous, of the assassination of our vice consul at Beirut, I dispatched n linall squadron to that port for such service as might be found necessary on arrival. Although the attempt on the life of our vice consul had not been iiuecessful, yet the outrage was symp tomatic of a state of excitement and disorder which demanded Immediate attention. The arrival of the vessels had the happiest result. A feeling of security at once took the place of tho former alarm and disquiet. Our offi cers were cordially welcomed by tho I insular body and the leading mer iliants, and ordinary business resumed its activity. The government of the sultan gave n considerate hearing to (he representations of our minister: the official who was regarded as responsi ble for the disturbed condition of af fairs was removed. Our relations with the Turkish government remain friend ly. Our claims founded on inequitable treatment of some of our schools and missions appear to be In process of amicable adjustment. nelatlonn 'With China. The signing of a new commercial treaty with China, which took place at Shanghai on the 8th of October, Is n cause for satisfaction.-. This net, the result of long discussion and negotia tion, places our commercial relations with the great oriental empire on a more satisfactory footing than they have ever heretofore enjoyed. It pro vides not only for tho ordinary rights nnd privileges of diplomatic and con sular officers, but also for an important extension of our commerce by Increas ed facility of access to Chinese ports and for the relief of trade by the re moval of some of the obstacles which have embarrassed it in the past. I trust that tho congress will con tinue to favor In all proper ways the Louisiana Purchase exposition. Tills exposition commemorates the Louisi ana purchase, which was the first great step in tiie expansion which made us a continental nation. The expedition of Lewis and Clark across the continent followed thereon and marked tho be ginning of the process of exploration and colonization which thrust our na tional boundaries to the Pacific. Tho acquisition of the Oregon coun try, including the present states of Oregon and Washington, was a fact of immense importance in our history, first giving us our place on the Pacific seaboard and making ready the way for our ascendency in tho commerce of the greatest of the oceans. The cen tennial of our establishment upon the western coast by the expedition of Lewis and Clark Is to be celebrated ot Portland, Ore., by an exposition in the summer of 19(15, and this event should receive recognition and support from tho national government. Development of AInakn. I call your special attention to the territory of Alaska. The country is developing rapidly, and it lias an as sured future. The mineral wealth Is great and has as yet hardly been tap ped. The fisheries, if wisely handled and kept under national control, will bo a business as permanent as any oili er and of the utmost importance to the people. The forests, if properly guard ed, will form another great source of wealth. Portions of Alaska are fitted for farming and stock raising, although tho methods must be adapted to the peculiar conditions of the country. Proper land laws should be enacted aud the survey of the public lands Im mediately begun. Coal land laws should be provided whereby the coal land entry n i, -m may make his location and secure patent under methods kin dred to those now prescribed for home stead and mineral cntrymon. Salmon hatcheries, exclusively under .govern ment control, should be established. The cable should be extended from Sitka westward. Wagon roads and trails should be built and the building of railroads promoted in all legitimate ways. Lighthouses should lie built along the coast. Attention should be paid to tho needs of the Alaska In dians. Provision should lie made for an officer, with deputies, to study their needs, relievo their Immediate wants and help them adapt themselves to the new conditions. I recommend that an appropriation, be made for building lighthouses in Hawaii and taking possession of those already built. Tho territory should bo reimbursed for whatever amounts It lias already expended for lighthouses. The governor should be empowered to suspend or remove any official appoint ed by lihn, without submitting the matter to the legislature. The Philippines and Porta It loci. Of our ilisular possessions, the Philip pines and Porto ltico. It is gratifying to say that ihcir steady progress lias been such as to make It unnecessary to spend much time in discussing tlieui. Yet the congress should ever keep in mind that a peculiar obligation rests upon us to further In every way the welfare of these communities. The Philippines should be knit closer to ih by tariff arrangements. It would, of course, be impossible suddenly to raise the people of the islands to the high pitch of industrial prosperity and of governmental efficiency to which they will In the end by degrees attain, and the caution and moderation shown in developing them have been mining the main reasons why this development I lias hitherto gone on so smoothly. Scrupulous care has been taken in the choice of governmental ageun and the entire elimination of nartlsau nolilics 1 from the public service. The. cundilluu ' of the Islanders Is in material things far better than ever before, while their governmental. Intellectual and moral advance has kept pace with their ma terial advance. No one people ever benefited another people more than we have benefited the Filipinos by taking possession of the islands. Preservation of Forests. The work of reclamation of tho arid liindsof the west is progressing steadily and satisfactorily under the terms of the law setting aside the proceeds from the disposal of public lands. The study of the opportunities of reclamation of the vast extent of arid land shows that whether this reclama tion is done by Individuals, corpora tions or the state, the sources of water supply must he effectively protected and the reservoirs guarded by the pres ervation of the forests at the head waters of the streams. The necessity for perpetuating our forest resources, whether iu public or private hands, is recognized now as never before. It Is recommended that all matters pertain ing to forest reserves, except those In volving or pertaining to land titles, be consolidated In the bureau of forestry of the department of agriculture. The cotton growing states have re cently been Invaded by a weevil that lias done much damage nnd threatens the entire cotton Industry. I suggest to the congress the prompt enactment of such remedial legislation as its Judg ment may approve. No other class of our citizens de serves so well of the nation as those to whom Hie nation owes Its very be ing, the veterans of the civil war. Spe cial attention is asked to the excellent work of the pension bureau in expedit ing and disposing of pension claims. Muring the fiscal year ending July 1, 1903. the bureau settled 2:.1.0S2 claims, an average of S23 claims for each working day of the year. The number of settlements since July I. 1903. has been In excess of last year's average, approaching 1,0(10 claims for each working day. and it Is believed that the work of the bureau will be current nt the close of the present fiscal year. Extension of f'lvlt Service Itnles. Paring the year ended June 30 last 2.",5fiii persons were appointed through rompetitive examinations under Hie civil service rules. This was 12.072 more than during the preceding year and 40 per cent of those who passed the examinations. This abnormal growth was largely occasioned by the extension of classification to tho rural free delivery service and the appoint ment last year of over 9,000 rural car riers. A revision of the civil service rules took effect on April 15 last, which lias greatly Improved their operation. The completion of Hie reform of the civil service is recognized by good citi zens everywhere as a matter of the highest public importance, and the suc cess of the merit system largely depends upon the effectiveness of the rules and the machinery provided for their en forcement. A very gratifying spirit of friendly co-operation exists in all the departments of the government In the enforcement and uniform observance of both the letter and spirit of t he civil service act. The Army and Navy. The effect of the laws providing a general staff for the army and for the more effective use of the national guard has been excellent. Great improve ment has been iniule Iu the efficiency of our army in recent years. Such schools as those erected at Fort Leav enworth and Fort Itiley and the Insti tution of fall maneuver work accom plish satisfactory results. The good ef fect of these maneuvers upon the na tional guard Is marked, and ample ap propriation should be made to enable the guardsmen of the several states to share in the benefit. The government should as soon as possible secure suit able permanent camp sites for military maneuvers in the various sections of the country. 1 heartily congratulate the congress upon the steady progress In building up the American navy. We cannot afford a let-up in this great work. To stand still means to go back. There should be no cessation in adding to the effective units of Hie lighting strength of tho fleet. Meanwhile the navy de partment and the officers of the navy are doing well their part by providing constant service at sea under condi tions akin to those of actual warfare. Our officers and enlisted men are learn ing to handle the battleships, cruisers and torpedo boats with high efficiency in fleet and squadron formations, and Hie standard of 'marksmanship is being steadily raised. The best work ashore is indispensable, but the highest duty of a naval officer Is to exercise com mand at sea. ' It is eminently desirable that a naval general staff should be established. Isthmian Canal. By the act of Juno 2S. 1902, the cou gress authorized the president to enter Into treaty with Colombia for the building of the canal across the isth mus of Panama, it being provided that iu tho event of failure to secure such treaty after the lapse of a reasonable time recourse should be had to build ing a canal through Nicaragua. It has not been necessary to consider tills al ternative, as I am enabled to lay be fore the senate a treaty providing for the building of the canal across the isthmus of Panama. Tills was the route which commended itself to the tleliberate judgment of Hie congress, and wo can now acquire by treaty the right to construct the canal over this route. The question now, therefore, Is not by which route the Isthmian canal shall be built, for that question lias been definitely and Irrevocably decid ed. The question Is simply whether or not we shall have an Isthmian canal. When the congress directed that we should take Hie Panama route under treaty with Colombia the essence ot the condition, of course, referred not to the government which controlled that route, but to the route itself; to thu territory across which tho route lay, not to tho name which for tho moment the territory bore on the map. Th.? purpose of tho law was to authorise the president to make a treaty with tl. power in actual control of the Isthmus of Panama. This purpose has been fulfilled. For 400 years, ever since shortly after the discovery of Ihls hemisphere, t lie canal across the , isthmus lias been planned. For twoscore years it lias lieen worked at. When made it is to last .for the ages. It Is to alter the geography of a continent and the trade routes of the world. We have shown by every treaty we have negotiated or attempted to negotiate with the peo ples in control of the isthmus and with foreign nations in reference thereto our consistent good faith in observing our obligations, on Hie one hand to the peo ples of the isthmus and on the other hand to tliecivilizcd world, whose com mercial rights we are safeguarding and guaranteeing by our action. We have done our duty to others In letter and In spirit, and we have shown the utmost forbearance in exacting our own rights. Hepiidlatlon of Treaty by Colombia. Last spring a treaty concluded lie Iween the representatives of the re public of Colombia and of our govern ment was ratified by the senate. This treaty was entered into at the urgent solicitation of ilio people of Colombia and after a body of experts appointed by our government especially to go into Hie matter of the routes across the Isthmus had pronounced unanimously In favor of the Panama route. In draw ing up this treaty every concession was made to the people and to the govern ment of Colombia. We were more than Just In dealing with them. Our generosity was such as to make it a serious question whether we had not gone too far in their interest nt the ex pense of our own, for in our scrupulous desire to pay all possible heed not merely to the real but even to tho fancied rights of our weaker neighbor, who already owed so much to our pro tection nnd forbearance, we yielded iu all possible ways to her desires in drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the government of Colombia not mere ly repudiated the treaty, but repudi ated it in such manner as to make it evident by the time the Colombian con gress adjourned that not the scantiest hope remained of ever getting a satis factory treaty from them. He volution In Panama. The people of Panama had long been discontented with the republic of Co lombia, and they had been kept quiet only by Hie prospect of the conclusion of the canal treaty, which was to them a matter of vital concern. When it be came evident that the treaty was hope lessly lost the people of Panama rose literally as one man. Not n shot was fired by a single man on the isthmus iu the interest of the Colombian gov ernment. Not a life was lost in the accomplishment of the revolution. The Colombian troops stationed on the isth mus, who had long been unpaid, made common cause with the people of Pan ama, and witli astonishing unanimity the new republic was started. The duty of the United States in the prem ises was clear. In strict accordance witli the principles laid down by Sec retaries Cass aud Seward, the United States gave notice that it would per mit Hie landing of no expeditionary force, the arrival of which would mean chaos and destruction along Hie line of the railroad and of the proposed canal and an Interruption of transit as an inevitable consequence. The do facto government of Panama was recog nized. Under such circumstances the gov ernment of the United States would have been guilty of folly and weak ness, amounting In their sum to a crime against the nation, had it acted other wise than It did when the revolution of Nov. 3 last took place in Panama. This great enterprise of building the inter oceanic canal cannot be held up to gratify the whims or out of respect to the governmental impotence or to the even more sinister and evil political peculiarities of people who, though they dwell afar off, yet, against the wish of tho actual dwellers on the isth mus, assert an unreal supremacy over the territory. The possession of a ter ritory fraught with such peculiar ca pacities as the Isthmus in quest ion car ries with it obligations to mankind. The course of events has shown that this canal cannot be built by prlvnte enterprise or by any other nation than our own; therefore It must be built by the United States. ev Treaty With Pniiiiinn. Every effort has been made by tho government of the United States to per suade Colombia to follow a course which was essentially not only to our Interests and to the Interests of the world, but to the Interests of Colom bia itself. These efforts have failed, and Colombia, by her persistence in a pulslng the advances that have been made, has forced us for the sake of our own honor and of the interest and well being, not merely of our own peo ple, but of the people of the Isthmus of Panama and the people of the civilized countries of the world, to take decisive steps to bring to an end n condition of affairs which had become Intolerable. The new republic of Panama Immedi ately offered to negotiate a treaty with us. This treaty I herewith submit. By it our interests are better safeguard ed than In tho treaty with Colombia which was ratified by the senate at its last session. It is better in Its terms than the treaties offered to us by the republics of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. At last the right to begin this great undertaking is made available. Pan ama lias done her part. All that re malus is for the American congress to do its part, and forthwith this republic will enter upon the execution of a project colossal in its size nnd of well nlgli incalculable possibilities for tho good of this country and the nations of mankind. .