XII. TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES

FRANK MCINTYRE

NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA

In a special message the President on Aug. 15, 1911, returned House Statehood.-The questions con- Joint Resolution No. 14 to the House nected with statehood have overshad- of Representatives, without approval, owed all other subjects. The consti- saying with reference to the proposed tutional conventions of New Mexico constitution of Arizona adopting the and Arizona met in Oct., 1910, and recall of elective officers and leaving adopted constitutions which were it to the people of Arizona to modify ratified at elections held for that it and to except judicial officers, "I purpose. Certified copies were sub- must disapprove a constitution conmitted to Congress and the Presi- taining it." In other words, the dent for approval, in accordance with the provisions of the enabling act. These constitutions were outlined in the YEAR BOOK for 1910. The President in his message of Feb. 24, 1911, transmitted to Congress the constitution of New Mexico with his approval.

Various resolutions with reference to these proposed constitutions were introduced in the House and Senate at the first or special session of the 62nd Congress which opened April 4, 1911, the most important being House Joint Resolution No. 14. This resolution provided that both territories be admitted to statehood with their constitutions as adopted by the constitutional conventions, on condition that at the time of the election of state officers, New Mexico should submit to its electors an amendment to its new constitution altering and modifying its provision for future amendments, and on the further condition that Arizona should submit to its electors, at the time of the election of its state officers, a proposed amendment to its constitution by which the judicial officers should be excepted from the section permitting a recall of all elective officers. This resolution was agreed to with slight modifications and sent to the President for approval.

President was unwilling to approve the constitution of Arizona with the judicial recall in it and leave the question of striking it out to the wisdom of the voters. (See also VIII, The Recall.)

Senate Joint Resolution No. 57 was then introduced on Aug. 17, adopted and approved by the President on Aug. 21, and this is Public Resolution No. 8 of the 62nd Congress, 1st Session. This provided that the voters of New Mexico should vote upon a substitute amendment proposed by this resolution to Article XIX of the proposed constitution providing for future amendments to it, as a condition precedent to the admission of the state to the Union; and that the voters of Arizona should vote upon and ratify and adopt a substitute amendment proposed by this resolution on the recall of elective officers, and excepting members of the judiciary, as a condition precedent to the admission of the state.

In accordance with this resolution and the enabling act, the governor of New Mexico issued a proclamation calling for an election to be held Nov. 7, 1911, for the purpose of electing the various congressional, state, legislative, judicial and county officers, authorized by the constitution previously adopted; also for the pur

pose of amending Article XIX of the This charge had been based largeconstitution adopted by the consti- ly on an alleged postscript to a lettutional convention by substituting ter of July 13, 1910, addressed by the amendment proposed in Public Resolution No. 8.

Richard S. Ryan to Secretary of the Interior Ballinger. With reference to this the President said:

Stronger evidence of the falsity and

maliciously slanderous character of the only significance is the light it throws

alleged postscript could not be had. Its

on the bitterness and venom of some

of those who take active part in every
discussion of Alaskan issues. The in-
tensity of their desire to besmirch all
who invest in that district, and all who
with its ad-
are officially connected
ministration, operates upon the minds
of weak human instruments and
prompts the fabrication of such false
testimony as this postscript. I dislike
to dwell upon this feature of the case,
but it is so full of a lesson that ought
to be taken to the heart of every pat-
riotic citizen that I can not pass it
over in silence.

When I made this order I was aware that the condition of public opinion in

reference to investments in Alaska, fanned by charges of fraud-some well founded and others of an hysterical and unjust or false character-would lead to an attack upon it and to the questioning of my motives in signing it. I remarked this when I made the order, and I was not mistaken. But a public officer, when he conceives it his duty to take affirmative action in the public interest, has no more right to allow fear of unjust criticism and attack to hinder him from taking that action than he would to allow personal and dishonest motives to affect him. It is easy in cases like this to take the course which timidity prompts, and to do nothing, but such a course does not inure to the public weal.

that the valuable resources of Alaska

The Ballinger Controversy.-Unfortunately, this deadlock has continued. Charges having been publicly made that by improper means and the use of improper influences approximately 12.800 acres of land reserved in the Chugach National Forest, Alaska, had been restored by the President for disposition under appropriate land laws, and that this I am in full sympathy with the conrestoration was made in the interest cern of reasonable and patriotic men of the Controller Railway & Naviga- should not be turned over to be extion Company, the Senate on June 27 ploited for the profit of greedy, absorbadopted a resolution requesting the ing, and monopolistic corporations or President to transmit to the Senate syndicates. Whatever the attempts all documents in the executive de- which have been made, no one, as a partments bearing on this matter. matter of fact, has secured in Alaska In compliance with this the Presi- any undue privilege or franchise not completely under the control of Condent, under date of July 26, transgress. I am in full agreement with mitted the papers requested with a the view that every care, both in adletter in which he reviewed fully ministration and in legislation, must the charges which had been made be observed to prevent the corrupt or and assumed full responsibility for unfair acquisition of undue privilege, franchise, or right from the governthe action which had been taken ment in that district. But every one with reference to this restoration of must know that the resources of Alaska land reserved for forest purposes to can never become available either to the public domain. the people of Alaska or to the public

of the United States unless reasonable Alaska to legislate to meet the local opportunity is granted to those who necessities of that district. He ex

would invest their money to secure a return proportionate to the risk run in the investment and reasonable under all the circumstances.

On the other hand, the acrimony of spirit and the intense malice that have been engendered in respect of the adof the government in

the coal lands in Alaska in about pressed himself as favoring leasing the terms used by Secretary Fisher. Governor Clark, of Alaska, recommends the passage of a quarantine law, a sanitary code, a bank supervision law and legislation for the relief of destitute persons, for the registration of vital statistics and compulsory

school attendance. Under the form of government outlined by the President all these would be matters to be regulated by the commission in Alaska and would not require consideration by Congress.

ministration Alaska and in the consideration of measures proposed for her relief, and the wanton recklessness and eagerness with which attempts have been made to besmirch the characters of high officials having to do with the Alaskan government, and even of persons not in public life, present a condition that calls for condemnation and requires that the public be warned of the demoralization that has been produced by Exports. The exportation of Alasthe hysterical suspicions of good people kan products to the United States and the unscrupulous and corrupt mis- for the last three fiscal years has representations of the wicked. The been as follows: helpless state to which the credulity of some and the malevolent scandalmongering of others have brought the people of Alaska in their struggle for its development ought to give the public pause, for until a juster and fairer view be taken, investment in Alaska, which is necessary to its development, will be impossible, and honest administrators and legislators will be embarrassed in the advocacy and putting into operation of those policies in regard to the Territory which are necessary to its progress and ity.

prosper

Gold.. Fish and fish products. All others

1909.

1910.

1911.

$17,558,839, $18,275,434 $15,081,620

10,824,950 10,404,807 11,175,712 2,239,856 1,949,307 2,638,112

PORTO RICO

The bill referred to in the 1910 YEAR BOOK, the new organic act or constitution for Porto Rico, was not taken up in the Senate.

Sept.,

Political Conditions.-In 1911, Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War, accompanied by Gen. Clarence R. Edwards, Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, visited Porto Rico to inspect conditions of the island administration. The Secretary found that the recommendations of his predecessor, made after his visit in 1909, having been without result in obtaining legislation, political condi tions did not differ greatly from those reported by Mr. Dickinson, outlined in the YEAR BOOK for 1910. He found, however, apparently less interest

Secretary of the Interior Fisher, visited Alaska during the summer and on his return declared Controller Bay to be neither the only nor the best harbor for the output of the Bering River coal fields. He expressed himself as favoring the opening and development of the coal fields and suggested the leasing of the coal lands under the system which has worked so well in Australia and New Zealand and parts of Canada. (See also IV, The Conservation Question.) Government by Commission.-The President, in a speech of Oct. 9, stated that the development of Alaska was being retarded by lying reports as to its wealth; that he fain pressing for political vored a government by commission changes and a comparatively greater for Alaska but that, in view of the interest in the material affairs of the wishes of the people of that district, island. This was perhaps due, in he was willing to compromise on a part, to the great prosperity of the partially elected and partially ap-island and, in part, to the direction pointed commission. He felt that given to the thoughts of the people ongress was too far distant from by the local administration.

U. S. Citizenship.-The demand for United States citizenship continues to be practically universal and disappointment at the failure of the United States to grant it has led to some loose talk of independence in a certain section of the island press. This, of course, has no weight with the material men of the island, who know the immense advantages which they receive from their connection with the United States.

no

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

by Moros in Mindanao and Jolo, there was during the year nothing which approached even a local outbreak or resistance to constituted authority.

Legislation.-Congress passed legislation of importance with reference to Porto Rico during the year, but the year was one of great activity on the part of the local legis- A general condition of peace and lature. At the suggestion of Secre- order has existed in the Philippines tary of War Dickinson, Judge John during the year. While there were W. Judd, of Tennessee, was ap- several isolated murders committed pointed special counsel to assist the Attorney-General of Porto Rico in an executive investigation of the outstanding franchises in the island and of the suitability of the laws affecting them. As a result of the re- Legislation. The act of Feb. 15, port made by these officials, the leg- 1911, providing for the quadrennial islature enacted a corporation law election of members of the Philipproviding for the regulation and pine Assembly and Resident Comcontrol of all public-service corpora- missioners to the United States, was tions and utilities. The legislature the only Congressional legislation also enacted a general sanitary law with reference to the Philippine which, in large part, was taken from | Islands passed during the year. Conthe sections relating to sanitation in the general law which Secretary Dickinson submitted to Congress, as outlined in the YEAR BOOK for 1910. This sanitary law has not proven all that was desired. There has been conflict of authority between the Director of Sanitation and the Board of Health, and it is not unlikely that the law will be amended at the next July 4, 1911, was the tenth annisession of the legislature versary of the establishment of Congress will provide a law of sani- American civil government in the tation which will remove the ques- Philippine Islands. This tenth annition of health and sanitation in Porto Rico from local politics.

or

that

Education. The continued progress in educational work has been notable. There was an increase of 20 per cent. in the number of pupils enrolled during the year as compared with the preceding year. The total enrollment was 145,525.

Exports. The material progress in Porto Rico during the year is shown in the following table of exports to the United States and foreign countries:

forming to the spirit of this act, the legislature of the Philippine Islands passed an act providing for the quadrennial election of municipal and provincial officers. The first election under this new act will be held on the first Tuesday of June, 1912. Officers so elected will take office on Oct. 16 following their election.

versary has been taken advantage of to take stock of the accomplishments under American rule. No American need apologize for what we have accomplished in the Philippines.

Law and Order.-American civil government in the Philippines was established before the smoke had cleared up from five years' continuous insurrection, war and guerrilla warfare. The first duty, therefore, was that law and order should be established. Among the first constructive acts of the Philippine Com

mission were those organizing the having given a good start to the courts, enacted June 11, 1901, and newest of our great universities, as organizing the Philippines Constabu- it has also the oldest University unlary, enacted July 18, 1901. The der the American flag, the Univercourts and the constabulary have sity of Santo Tomas founded by the been the greatest of the influences Spaniards in 1619. in the establishment of law and order and comparative good-will between the races in the Islands. Of these Gregorio Araneta, the Secretary of Finance and Justice, and one of the ablest Filipino lawyers, says:

Sanitation. In no way has the American government so shown its interest in the Filipino as in its effort to improve health conditions. It has installed in the city of Manila a splendid water supply and sewer system, and has now under consideration a similar system in the city of Cebu, the second seaport of the Islands. It has in operation 600 artesian wells furnishing a pure water supply in almost as many towns of the archipelago. It has segregated the lepers, numbering over 4,000, and has them established in a model colony on the Island of Culion. That this colony is appreciated far beyond the Philippine Islands is shown by a recent request of the British government to be permitted to send there the lepers of North Borneo. It has vaccinated practically the entire population of the Islands. It has established and has in operation the Philippines General Hospital, containing 350 beds, and has also under construction hospitals in the cities of Cebu and Iloilo. It has constructed a modern hospital building for

Education. We have to-day in the Philippine Islands, 4,404 schools in which the English language is taught and more people speaking English than ever spoke Spanish or than can speak any one of the native languages of the Islands. We have in the public schools a teaching staff of 800 Americans and 1,100 Filipinos the insane with facilities for the supported by the insular government, and 7,200 Filipino teachers receiving a salary from the municipal governments. Over 610,000 pupils were enrolled during the school year.

care of 500 patients. It has established a training school from which have graduated a number of Filipino nurses, though such a thing as a trained nurse was unknown among Filipino women ten years ago.

The University of the Philippines. -During the year 1911 the first class It has undertaken the free distrigraduated from the University of bution of quinine, and by drainage the Philippines. While this institu- and other methods of mosquito extion was recognized by a law in 1908, termination has greatly reduced the it is now beginning to assume the incidence of malaria. It has in Biliproportion which its founders con- bid Prison and the Iwahig Penal templated. It has in active opera- Colony a prison system which comtion the following schools: Medi- pares favorably with any in the cine, Agriculture, Engineering, Law, United States.

Veterinary Science, Liberal Arts, Athletics. Closely connected with Fine Arts, Pharmacy. During the the American development of health year there were something over thir- and education in the Philippines has teen hundred students. This institu- been the growth of athletics. To-day tion, with the splendid medical every boys' school in the Islands has school now in full operation, bids a baseball club and practically every fair to be the great English univer- form of athletics known to the sity of the Far East. The Philip- American boy is enthusiastically inpines has to-day the distinction of dulged in.