Huntsville gazette., 1889-03-09


Our existing laws have been, in their admins
tlatlon, an unim pressive aud often an uninlel-
nglDle form. We acce the man a citiz n
without any knowled re of fitness, and he
assumes the duties of cit Zenship without any
knowledge as to what they are. The privileges
OF American citizenship are so great and its du-
tles SO grave that we NAV well insist up IN a
goou knoMedge OF every person applying for
citizenship, and a good knowledge by him OF
our institutions. w should not cease to be
nosp ia lie 10 Immigration, but we should cease
10 be care ess as to the character of ii. 7 ere
are men OF all races, even 10 the pest, whose
coming is necessarily burden upon our public
revenues or threat to social order. These
should be Identified and excluded
We have happ ly maintained a p llicy of avoid
ing all interferen ee with European fairs. We
nave bee1 -terested spectators of their
contentious in diplomacy and IN war. ready t.
use our friendly offices TO promote peace, but
never obtrudiDg our advice and never attempt
ing unfairly to coin the stresses of other pow
ers into commercial adva tage to ourselves.
We havea just right to expect that our European
policy Will be the American policy OF Euro
pean courts. 1t is so manifestly Incompatible
with those precautions for our peace and safety,
which all the great powers hab tually observe
ana enforce in matters affect ng them, that a
shorter waterway between our Eastern and
W estern seaboarls should be dom mated by any
Europern government, that we may conf lent
ly expect that such purpose VIII not be en-
tertained by anv friendly power We shall n
the FUTURE as in the past, use every endeaVor
TO maintain and enlarge our frien lily relations
tn all the great powers, but they II not ex-
pect US to look kindly upon any project that
woull leave US subject to the dIngers of hos
tile observation or environment We have not
sought to dominate to absorb any
OF ouf weaker neighbors, but rather
to aid and encourage them to
establish free and stable governments
resting upon Inc consent of their own people.
We hive clelr right to expect therefore, that
no European government W II seek 10 estaol sn
colonial dependence upon the terri tory Of those
InnRDpufthnr A f..tp n
sense OF 1u tee res rains us fro seek n5. tdey
may be reasonably expect II w llngly To fore
go 1t must NOT be assumed, however, that our
Interests are so exclusively Amer can tnat our
entire in ttent on to any events that may
transpire Ell ewhere can be ia en- for grant
ell. Our cit Zens, domiciled for purposes
OF trade il vi countries AMI in many
OF the islands of the sea, demand and
W Ii have ad 'quate care in their per-
lnal and commerc i rights The neces-
SIT es Of our navy require co venient coal
;ug stations and do k and harbor privileges
These and other ira ing prlv legeI we Will feel
free to obtain only by means that do not in any
degree partake of coercion, iwever feeble the
COVE nment from VIII III we ask snch conces-
SONS. But hav ng fl rly obtained them. ty
methods and for purp 'Ses entirely can
sistent W tn the mo,t frien lily disposlt on
tow rd all other powers, our consent
VIII be necessary to any mod ticauon or
i'm apartment OF The O1cesS on. w shall neIth-
er ia To respect the flag OF any fr endly nation
or the just rights Of ts citizens nor to ex tct
justice and consideration should character re
our diplomacy. The offices OF an ntell gent
dplom 'cy or of friendly arb tration in proper
cases ould be I'D qulte 10 the neace ul at
justment of all inter ational dfi 'ultles- BY
such methods W IL make our contribution to
the worlds peace. which no naton tlues mrre
highly. and aYo the approOrlum winch must
fall upon the nation that ruthlessly breaks
The duty deyo we'd by law upon the President
to nominate and by and with the advice an
consent of the Senate TO appoint ali public
officers who appoin ment IS not otherwise
prov ttttss IOa ID the tu'tjLutton or by act vi
Congress, has becof1e very bu densome. and is
wise and etfic ent dscha 'ge u ! of ffcuity.
Tie civil list is so large that personal knowl-
edge Of any large numbar OF the applicants IS
impossible. The President must rely upon the
representations of others and tn Sc are often
N de inconsid+ratey and without any just
sense OF responsible y l have right,
I think, to INSIST that those who vol
unteer or are invited to give advice as to
appointments shall exercis" consideration and
tide ity. A high sense OF duty and an anbit on
to improve the serv ce should chara ter ze all
publ officers. TIere are many ways IN VIII ch
tht convenience IN confer of I oSe who I'VE
business with our publ officers may be pro-
noted ny a thoughllul and ,ligin% officer, and
I shall eX iect those whom may poo Mt to JUS
tify the selection by q conspicuous etici ncy in
tue disc ar5e OF their duties. Honorable pdrty
serv &c will cert lin not be esteemed by me
a disqualification for public office. but II WIZ
i'll no case allowed TO serve as shleld OF
Ofhclal negligence, incomplete cY or deIln-
Quency. 1t is entirely creiitAble 70 seek
public Office by p oper me hods, ana 8lth
proper motives and all appican II be
treated with 90 lsideration. Bu ] shall need,
and the heads OF the departments VIII need,
time for inquiry and del beratlon. Per
sisteat imp0Ttunity will not, therefore, be
the best supports of an application for office.
Heads of departments bureaus ana all other
public officers, having any duty connected
herewith, will be expected to enforce the CIVIL
Service law fully anu without evaS on. Beyond
til obvious duty | hopa to do something more
10 advance the reform of the civil service. The
ideal, or even my own ideal, L shall prop
ably not uttln Retrospect vii be a
safer bas of Judgment than prom ses. we shall
not, however, l am sure, be abe to put our
civil service upon bipartisan bas until We
have secured an incumoency that fur-m nd
ed men of the opposition VIII approve for IN
partiality aud integrity. AS the number OF
such in the civil list is increased removals from
Office will diminish.
While 4 treasury surplus is not the greatest
evil, It Is = serious evil. Our revenue should be
ample 10 meet the ordinary annual demands
upon our treasury with a sufficient mars n for
those extraordinary but scarcely less lmpera-
tive demands which arise now ana then. EX-
pendltures should always be made with econo-
my. and only npon public necessity. Wastefu-
ness, profigacy or favoritiSm in publlr expend
itureS is criminal. But there Is moth ng II
the condition OF our couutry or OF our people
to suggest that any thing presently neces
Sary to the public prosperity, security or honor
should be uniuly postponed. IL Will De the
duty of Congress wisely to forecast ana est
mate these extraordinary demands, and having
added them to our ordinary expenditures to so
adjust our revenue laws that no cons der Ole
annual surplus win remain. We will 10 tu-
nately be able TO apply to tie redemption OF
the public debt any small and unforeseen excess
of revenue. This is be ter than TO reduce
our income below our necessary eX lendltures
with the resulting cho &c between another
change of our revenue laws and an Increase oi
the public debt. ItIs gu te possible am sure,
to effect the necessary reduction IN our rev
enues without brea iing down our pr itectlve
tarff or seriously lnjuring any domestic IN
dustry.
The construction of o sufficient NUMBER OF
modern war-shfps, and of their necessary arm
ament, shoul progress as rapidly as is c1nsisL Z,
ent with care and perfection in plans and
work man ship. Tn spirit, courage and SKIN oi
our naval of1loers and seamcn have many times
n our history gwen 10 weak ships ana lnel-
hcient guns ruting greatly beyond that the
naval | st. That they W II ain do SO upon
occas on do not dou II; but they ought not
by prened tat1on or neglect, TO be le 70
the risks and ex genc eS OF an unequal
combat. We shou d encourage the est ol sl-
ment Of American steamship lines. The ex-
changes of .ommerce dem md stated, reliable
and rapid me ms of communication, and until
the are provided tho development OF oui
trad W II the states lying south OF US IS I'M
possible. r-4sstss.
Our penson Lays 6fs should iemind US tnat
we owe every IN ny to their valor anu s.c[ln z 7.
It is supj sct OF conord ulItton thdt tne'e >
a near nrospect of tha admission into tne
Union OF the Dakotas. and Mont ma anu w WASH asn-
ington Terri cries. This act OF JUS ice n4s co1 ~
unreasonably delayed in the cas- ot soli,r ~ rr !.
them The ne 1ple who have Sc tleu these ioi
rltories are intelligent enter erprlelng a. go II
tr otic, and The accession OF these ne" S,a -
- N1ti :