Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-07
OUR EUROPEAN POLICY WILL BE TIE AMERI
GAN POLICY

ers habitualIy observe and enforce in mat
teTs affeetiBg them, that shorter water
way between our eastern and western sea
boards should be dominated by any Euro
pean government that we may confidently
! expect that such pul pose will not be en-
tertainsd By any friendly powers. We
shall in the future, as in the past, use
every endeav0r to maintain and enlarge
our friendly relations with all the great
powers, but they will not expect Us TO look
kindly upon any project that would leave
us subject to the dangers of hostile OBJ
serv alton or environment.
We have not sought TO dominate or TO
absorb any of our weaker neighbOrs, but
rather 20 aid and encourage them TO
| establish free and stable governments,
resting upon the consent OF the people.
! We have clear right to expect, there
fore, that no European government will
| seek TO establish colonial dependencies
upon the territory Of those independent
American states. That which sense OF
/ justice restraints Us from seeking they
may be reasonably expected willingly to
| forego.
| 1t must not be assumed, however, that
our interests are SO exclusively American
| that our entire inattention to any events
| that may trans pire elsewhere can be taken
| for granted. Our citizens. domicii ed for
/ purposes of trade in all countries and on
many of the islands of the sea demand
and will have our
ADEQUATE CARE IN THEIR PERSONAL AND
COMMERCIAL RIGHTS.
The necessities of our navy require
convenient coaling stations, and dock
| and harbor privileges. These, and other
leading privileges, We will feel free TO
OBTAIN only by means that do not ia Gny
degree partake of coercion, however
feeble the goVernnlen from which We ask
such concessions. But, having fairly
obtained them, by methods and for pur-
poses entirely consistent with the most
friendly disposition toward all other
powers, our consent will be necessary to
any modification or impairment Of q con
| cession. We shall neither fail TO respect
the flag of any friendly nation, or the just
rights of It's citizens, nor to exact like
treatment for our OWL. Calmness, justice
and consideration should characterize
our diplomacy. Offices of intelligent
dI pl9macy or of friendly arbitration in
proper cases, sho1ld be adequate to the
peaceful adjustment Of all international
difficulties. By such methods We will
make our contribution to the worlds
peace, which no nation values more
highly, and avoid the approbium which
must fall upon nation that ruthlessly
breaks il.
The duty devoIved by law upon the
president to nominate, and by and with
the advice and consent of the senate
TO APPOINT ALL PUBLIC OFFICERS
whose appointment is not otherwise pro
vided for in the constitution or by act of
congress, has become very burdensOme
and its wise and efficient discharge full
of difficulty. The civil list is so large that
personal knowledge of any large humber
Of applicants is impossible. The presi-
dent must rely upon representations of
others, and these are often made incon
siderately and without any just sense
of responsibility. l have the right, |
think, 20 insist that those who volunteer
or are invited to give advice as to ap-
pointments, shall exercise consideration
and fid elity. A high sense of duty ami
ambition to improve the service should
characterize ali the public officers. There
are many ways in which the conveniene sc
aud comfort Of those who have
BUSINESS WITH OUR PUBLIC OFFICES MAY BE
by thoughtful and obliging officers, and
l shall expect those whom I may appoint
TO Justify their selection by cons picuous
efficiency in the discharge of their outies.
Honorable party service will certainly not
be esteemed by me a disqualification for
public office, bat it will III no case be az
lowed to serve as shield of official neg
lgence, moon potency or delinquency. 1t
is entirely creditable TO seek public office
by proper methods, and with pro er mo-
lives, and all applicants wil be treated
with consideration, but | shall need, and
heads Of departments will need,
time for inquiry and deliberation.
Persistent importantly will not, there
fore, be the best support of application
for office. Heads of departments,
bureaus and all other public officers, hav-
ing any duty connected therein, will be
expected to enforce the civil service Law
fully and without evasion. Beyond this
obvious duty l hope TO DO something
more to advance the reform of the civil
service ideal. Even my own ideal
shall probably not attain. Retrospect
will be the safer basis of Judgment than
promises. We shall not, however, 1 am
sure, be able to put our civil service upon
a non partisan basis until we have Sc
cured the ,neumbency that fair minded
men of the opposition will approve for
impartiality AMI integrity, As the NUN
Der of such in the civil list Is increased,
removals from office will diminish. While
THE TREASURY SURPLUS
is not our greatest evil, il is a serious
evil. Our revenue should be ample to
meet the ordinary annual demands upon
our treasury, with a sufficient margin for
those extraordinary but scarcely less i'm
perative demands which arise now and
then. Expenditures should always be
made with economy, and only upon public
necessity. WastefulHess. profigacy and
favoriGism in public expenditures is Grim
inal, but there is nothing in the condition
of our country, or of our people, to sug-
gest that anything presently necessary
to the public pros perity, security or
honor should be unduly postponed. Il
will be the duty of congress wisely to
! forecast and estimate these extraordinary
demands, and having added them to our
ordinary expenditures, to so adjust our
revenue laws that no considerable annual
surplus will remain. We will fortunately
be able to apply to the redemption of the
| public debt any small or unforeseen ex-
cess OF revenues. This is better than TO
reduce our income below our necessary
ex penditures, with the resulting choice
between another change of our revenue
laws and an increase of the public debt.
It is quite possible, [ am sure, to effect
! THAT NECESSARY REDUCTION IN oUR REVIEW