Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-03-15

order and prosperity. The evil works from a
bad center butu ways. 1t d moia.izes those
who practice it, and destroys The Faith OF
those who SUI fer by it in the eff iency of the
law as sac protector. The man in whose
breast that faith has been dark ned is natur-
ally the object Of dangerous and uncanny
sugRes IONS Those who use unlawful
methods If moved by no higher motive than
the selfishness that prompts them, may well
stop and inquire what is to be the end Of this
An unlawful expedient cannot become per-
manent condition Of government If the ed
ucated and influential classes in a community
either practice or connive at the systematic
violation of the laws that seem to them to
cross their convenience, what can they ex-
pect when the lesson that convenience or
supposed class interest is a sufficient cause
for lawlessness has been well learned by the
ignorant classesl A community where law
is the rule of conduct and where courts, not
mobs, execute its penalties is the only attract
i've field for business investments and honest
labor.
American Citizenship.
Our naturalization laws should be go
amended as to make the inquiry into the
character and good disposition Of persons
applying for citizenship more careful and
searching Our existing laws have been, in
their administration, an unimpressive and
often an unintelligible form. We accept the
man as citizen without any knowledge of
his fitness, and he assumes the duties of
citizenship without any knowledge as to
what they are. The privileges of American
citizenship are so great and its duties so
grave that we may well insist upon good
knowledge Of every person applying for
citizenship, and good knowledge by him of
our institutions. We should not cease to be
hospitable to immigration, but we should
cease to he careless as to the character of it.
There are men Of all races, even the best,
whose coming is necessarily a burden upon
our public revenues, or threat to social
order. These should be identified and ex-
cluded.
Our Foreign Policy.
We have happily maintained policy Of
avoiding all interference with European af-
fairs. We have been only interested specta-
tors of their contentious in diplomacy and in
war, ready to use our friendly offices to pro-
mote peace, but never obtruding our advice
and never attempting unfairly to coin the
distresses Of other powers into commercial ad-
vantage to ourselves. We have Just right to
expect that our European policy will be the
American policy Of European courts 1t is
so manifestly incompatible with those pre-
cautions for our peace and safety, which all
the great powers habitualiy observe and en-
force in matters affecting them, that
shorter way between our eastern and west
ern seaboards should be dominated by any
European government, that we may con-
fidently expect that such purpose will not
be entertained by any friendly power.
We shall in the future. as IN the past, use
don 10 irta in
friendly relations with all the great powers,
but they will not expect us to look kindly
upon any project that would leave us sub
ject to the dangers OF a hostile observation or
environment. We have not sought to domi-
nate or to absorb any of our weaker neigh
bors, but rather to aid and encourage them to
establish free and stable governments. rest
ing upon the consent of their own people.
We have clear right to expect, therefore,
that no European government will seek to
establish colonial dependencies upon the
territory of these independent American
states That which a sense of justice re-
strains Us from seeking, they may be reason
ably 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
transpire elsewhere can be taken for granted,
Our citizens, domiciled for purposes of trade
in all countries and in many Of the islands of
the sea, demand and will have our adequate
cure in their personal and commercial lights.
The necessities Of our navy require con-
venient coaling stations and dock and harbor
privileges These and other trading priv
ileges we will feel free to obtain only by
means that do not in any degree partake Of
coercion, however feeble the government
from which we ask such concessions. But.
having fairly obtained them by means and
for purposes entirely consistent with the
most friendly disposition toward all other
powers, our. consent would be necessary to
any modification or impairment of tue con.
cession.
We shall neither fail to respect the flag of
any friendly nation, or the just rights of its
citizens, nor to exact the like treatment for
our own. Camness, justice and considera-
ton should characterize our diplomacy. The
offices Of intelligent diplomacy or Of
friendly arbitration in proper cases, should
be adequate to the peaceful justment 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 opprobrium which must fall
upon the nation that ruthlessly breaks it,
The Public Service.
The duty devolved by law upon the presi-
dent to nominate and, by and with the advice
and consent Of the senate, to appoint all pub
lie officers whose appointment is not otherwise
provided for in the constitution or by act Of
congress has become burdensome, and its
wise and efficient discharge full of difficulty
The civil list is so large that personal knowl-
edge of any large number of the applicants
is impossible. The president must rely upon
the representations of others and these are
often made without consideration and without
any just sense of responsibility. | have
right, think, to insist that those who volun-
teer or are invited to give advice as to APP
pointments shall exercise consideration and
fidelity
A high sense of duty and an ambition to
improve the service should characterize all
public officers. There are many ways in
which the convenience and comfort of those
who have business with our public officers
may be promoted by a thoughtful and
obliging officer, and l shall expect those
whom l may appoint to justify their selec-
tion by conspicuous efficiency in the dis
charge of their duties Honorable party
-