The Topeka state journal., 1897-03-04
ty upon which our government securely

| VICE PRESIDENT
ty upon which our government securely
\ rests.
One of the lessons taught by the late
| election which all can rejoice in, is that
| the citizens of the United States are
| both aw-reSpecting and w-abiding
people not easily swerved from the path
| of patriotism and honor. This is in
| entire accord with the genius of our in
| StitutiOnS and but emphasizes the ad-
| vantages of intoxicating a great love
for law and order in the future.
Immunity should be granted to none
| who violate the laws, whether individ-
| ualS, corporations or communities; and
| as the constitution imposes upon the
| president the duty of both its own ex-
| ecution and of the statutes enacted in
| pursuance of its provisions, i shall en-
| deavor carefully to carry them into eff
feet. The declaration of the party now
| restored to power has been in the past
| that of opposition to all combinations
| of capital organized in trusts or other
| wise to control arbitrarily the condition
| of trade among our citizens. And IL
| has supported in such legislation as
| we'll as to prevent the execution of all
| schemes to oppress the people by un-
/ due charges on their supplies or by un-
| just rates for the transportation of their
| products to market. The purpose VIII
| be steadily pursued, both by the en-
forcement of the laws now in exist
ence and the recommendation and sup
port of such new statutes as may be
necessary to carry it into effect.
Our naturalization and immigra ton laws
| should be further improved to the con,
| slant promotion of safer, better and
higher citizenship. A great peril to the
republic will be a citizenship too ignor-
| ant to understand, or too vicious TO ap-
our constitution and law, and against all
who come here to make war upon them,
| our gates must be promptly and tightly
closed Nor must we be unnindful of
| the need of Improvement among our own
ei5ens put VIII the the s1rea3 seIa d Of 4u know
! edge and free education. Illiteracy must
| be banished from the land If we shall at
| tain that high destiny as the foremost OF
| the enlightened nations of the world.
which under providence, we ought to
| achieve.
Reforms in the civil service must go on,
| but the change should be real and gen
| uine, not perfunctory or prompted by a
| zeal in behalf of any party, simply be-
cause it happens to be in power As a
favor iaSicl'e of the present law and I shall at
tempt it's enforcement in the spirit in
view was to secure the most efficient ser
vice of the best men who would accept
appointment under the government re-
taipinp faithfui and devoted public serv-
ants in office, but shielding none under
the authority of any rule or custom VINO
are inefficient, incompetent or unworthy.
The best interests of the country demand
this and the people heartily approve the
law wherever and whenever it has been
Congress should give prompt attention
chant marine, once the pride of the seas
in all the great ocean highways of com
merce. To my mind few more important
subjects so imperatively demand its in
telligent consideration. The United States
every field of enterprise and endeavor un-
til have become foremost in nearly all
great lines of inland trade, commerce and
industry. Yet while this is true, our
American merchant marine has been
steadily declining until it is now lower
both in the percentage and tonnage ana
the number of vessels employed, than it
was prior to the civil war.
Commendable progress has been made
of late years in the upbuilding of the
American navy, but we must supplement
these efforts by providing as proper
consort for it a merchant marine amply
sufficient for our own carrying trade to
that appeals both to our business neces-
stiles and the patriotic aspirations of
great people.
1t has been the policy of the United
States since the foundation of the gov
ernment to cultivate relations of peace
and amity with all nations of the world
and this accords with my conception of
our duty now We have cherished the
fairs of foreign governments, wisely in
augurated by Washington, keeping our
lies or foes, content to leave undisturbed
with them the settlement of their own do
pursue firm and dignif1ed foreign policy
which shall be just impartial, ever watch
full of our national honor and always in
sisting upon the enforcement of the law
full rights of American citizens every
Where. our diplomacy ShOuld seek nOth-
ing more and accept nothing less, than is
due We want no wars of conquest;
we must avoid the temptation of terri
torial aggression. War should never be
entered upon until every agency of peace
has failed; peace is preferable to war in
almost every contingency. Arbitration is
the true method of settlement of interna-
tional as well as local or individual diff
ference.
It was recognized as the best means of
ad adjustment of differences between en-
ployerS and employees by the Forty-ninth
congress in 1886 and its application was
extended to our diplomatic relations by
and senate in 1870. The latter resolution
was accepted as the basis of negotia tions
with the United States by the British
house of commons, in 1898 and upon our
invitation a treaty of arbitration between
the United States and Great Britain was
the senate for it's ratification in January
last. Since this treaty is clearly the re-
suit of own initiative; since it has
been recognized the leading feature of
our foreign policy, throughout our entire
national history-the adjustment of diff
force of arms-and since it presents to
the world the glorious example of reason
and peace, not passion and war, control
ling the relations between two of the
greatest nations of the world an example
certain to be followed by others, I respect.
fully urge the early action of the senate
thereon. not merely as a matter of pol
icy, ut baS a duty to mankind.
The Importance and moral influence of
the ratification of such q treaty can hard
ly be overestimated in the cause of ad-
vancing civilization 1t may well engage
people of every country, and L can not
but consider it fortunate that it was re-