The record-union., 1897-03-05

1T will take time to restore the pros
perity of former years. If we cannot
promptly attain it we can resolutely turn
our faces in that direction and aid its
return by friendly legislation. How
ever troublesome the situation may ap-
pear, Congress will not, 1 am sure, be
found lacking in disposition or ability to
relieve, as far as legislation can do So
The restoration of confidence and the re-
vival of business which men of all par
ties so much desire, depends more largely
upon the prompt, energetic and intelli-
gent action of Congress than upon any
other single agency that affects the sit
uation.
OUR FREE INSTITUTIONS.
| 1T is inspiring, too, to remember that
no great emergency in the 10 years OF
our eventful national life has ever
arisen that has not been met with wis
dom and courage by the American peo-
pie, with fidelity to their best interests
and highest destiny, and to the honor of
the American name these years of glori-
Gus history have exalted mankind and
advanced the cause of freedom through
out the world and immeasurably
1
tions which we enjoy. The people love
and Will sustain these institutions. The
greatest aid to our happiness and pros
perity is that we adhere to principles
upon which the Government was estab-
| lished and insist upon their faithful OBJ
servance. The equality of rights must
prevail, and our laws be always and
| everywhere respected and obeyed. We
may have failed in the discharge of our
full duty as encouraging to realize that
| the free speech, free press, free thought,
! free schools, free and unlimited right to
religious liberty to worship, free and
! fair elections are dear and more uni
versally enjoyed to-day than ever be-
fore. The guarantees must be sacredly
preserved and wisely strengthened. The
constituted authorities must be cheer
fully and vigorously upheld.
LYNCHINGS MUST STOP.
"Lynchings must not be tolerated and
in a great and civilized country like the
United States, courts must execute the
penalties Of the laws. The preserva-
ton of public order, the right of dis
cussion, the integrity of the courts and
the administration of justice must con-
which our Government securely rests.
COMBINES OF CAPITAL.
| "One OF the lessons taught by the
election, which all can rejoice in, is that
| the citizens of the United States are
both lawrespecting and law-abiding
people, not easily swerved from the
path of patriotism and honor. This is
| in entire accord with the genius of our
| institutions, and but emphasizes the
advantages of inculcating ever 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 it's own eX-
ecution and of the statutes enacted in
pursuance of its provisions, | shall en-
| deavor carefully to carry them into
effect
The declaration of the party now re
stored to power has been I'M the past
opposed to all combinations of capital
! organized in trusts or otherwise to
control arbitrarily the condition of
| trade among our citizens and it has
supported such legislation as well as to
prevent the execution of all schemes to
Cypress the people by undue charges on
their supplies or by unjust rates for the
transportation of their products to
make it. This purpose will be steadily
pursued both by the enforcement of the
law now in existence and the recon-
mendation and support of such new
statutes as may be necessary to carry
it into effect.
IMMIGRATION LAWS.
Our naturalization and immigration
laws should be further improved to the
constant promotion of a safer, a better
and higher citizenship. A grave peril
to the republic would be citizenship
| too ignorant to understand or too vic
ious to appreciate the great value and
benefit of our Constitution and laws,
and against all who came here to make
| war upon them, our gates must be
promptly and tightly closed. Nor must
we be. unnlindful of the need Of the i'm
provement among our own citizens, but
with the zeal OF our forefathers encour-
age the spread of knowledge and free
education. Illiteracy must be banished
from the land, if we shall attain that
high destiny as the foremost of the en-
lghtened nations of the world, which
under Providence we ought to achieve.
CIVIL SERVICE.
| Reforms in the civil service must go
on, but the change should be real and
genuine, not perfunctory, or prompted
by a zeal in behalf of any party, sim
ply because it happens to be in power.
AS a member of Congress L voted and
spoke in favor of the present law, and
| | shall attempt its enforcement in the
spirit in which it was enacted. The
purpose in view was to secure the most
efficient service of the best men who
would accept appointment under the
Government, retaining faithful and de-
voted persons in office, but shielding
none, under the authority of any rule
or custom, who are inefficient, incompe-
tent or unworthy The best interests
of the country demand this, and the
people heartily approve the law wher-
ever and whenever it has been thus
administered.
MERCHANT MARINE.
Congress should give prompt atten-
ton to the restoration Of our Ameri-
can merchant marine, once the pride
of the seas in all the great ocean high
ways of commerce. To my mind few
more important subjects so impera-
lively demand it's intelligent considera-
ton. The United States has progressed
with marvellous rapidity in every field
of enterprise and endeavor, until we
have become foremost in nearly all the
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