The herald., 1897-03-05

favor of the present law and l shall
attempt its enforcement in the spirit
in which ii was enacted. The purposo
iE view was to secure the most ef1cieht
service of the best men who would az
cept appointment under the govern
ment. retaining faithful and devoted
persons in office, but shielding none, I'M
der the auth ity of any rule OF custom
who are inefncient, incompetent or un-
worthy. The best interests of the coun-
try demand this. and the people hear
thy approve the law wherever and wheh-
ever it has been thus administered.
MERCHANT MARINE.
Congress should give prompt attention
to the restoration of our American Sner-
chant marine, once the pride of the seas
in all the ocean highways of commerce.
To my mind few more important sub
jects so imperatively demand its in
telligent consideration. The United
States has progressed with marvellous
rapidity in every field of enterprise and
endeavor until we have become fore
most In nearly all the great lines of in
land trade, commerce and industry.
Yet, while this is true, our American
merchant marine has been steadily de-
clining until it is now lower, bbth in the
percentage of tonnage and number of
vessels employed. than it was prior to
the civil war. Commendable progress
has been made of late years in the up
building of the American navy, but we
must supplement these efforts by pro-
viding as a proper consort for 1t a mer-
chant marine amply sufficient for our
own carrying trade to foreign countries.
The question Is one that appeals both
to our business necessities and the pat
riotic aspirations of a great people. 1t
has been the policy of the United States
since the foundation of the government
to cultivate relations of peace and amity
with all the nations of the world, and
this accords with my conception of our
duty now We have cherished the policy
of non-interference with the affairs of
foreign governments, wisely inaugural
ed by Washington, keeping ourselves
from entanglements either as allies or
foes, content to leave undisturbed with
them the settlement of their own domes-
tic concerns.
FOREIGN POLICY.
1t will be our aim to pursue firm and
dignified foreign policy. which shall DE
just, impartial ever watchful of our ma
ticnal honor and always insisting upon
the enforcement of the lawful right OF
American citizens everywhere Our ui-
plomacy should seek nothing more ana
accept nothing less than Is due US. we
want no wars OF cOuqucst' w .1'~>
avoid the temptation of territorial as-
gression. War should never oe entered
upon until every agency OF peace mas
failed; peace is preferable to war in
most every contingency Arbitration Is
the true method of settlement or inter-
national as well as local or individual
differences 1t was recognized as the
best means of adjustment OF d1nerences
between employers and employees by
the forty-ninth congress in 1885 and
it's application was extended to our dip
lomatic relations by the unanimous con-
currence of the senate and house OF the
fifty-first congress in 1890. The latter
resolution was accepted as the basis of
negotiations with us by the British
house of commons in 1898, and upon our
Invitation 4 treaty of arbitration be
tween the United states and Great Brit
ain was signed at Washington and
transmitted to the senate for its ratlh-
cation in January last Since this treaty
| Is clearly the result of our own initia
| tive. since 1t has been recognized as the
| leading feature of our foreign policy
| throughout our entire national history
the adjustment of difficulties by judi
cial methods rather than by force Of
| arms and since it presents to the world
| the glorious example o{ reason and