The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-10

luS OF our 1nSLlLuLlOnS duu DuL elupud'
sizes the advantages of inculcating
even a greater love for law and order
in the future. Immunity should
be granted to none who violates the
laws, whether individuals, corpora
tons or communities; and as the Con.
stitution imposes upon the President
the duty of both its own execution
and of the statutes enacted IN pursu-
ance of its provisions shall endeavor
carefully to carry them into effect.
The declaration of the party now
restored to power has been in the past
that Of Opposition to all combina.
tions of capital organized in trusts or
otherwise, to control arbitrarily the
condition of trade among our citizens" "
and it has supported "such legislation
as will prevent the execution of all
schemes to oppress the people by un-
due charges on their supplies or by
unjust rates for the transportation OF
their products to market" This pur-
pose will be steadily pursued, both by
the enforcement of the laws now In
existsnce and the recommendation
and support of such new statutes as
may be necessary to carry 1t into ef'
feet.
Our naturalization and immigra-
ton laws should be further improved
| to the constant promotion of a safer,
better and a higher citizenship. A
grave peril to the republic would be
citizenship loo ignorant to unders tand
or too vicious to appreciate the greal
| value and benefcence of our institu-
tions and laws-and against all who
come here to make war upon them
our gates must be promptly and tight
ly closed. Nor must we be unmlnd.
full of the need OF Improvement among
our own citizens, but with the zsal OF
our forefathers encourage the spread
of knowledge and free education. Hit.
eracy must be banished from the land,
| if we shall attain that high destiny as
the foremost of the enlightened ma
tions of the world, which under Prov
idence we ought to achieve.
Reforms in the civil service must go
on. But the changes should be real
and genuine, not perfunctory, or
prompted by zeal in behalf of any
party, simply because it happens to be
| in power. As a member of Congress
I voted and spoke in favor OF the pre-
sent law and I shall attempt its en-
forcement 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 appoint
ment under the government, retain
| ing faithful and devoted public sery-
ants in Office, but shielding none un-
der the authority of any rule or Gus
tom, who are inefficient, incompetent
or unworthy. The best interests OF
the country demand this, and the peo.
ple heartily approve the law where.
ever and whenever it has been thus
administered.
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 its intelligent consider
alton. The United States has progress
ed 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.
It has been the policy of the United
States since the foundation of the gov
eminent to cultivate relations Of peace
and amity with all the nations of the
world, and this accords with my con-
ception of our duty now. We have
cherished the policy of non-interfer'
ence with the affairs of foreign gov
ernments, wisely inaugurated by
Washington, of keeping ourselves
free from entanglement,. either as al
lies or foes, content to leave undls.
turbed with them the settlement of
their own domestic concerns. 1t will
be our aim to pursue a firm and dig
nifed foreign policy which shall be
Just, impartial, ever watchful of our
national honor and always insisting
upon the enforcement of the lawful
rights of American citizens every.
where. Our diplomacy should seek
nothing more and accept nothing less
than is due us. We want no wars OF
conquest; we must avoid the tempta.
ton of territorial aggression. War
should never be entered upon until
every agency of peace has failed.
Peace is preferable 10 war in almost
every contingency. Arbitration is the
true method of settlement of interna-
tional as well as local or individual
differences. 1t was recognized as the
best means of adjustment of ditferen-
ces between employers and employees
by the Forty-ninth Congress in 1886
and it's application was extended to
our diplomatic relations by the unani-
nous concurrence of the Senate and
House of the Fifty-frst Congress in
1890. The latter resolution was ac-
cepted as the basis of negotiations
with us by the British House of Com
mons in 1893 and upon our vitation
a treaty of arbitration by the U nited
States and Great Britain was signed
at Washington and transmitted to the
Senate for it's ratification in January
last. Since this treaty is clearly the
result of our own initiative; since it
has been recognized as the leading
feature of our foreign policy through
out our entire national history-the
adjustment of difficulties by judicial
methods rather than by force of arms
and since it presents to the world
the glorious example Of reason and
peace, not passion and war, controll-