Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-04


ciarg. of commerce and industries and
relieve the present pressure upon sew
crai other departments. The wage
garner is reminded that wages were
ard never before the standard ct Nv
in- so hiyh among the !aborins
classes. Labor should receive con-
tirued protco ton from the tariff and
| from t,,.. exclusion of cheap labor from
! abroad. With this end in view the
! rresiden, urges the immediate re-en-
actment of III" Chinese exclusion act.
pa sscd in 1852 and again in 1899 To
cover 10 wear periods. This is sound
American policy, even though it fails
to please that genial diplomat. WI
Tir- Fang. The interests of labor
frcm other points of view are discussed
in a broad and sympathetic spirit.
| Strictc- immigration laws are urged
to keep on; the undesirablr and ignor-
ant refus. Of other lands Tndoubted-
| ~ tUt till IL III III IihFiit III
the President
Next comes the consideration of the
tariff and reciprocity. and the Fresi-
dent. recognizing our tariff system as
tho basis If our prosperity. sGuarely
| iec,arcs that nothing could be more
rnwisc than to disturb the business in
t.rcsts Of the country by any general
tariT change AT this time. This is IN
harmony with the attitude of the Re
publican leaders. and dissipates the
! dream IF TIE free traders that they
could get in an entering wedge by
tariff ,inkcring. this winter. The sup
Elementary system Of reciprocity, the
handmaiden Of protection, as origi-
mated by Elaine. as supported by Nc
kinlay. and as provided for i'll the
present pingley law. is warmly COM
mendcd by the President. Put there
Is nothing in reciprocity antagonistic
- protection. 1t is an incident and
resu!; Of the establishment and
preservation OF our present economic
policy.
Again III, robust. aggressive Ameri-
cai.ism Of President Roosevelt stands
forth in bis declaration that the
Amcrican merchant marine should be
restored to the ocean. and that we
should no longer submit 10 conditions
under which only II tritiing part of
our foreign commerce is carried in
American ships. That the Frye sub
ridy will have the earnest ana un-
qualified support of the President can
rot he doubted. There are brighter
lays ahead for the American ship and
tn" American shpyard.
To pass rapidly on over subjects.
many OF which are of much impor-
length in the message. the President
shows the necessity of maintaining the
gold standard and OF being economical
in national expenditures: he urges the
protection Of ihe forest reserves the
Improvement Of arid lands and the
construction Of national irrigation
works: he show, the great impor-
tance Of the immediate construction Of
the isthmian canal. and the necessity
of a TaCific cable. The upbuilding If
the navy must go on as a guarantee CI
peace and gunnery practice must hc
unceasing. The army is large enough
for present needs. but the work Of in
c:e asin, Is efficiency must 20 on. AMI
| numerous lines of Improvement and
! reorganization are suggested. Ths
| obsolete militia laws should he done
| away with. and the national guard of
The various states organized and armed
as regulars. The merit system should
! h" extended both at home and through
our insular possessions. and only fit
| ness and experience should govern con-
sular appointments. The census office
should be made a permanent govern
mont bureau. The Indian should he
treated on his merits and according to
his needs az an individual, and no
longer az Il tribe. Cordial support
should be given the cxpositions at
Charleston @nd It. Louis. The
abuses Of ths postal service should be
corrected, ard the extension Of rural
free dc,,N cry carried on as rapidly as
practicable.
In no part of the message is the
bread craftsmanship of Theodore
Roosevelt more evident than in those
which deal with our insular poSs -
>iras ana our foreign relations. The
| Philippine situation and problem are
treated in a way to make the iittln
"antiS" Vince. Our duty there is clear
| ly SGT forth and the results accom-
piishod are most gratifying. The
danger Of granting local self govern
mcnt faster than the people ara. fitted
| for II l. pointed out and the need Of
industrial development through the
~ inc .,F fror ;t. :,