The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-12-05

alone shall do the work Of building an
assume the responsibility Of safeguard
ing the canal and shall regulate its neu
tral use by all nations on terms of equal
ity without the guaranty or interference
OF any outside nation from any quarter
Tne signed treaty will at once be lai
before the Senate. and IL approved tn
CONGRESS can then proceed to give effec
10 the advantages IL secures us by pro
wong Tor the building Of the canal.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
Touching upon the Monroe Doctrine. tn,
PRESIDENT says that should be the cardina
feature o. the foreign policy OF all the
nations OF the two Americas, as II Is o1
tne united States. Just seventy eight
years nave passed since President Monroe
In his annual message announced that
Tne American continents are hencefortb
not to be considered as subjects for fu-
| ture colonization by any European DOW
er. In other words, the Monroe Doc
trfne Is declaration that there must he
no territorial aggrandizement by any
non-American power at the expense of
any American power on American soil.
II is In no wise intended as hostile to
any nation In the Old World. Still less n
1t intedded to give cover to any aegres-
sion by one New World power at the ex-
pense OF any other. 1t is simply a step.
and long step, toward assuring the uni
versal peace OF the world by securing the
possibility of permanent peace on this
hemisphere. Our attitude In Cuba Is
sufhcient guaranty of our good faith We
have not the slightest desire to secure
any territory at the expense Of any of our
neighbors.
AS TO OUR NAVY.
The work of upbuilding the navy must
be steadily continued No one point of
our policy, foreign or domestic, is more
important than this to the honor and ma
terial welfare, and above all to the
peace Of our nation in the future. wheth-
er we desire 1t or not, We must hence
forth recognize that we have interna-
tional duties no less than international
rights. Even IL our flag were hauled
down in the Philippines and Puerto Rico,
even IL we decided not to build the 18TH
mian Canal, we should need a thoroughly
trained navy of adequate size, or else be
prepared definitely and for all time to
abandon the idea that our nation is
sea in ships. Unless our commerce is al
ways to be carried in foreign bottoms. we
must have war craft to protect 1t.
Probably no other great nation in the
world is SO anxious for peace as we are.
There Is not a single civilized power
which has anything whatever to fear from
aggressiveness on our part.
Our people intended to abide by the
Monroe Doctrine and to insist upon 1t as
the one sure means of securing the peace
of the Western Hemisphere. The navy Of
fers us the only means of making our in
sistence upon the Monroe Doctrine any
thing but a subject of derision to what
ever nation chooses to disregard 1t. We
desire the peace which comes as of right
to the just man armed not the peace
granted on terms of ignominy to the
craven and the weakling.
1t Is not possible to improve a navy
after war breaks out The ships must be
built and the men trained long in ad
vance. In the late war with Spain the
ships that dealt the decisive blows at
from two to fourteen years, and they
were able to do as they did because the
men in the coming towers, the gun tur-
rets, and the engine-rooms had through
long years of practice at sea learned how
to do their duty.
In this connection the President recon-
mends that four thousand additional sea-
men and one thousand additional marines
should be provided to man new ships.
The naval militia forces are state or
ganizations, and are trained for coast
service, and in event Of war they will
constitute the inner line of defense. They
should receive hearty encouragement from
the general government.
THE ARMY.
It is not necessary to increase our army
beyond its present size at this time. But
it is necessary to keep it at the highest
point of efficiency.
Every effort should be made to bring
the army to a constantly increasing state
of efficiency. When on actual service no
work save that directly in the line OF such
service should be required. The paper
work in the army, as in the navy. should
be greatly reduced. What Is needed Is
proved power of command and capacity to
work we'll in the field Constant care is
necessary to prevent dryrot in the trans
portation and commissary departments
Every promotion and every detail under
the War Department must be made solely
with regard to the good Of the service and
to the capacity and merit of the man him.
self. No pressure, political, social or per-
sonal, of any kind, will be permitted TO
exercise the least effect in any question
of promotion or detail; and IL there Is
reason to believe that such pressure Is
exercised at the instigation OF the officer
concernd, it will be held to initiate
against him.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
recommend the pasasge of a law which
will extend the classified service to the
District of Columbia. or will at least en-
able the President thus to extend IL IN
INV Judgment all laws providing for the
temporary employment OF clerks should
hereafter contain provision that tney
he selected under the civil service law.
II is important to have this system oo-..
tain at home but ii Is even more import
ant to have it applied rigidly In our IN
sular possessions.
The administration OF these fsiands
should be as wholly free from the sus-
picion Of partisan politics as,tne auin'n-
Is tration of the army and navy.
prief mention is. made OF the Pan.
American Exposition. just closed, ana
suitable aid is bespoken for the ST. LOUIS
and Charleston Expositions..
The remarkable growth Of the postal
service IL noticed, and attention caiieu 70
the abuses in second class man matter
The Postonice Department has now unde,-
taken to remove the abuses SO iar as -
,.@ss,h,e under present laws by strtcter
snnIicafion of the law; and 1t should pe
.nstained in; it's effort i-sg.
The recent difficulty in China Is touched
,,,on and the position Of this government
s..s1;rod We at All times. unswervingIy
sSvocat ed moderation. and materially aid
ed in bringing about an adJustmen. wnacs
ss,ds to enhance the welfare OF China ann
- lead to 4 more beneficial intercourse
hetween ~ the empire and the modern world
THE WORLDS GRIEF
rt. death Of Queen Victoria caused the
oeopIe of the United States deep anu
heartfelt sorrow, to which lne svsel
.re,t raye full expression. Wnen rIesl- @
s. snn. scKinley died, our nation In turn
oens a,.aS from every quarter of the brit-
;ss Twn,re expressions Of grief and sym
.h- isa % ~ less sincere The death OF the
ps.ns rr..ss Dovaeer Frederick Of Germany
,aI I..,p. .rcrsed the genuine sympathy OF the
Americsn AM people: and this sympatny 49,
cordially reciprocated By German .Sa.1
the President was assassln..Ssss .'sss1 -crSd
from every quarter OF sne ~ pre.f-
We received, at the tune OH 2, .11 sr,ef and