Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-12-09

with view to these effects alone it would
be to the last degree important for us inn
mediately to begin it. While it's beneficial
effects would perhaps be most marked upon
the Pacific coast and the gulf and South
Atlantic states, it would also greatly benefit
other sections. 1t is emphatically a work
which it is for the interest of the entire
country to begin and complete as soon as
possible; it is one of those great works
which only a great nation can undertake
with prospects of success, and which when
done are not only permanent assets in the
nations material interests, but standing
monuments to its constructive ability. The
president is glad to be able to announce
that our negotiations on this subject with
Great Britain have resulted in a treaty
which if ratified will enable us to begin
preparations for an isthmian canal at any
time, and which guarantees to this nation
every right that it has ever asked in c0n
nection with the canal. In this treaty, the
old Clayton BulWer treaty, SO long recog-
nized as inadequate to supply the base for
the construction and maintenance of a nee
| essarily American ship canal is abrogated.
1t specifically provides that the United
States alone shall do the work of build
ing and assume the responsibility of safe
guarding the canal and shall regulate it's
neutral use by all nations on terms of
ence of any outside nation from any quar-
ter. The signed treaty will at once be laid
before the senate, and if approved the con-
gress can then proceed to give effect to the
advantages lC seizures US Dy& pFOVIuluS Tor
the building Of the canal.
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
The Monroe doctrine should be the cardi-
nal feature of the foreign policy of all the
nations of the two Americas, as it is of
the United States The Monroe doctrine is
a declaration that there must be no ter
ritOrial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT by any non-Ameri-
can power at the expense of any American
power on American soil. 1t is in no wise
intended as hostile to any nation in the
old world Still less is it intended to give
cover to any aggression by one new world
power at the expense of any other. 1t is
simply step, and long step, toward as
surfing the universal peace of the world by
securing the possibility of permanent peace
on this hemisphere.
NAVY UPBUILDING.
The work of upbuilding the navy must be
steadily continued No one point of our pol
icy, foreign or domestic, is more important
than this to the honor and material well
fare and above all to the peace, of our
nation in the future Inasmuch as the
American people have no thought of aban-
doning the path upon which they have
entered, and especially in view of the fact
that the building of the isthmian canal is
fast becoming one of the matters which the
whole people are united in demanding, 1t is
imperative that our navy should be put and
kept in the highest state Of efficiency, and
should be made 20 answer to our growing
needs. SO far from being in any way
provocatiOn to war, an adequate and highly
trained navy is the best guaranty against
war; the cheapest and best peace insur-
ance. Our people intend to abide by the
Monroe doctrine and to insist upon it 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 subject of derision to whatever
nation chooses to regard it. 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. At very great length the presi-
navy.
The naval militia forces are state organ
izations, 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. But in addition we should at
once provide for national naval reserve,
organized and trained under the direction
of the navy department, and subject to the
call of the chief executive whenever war
becomes imminent. 1t should be real aux
Hilary to the naval Sea-going peace eStab
lishment and offer material to be drawn
on at once for manning our ships in time
Of war. It should be composed of gradu-
ates of the naval militia, officers and
crews of coast-line steamers, longShore
schooners, fishing vessels and steam yachts,
together with the coast population about
such centers as life-saving stations and
light houses.
The American people must either build
and maintain an adequate navy or else
make up their minds definitely to accept