The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-05-28

conscience ever heedful Of divine com
mand II is simple platform, but It is
sufficiently broad and strong to carry
the best hopes Of humanity.
BY the protective system with which
cne president is more closely identified
than any other living statesman the in
dustrles Of ;he people have been buiR
up and made secure, The next duty Of
the government IS to make clear the
way for merchants TO obtain larger
markets for our products, and II Is an
illustration Of the progressive character
OF the man that .he president now
breaches the doctrine OF commerce as
earnestly as he ever preached that Of
productive industry. The essential point
Of his speech of Saturday was plea for
American trade and American ships:
and no plea could have been more ap-
propriate to the occasion or more in ac-
cord with the sentiments OF the audi
ence.
After giving due commeniation to the
skill of the workmen who constructed
the Olympia. which served Admiral
Dewey as a flagship N that glorious vic
tory in Manila Bay, and the peerless
Oregon whose marvellous journey
around the Horn amazed the naval eN-
perts Of the world, aluding TO other no.
BILE craft built in the Union Iron Works.
he went on to say: "Wha; We want is
10 build more ships. We ought to have
good commercial line from here to
the Philippines, built by American
workingmen. manned by American sail
ors and carrying he American flag.
There is nothing in his world that
brings people so close as commerce.
There is nothing in this world that so
much promotes the universal brother
hood Of man as commerce. and We want
to encourage commerce"
The encouragement OF commerce and
the promotion Of the American mer-
chan; marine s indeed the important Is
sue of the time. So long as the great
hulk of our export and import trade is
carried in foreign ships We mus; pay |
annual tribute to the foreigner; and not |
only must the great ship-buAding in
dustries OF the country lag instead OF
going forward by leaps and bounds. but
all other industries must suffer bv
the annual drain of money and the loss
Of tha: addition TO the home market
which would be furnished by the ex-
tension of ship-buildng and the increase
of our merchant fleets.
All Californians will be gratifed by
the warmth with which the president
spoke Of the part California acted dur
ing the war with Spain and particular
ly with the patriotic praise given to our
volunteers. We may long remember
with just pride The words spoken on the
responsibility Of the presidential office:
AS the head Of the nation. l want to
thank the people of this coast for their
noble work during the Spanish war. and
want 10 make special reference and
acknowledgement. for I may not have
another opportunity, TO the gallant First
California volunteers, that was among
the first and almost the last to leave it.
and performed conspicuous and gallant
service in the campaign in the Philip
pine Islands"
Such words coming from the head Of
the nation are not to be taken as an
idle compliment. They stand as an Of
fcial recognition Of the credit due to our
young commonwealth and may rightly
he remembered with satisfaction. To
the workingmen, to the volun teers and
to all Califonians the speech appealed
in the right way and by the right words.
1t is to be hoped, moreover, that all
may profit by them and work together
for the general good and the prosperity
Of the republic