The independent., 1903-12-10
u The Presidents Message ~

| ruptlOn In st. LOUIS concluding that
government of the people, by the
people, for the people will perish from
the face of the earth If bribery is toll
!, Grated. The giyers and takers of
bribes stand on an evil pre-eminence
of infamy The exposure and punish
ment of public corruption is an honor
to nation, notIa disgrace. The shame
lies in federation, not in correction.
No city or state, still less the nation,
can be injured by the enforcement OF
law. AS long as public plunderers
when detected can find haven of
| refuge in any foreign land and avoid
| punishment, just So long encourage
ment is given them to continue their
| practices. If we fail to do all that in
us lies to stamp out corruption we can
not escape our. share of responsible
| ity for the guilt. The first requisite
of successful self-government is un-
| fiinching enforcement Of the law ana
the cutting out of corruption"
President Roosevelt congratulates
the country upon the happy settlement
of the Alaska boundary dispute and
the settlement of the Venezuela mat
ter; believes there "seems good ground
for the belief that there has been a
real growth among the civilized ma
tiOns of sentiment" in favor of in
ternational arbitration; mentions the
Beirut incident, the new commercial
treaty with China, and calls attention
to the reduced cost of our consular
service.
mo governmental movement of re-
cent years has resulted in greater i'm
mediate benefits to the people of the
country districts" the president AYERS
than rural free delivery of mail. He
cautions congress to keep in mind due
regard to economy, yet says that ex-
tension must be continued "for rea-
sons of sound public policy"
He trusts that congress will con-
tinue to favor in all proper ways the
Louisiana purchase exposition" calls
especial attention to the needs of
Alaska and "our insular possessions.
'No one people, he af1irms, ''ever
benefited another people more than
we have benefited the Filipinos, by
taking possession of the islands" Just
what the benefits are he does not
enumerate
The president is pleased because "a
gratifying disposition has been evinced
by those having unlawful enclosures Of
public land to remove their fences"
This is hardly in harmony with his
high-sounding statement in another
part of the message that obedience
to the law is demanded as right;
not asked as favor" Nearly two
million acres SO inclosed," he de-
clares, ''have been thrown open on
demand" but he does not say how
many other millions are still inclosed.
He suggests revision of the land
laws-which certainly ought to be
made, if the present laws are out of
joint with conditions.
The remainder of the message, ex-
cept the Panama affair, is taken up
with short paragraphs on the work
of reclaiming the arid lands; on forest
preservation; on stamping out the
cotton boil weevil: on patents to for
eigners. Indian affairs, an enlarged
safety appliance law. pensions. civil
service rules, the District of Column
bia. and the army and navy.
Closing. he devotes about three coll
umns TO a detailed account OF the
isthmian canal affair by the act Of
June rs. 1902" he says. "thc con-
sress authorized the president TO en-
ter into treaty with Colombia for the
building of the canal across the 18TH
mus OF Panama; II being provided
that In the event Of failure to secure
snch treaty after the lapse OF a reason
able time, recourse should be had to
building canal through Nicaragua.
II has not been necessary 10 consider
this alternative. as | am enabled 10
lay before the senate treaty provld-
ing for the building Of a canal across
the islhmus Of Panama. This was the
route which commended Itself a. the
deliberate Judgment of conGfess. and
we can now acquire by treaty the
Flsht 10 construct the canal over this
route. The question now. therefore.
~ not by which route the lslhmlan
Canal shall be built. for the question