Fergus County argus., 1903-04-08

Zens of various foreign powers. not
ably. England, Germany and Italy.
After failure to reach an agreement
these powers began a blockade of the
Venezuelan coast and a condition of
quasi-war ensued. The concern OF
our government was of course not to
interfere needlessly in any quarrel
so far as 1t did not touch our interests
or our honor. and not to take the at
titude OF protecting from coercion
any power unless We were willing to
espouse the quarrel of that power
but to keep an attitude OF watchful
vigilance and see that there was no
I infringement Of the Monroe doctrine
mo requirement OF territorial rights
by a European power at the expense
of weak sister republic-whether
this acquisition might take the shape
OF an outright and avowed seizure Of
territory or OF the exercise of control
which would in effect be equivalent
to such seizure. This attitude was OK.
pressed in the published memoranda.
the first being the letter addressed
by the secretary of state to the Ger
man ambassador. the second the con-
versation with the secretary of state
reported by the British ambassador.
| Not International Law.
THE Monroe doctrine is not inter.
national law. and though think one
day 1t may become such. this is not
necessary as long as II remains a car
dinal feature of our foreign policy
and as long as We possess both the
will and the strength to make II effect
i've. This last point. my fellow citi-
zens. is all important. and is one
which as a people We can never afford
to forget. believe in the Monroe doc
trine with all my heart and soul; |
am convinced that the immense ma.
jority Of our fellow-countrymen so be.
lieve in IL; but | would infinitely pre-
fer to see us abandon II than to see us
put II forward and bluster about IL.
and yet fail to build up the efficient
lighting strength which In the last
resort can alone make II respected
by any strong foreign power whose
interest ii may ever happen to be to
violate IL.
Boosting and clustering are as OBJ
jectionable among nations as among
individuals, and the public men OF a
great nation owe II to their sense OF
national self-respect to speak cour-
tcously OF foreign powers; Just as a
brave and self-respecting man treats
all around him courteously. But
though to boast is bad. and causeless.
ly to insult another, worse; yet worse
than all is to be guilty of boasting
even without insult, and when called
to the proof to be unable to make
such boasting good. There is home
ly old adage which runs: Speak soft.
ly and carry big stick; you will 90
far IL the American nation will
speak softly, and yet build, and keep
at a pitch of the highest training a
Thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe
doctrine will go far. ask you to
think over this.
Building Up the Navy.
We'll, In the last two years | am
happy to say that we have taken long
strides In advance as regards our
navy. The last congress. in addi'
tion to smaller vessels, provided nine
OF those formidable fighting ships up.
on which the real efficiency of any
navy in war ultimately depends. Il
provided, moreover, for the necessary
| aHH af nd
TO make the ships worth having
Meanwhile the navy department has
seen to 1t that our ships have been
constantly exercised at sea. with the
great guns, and in maneuvers. SO that
their efficiency as fighting units. both
individually and when acting togeth
er, has been steadily improved. Re
member that all OF this Is necessary
A war ship is huge bit of mechanism
well nigh as delicate and complicated
as IL is formidable. II takes years tc
build il. II takes years TO teach the
officers and men how to handle II
TO good advantage. II Is an absolute
lmpossibility to improvise a navy al
the outset Of war. No recent wal
between any nations has lasted as
long as II takes to build battleship;
and II is just as impossible to impro
wise the officers or the crews as "a
lmproyise the navy.
The Men Behind the Guns.
ITO lay up battleship and only
, send II afioat at the outset OF a war
with raw crew and untried officers
, would be not merely folly but a
. crime. for IL would invite both disas
, ter and disgrace. The navy which
! so quickly decided In our favor the
, war OF 1898 had been built and made
, efficient during the preceding fifteen
years. The ships that triumphed on
/ Manila and Santiago had been built
under previous administrations with
Z money appropriated by previous con
!. crosses The officers and the meI
. did their duty 80 well because they
!. had already been trained 10 II by Ions
sea service. All honor to the gallant
officers and gallant men who actually
b. did the fighting; but remember, too
/. to honor the public men. the ship
A wrights the steel workers. the owners
: OF the ship yards and armor plants
n to whose united foresight and exer
O ton we owe II that in 1898 we haC
!. craft so good, guns so excellent. and
!. American seamen Of so high type
!. in the coming towers, In the gun tur
(, rets. and In the engine rooms. II II
o too late TO prepare for war when wal
!. has come: and II We only prepare suf
;. ficiently no war will ever come. W.
/. wish a powerful and efficient navy
4 not for purposes OF war, but as th'
o surest guaranty Of peace. II we have
!. such a nayy--if We keep on buildinl
!. IL up-we may rest assured that there
, is but the smallest chance that trou
y Bile will ever come to this nation
!. and we may likewise rest assured tina
!, no foreign power will ever quarre