The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-12-10
ANNUAL
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.

sentatives as the Congress in its wis
dom may designate, to serve as a COM
mission for the purpose of investigat-
ing and reporting to the Congress at
it's next session what legislation is de-
sirable or necessary for the develop
ment of the American merchant marine
and American commerce, and incident
ally of a national ocean mail service
of adequate auxiliary, naval cruisers
and naval reserves.
Public Land and Postal Frauds.
In my last annual message, in con-
nection with the subject of the due
regulation of the combinations OF CAPT.
tai which are or NAV become injurious
to the public, l recommend a special
appropriation for the better enforce
ment of the antitrust law as it now
stands, to be expended under the direc-
ton of the encouragement. Accord
ing (by the legislative, executive, and
judicial appropriation act of February
rs, 1908, 80 Stat. S54, 904), the Congress
appropriated for the purpose of en-
forcing the various federal trust and
interstate commerce laws, the sum of
$500, 900, to be expended under the di-
rection of the encouragement in the
employment of special counsel and
agents in the department of justice
to conduct proceedings and prosecu-
tons under said laws in the courts of
u,
as a matter of the utmost Importance
and urgency, the extension of the pur-
poses of this appropriation, so that it
may be available, under the direction
of the encouragement and until used,
for the due enforcement OF the laws of
the United States in general and es-
pecially of the civil and criminal laws
relating to public lands and the laws
relating to postal crimes and offenses
n n
cent Investigations have shown a de-
plorable state of affairs in these three
matters of vital concern. BY various
frauds and by forgeries and perjuries,
thousands of acres of the public do
main, embracing lands of different
character and extending through vari-
Gus sections of the country, have been
dishonesty ACQUIRED. 1t is hardly nee
essary to urge the Importance of recov-
ering these dishonest acquisitions,
stolen from the people, and Of prompt
ly and duly Furnishing the offenders.
speak in another part of this message
of the widespread crimes by which the
sacred rights of citizenship is falsely
asserted and that ''inestimable hertz
age" perverted to base ends. By SINH
lar means-that is. through frauds,
forgeries. and perjuries. and by shame
less briberies-the laws relating to the
proper conduct of the public service
in general and to the due administra-
ton of the postoffice department have
been VIGOROUSLY violated, and many in
dictments have been found, and the
consequent prosecutions are in course
of hearing or on the eve thereof. For
the reasons thus indicated, and so that
the government NAV be prepared to
enforce promptly and with the greatest
effect the due penalties for such vio-
latiOns of law and to this end may be
fUrn shed with sufficient instrument
talitjes and cOmDetent legal assistance
for the Investigations and trials which
will be necessary at many different
points of the country. I urge upon the
Congress the necessity for making the
said approximation available for imme-
date use for all such purposes, to be
expended under the direction of the
attornev-general.
The President saws in this connec-
ton that steps are being taken to in
clude bribery in the list of extradit-
able offenses.
Alaska Boundary.
The President gives a history of the
Alaska boundary dispute and it's set
Element. The result is stated to be
satisfactory in every way.
Intern ationaI Arbitration.
There seems good ground for the be-
lief that there has been a real growth
among the civilized nations of a senti-
ment which will permit gradual sub
stitution of other methods than the
methods of war in the settlement Of
disputes. 1t is not pretended that as
vet we are near a position in which it
will be possible wholly to prevent war,
or that a just regard for national in
terest and honor will in all cases per-
NIT of the settlement of international
disputes by arbitration but by a mix
ture of prudence and firmness with
wisdom we think it Is possible to do
away with much of the provocation
and excuse for war. and at least in
many cases to substitute some other
and more rational method for the set
Element of disputes. The Hague court
offers so good an example of what can
be done in the direction of such set
Element that it should be encouraged
i'm every way. Further steps should
be taken.
President McKinleys recommended
ton in his message of 1898, that the
executive may be authorized to cor
respond with the governments of the
principal maritime powers, with view
of Incorporating into the permanent
law of civilized nations the principle
of the exemption of all private prop
erty at sea not contraband of war;
from capture or destruction bv bellig-
erent powers" Is cordially endorsed.
Rural Free Delivery Service.
The rural free delivery service has
been steadily extended. The attention
of the Congress is asked to the ques-
ton of the compensation of the letter
carriers and clerks engaged in the pos
tai service. especially on the new rural
free delivery routes. More routes have
been installed since the first of July
than in any like period in the depart
tS. hi o,.I 30
economy must be kept in mind in the
establishment of new routes. yet the
extension of the rural free delivery sys-
tenn must be continued for reasons of