Gilpin observer., 1903-12-10

pe dSSuTtu between tne SOld-Stan0arQ
countries and the silver-standard coun-
tries. This commission has filed it's pre-
llminary report, which has been made
public I deem 1t important that the
commission be continued. and that sum
OF money be appropriated sufficient to
pay the expenses of it's further labors.
Merchant Marine.
A majority of our people 6esire that
steps be taken in the interests OF Ameri-
resume our former position in the ocean
carrying. trade. But hitherto the diff
ferences of opinion to the proper meth
od of reaching this end have been so wide
that 1T has proved impossible to secure
the adoption of any particular scheme.
Having in view these facts, / recommend
that the Congress direct the Secretary
of the Navy. the Postmaster General,
and the Secretary of Commerce and La
Dor. associated with such q representa-
ton from the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives as the Congress in its wis
dom may designate. to serve as "A COM
mission for the purpose of Investigating
and reporting to the Congress at its next
session what legislation is desirable or
necessary for the development of the
American merchant marine and American
commerce and incidentally of n national
ocean mail service of adequate auxiliary
naval cruisers and naval reserves. While
such measure is desirable in any event
1T is especially desirable at this time in
view of the fact that our present govern
mental contract for ocean mail with the
American Line will expire in 1905. Our
ocean mail act was passed in 1891. In
1895 our 20-knot transatlantic mail line
was equal to any foreign line. Since then
the Germans have put on 93-lnot steam
ers. and the British have contracted for
24-knot steamers. Our service should
equal the best. II 1t does not. the COM
mercial public will abandon 1t. If we are
to stay in the business it ought to be
with full understanding of the advan-
tages to the country on one hand. and
on the other with exact knowledge of the
cost and proper methods of carrying it
on. Moreover. lines of cargo ships are of
even more Importance than fast mail
lines: save far as the latter can be
depended upon to furnish swi. auxiliary
cruisers in time of war. The establish
ment of new lines of cargo ships to
South America to Asia. and elsewhere
would be much in the interest of our
commercial expansion.
immigration.
We can not have too much inmigra-
ton of the right kind. and we should
have none at all of the wrong kind. The
need is to devise some system by which
undesirable immigrants shall be kept out
entirely while desirable immigrants are
properly distributed throughout the coun-
try. At present some districts which
need immigrants have none; and in
others. where the population is already
congested. immigrants come in such num-
bers as to depress the conditions OF life
for those already there. During the last
two years the immigration service at New
York has been greatly improved. and the
corruption and ineficiency- which former
ly obtained there have been eradicated.
This service has just been investigated by
a committee of New York citizens of high
standing. Messrs. Arthur V. Vriesen. Lee
X. FranSel, Eugene A. Philbin. Thomas
w. Hynes and Ralph Trautman. Their
report deals with the whole situation at
length. and concludes with certain rec
| concentrations for administrative and leg
| fslative action. 1t Is now receiving the
attention Of the Secretary of Commerce
and labor.
Naturalization Frauds.
| The special investigation of the subject
| of naturalization under the direction of
the Attorney General and the consequent
prosecutions. reveal n condition OF a6airs
| calling for the immediate attention of the
congress. Forgeries and perjuries of
| shameless and fiagrant character have
been perpetrated. not only in the dense
centers of population. but throughout the
country: and 1t is established beyond
doubt that very many so-called citizens
of the United States have no title what
ever to that right. and are asserting and
enjoying the benefits of the same through
the grossest frauds. 1t is never to be for
| gotten that citizenship is to quote the
words recently used by the Supreme
Court. an "inestimablc heritage" whether
| 1t proceeds from birth within the country
| or Is obtained by naturalization; and we
| poison the sources OF our national char
acter and strength at the fountain. II the
privilege is claimed and exercised with
| out right. and by means of fraud and
| corruption. The body polite can not be
sound and healthy II many of its con-
stituent members claim their standing
| through the prostitution of the high right
and calling OF citizenship. 1t should mean
| something to become a citizen Of the
United States; and in the process no
loop-hole whatever should be left open
| to fraud.
Antitrust Laws.
In my last annual message. in connec-
tion with the subject of the due regula-
| ton of combinations of capital which
are or may become injurious to the pub
| lie. recommended special appropria
ton for the better enforcement OF the
antitrust law as it now stands. to be
expended under the direction OF the At
torney-General Accordingly (by the leg
islative. executive. and judicial appro-
priation act of February 25. 1903. 80
Stat. s5i. so4). the Congress appropriated.
for the purpose of enforcing the various
Federal trust and interstate-commerce
laws. the sum Of five hundred thousand
dollars. to be expended under the direc-
tion of the Attorney General In the en-
ployment Of special counsel and agents
in the Department of Justice to conduct
proceedings and prosecutions under said
laws In the courts of the United States.
now recommend. as a matter OF the ut
most importance and urgency. the extern
sion of the purposes of this appropria-
tion. SO that II may be available. unde.
the direction of the Attorney General. and
until used. for the due enforcement of
the laws OF the United States in general
and especially OF the civil and criminal
laws relating to public lands and the laws
relating to postal crimes and offenses and
the subject Of naturalization. Recent In
vestigations have shown deplorable
state OF AFFAIRS in these three matters OF
vital concern. By various frauds and
by forgeries and perjuries. thousands OF
acres of the public domain. embracing
lauda OF different character and extend-