The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23

tinues the message. that steps be taker
| in the interest of American shipping
| SO that We may once more resume oul
| former position in the ocean carrying
trade. The President urges that com
mittee be appointed to report next ses
| sion what legislation is desirable OF
necessary for the development Of the
American merchant marine and Ameri
| can commerce, and incidentally Of 9
| national ocean mail service Of adequate
| auxiliary naval cruisers and naval re
| serves.
IMMIGRATION.
We can not have too much imlnigra
ton of the right kind. observes the
message, and we should have none al
all of the wrong kind. The need is to
devise some system by which undeslr'
able immigration shall be kept out en-
tirely, while desirable immigrants are
properly distributed throughout the
country. It is also urged that some
means be adopted to check gross nat
uralization frauds, which are so preya'
lent as to be alarming.
POSTAL FRAUDS
The President recommends that the
uses Of the money which Congress ap'
propriated to enforce the various Fed
eral trust and interstate commerce
laws be extended 80 that it may be
available, under the direction of the
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" He also announces
that steps have been taken by the State
Department looking to the making Oh
bribery an extraditable offense with
foreign powers. The exposures and
prosecutions of official corruption in st.
Louis, Mo-, and other cities and States
have resulted in a number Of givers
and takers Of bribes becoming fugl-
tives in foreign lands. where they are
now safe from prosecution.
ALASKAN BOUNDARY.
The President congratulates the
country on the amlcable settlement of
the Alaskan boundary question, and
incidentally remarks upon the great
DEVELOPMENT of this valuable area OF
Our possessions. The President then
calls attention at length to the settle
ment Of claims against Venezuela held
by Great Britain, Germany and Italy,
and remarks upon the important part
played by our Government in the just
settlement of the same. He remarks
upon the growing sentiment Of the ma
tions favoring peacable settlements in
such cases, and urges Congress to In
vite the Ihterparliamentary Union for
International Arbitration to meet at
the st. Louis Exposition next year.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
After felicitating the country on the
pleasant relations that exist with all
sister nations, Mr.. Roosevelt announces
that our relations with the Turkish
Government remain friendly; our
claims founded on ineQuitable treat
ment Of some Of our schools and mis-
sions appear to be in process OF ami
cable adjustment. Also the new COM
mercial treaty with China is a source
Of satisfaction.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
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
postal service, especially in the new
rural free delivery routes. While due
regard to economy must be kept IN
mind in the establishment of new
routes, yet the extension of the rural
free delivery system must be con
tinued. for reasons Of sound pubic pol.
icy. No governmental movement or
recent years has resulted in greater inl-
mediate benefit to the people of the
country districts.
MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS.
The President then hopes the Con.
gress will continue to favor In all
proper ways the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition, and urges that we do all
we can to help Hawaii by constructing
lighthouses and helping to build up
the commercial interests Of the ISLANDS.
Of our insular possessions, the Phil
ippines and Porto Rico. it is gratifying
to say that their steady progress has
been such as to make it unnecessary to
spend much. time in discussing them.
No one people ever benefited another
people more than we have benefited the
Filipinos by taking possession of the ISL
ands. Our public land laws need re-
vision sadly. a great deal Of fraud has
crept into their administration. and
scandals are common. It is urged that
they be thoroughly revised. A gratify-
ing disposition has been eyinced by
those having unlawful Enclosures of
public land to remove their fences. 1t
Is recommended that Congress enact
remedial legislation to check the cotton
boil weevil. which threatens the entire
cotton industry. The President sug-
gests a policy Of reciprocity in the
granting of patents to foreigners. He
then announces that the practice OF ap-
pointing, when possible. ex-army of1-
GERS or bonded superintendent as In
dian agents is working we'll, and says
that prompt heed should be paid to the
need Of education for the children in
Indian Territory. In the matter of the
safety appliance law much good has
already been accomplished. The law
should be vigorously enforced. No rec
ommendation Of a radical nature is
made in regard to pension matters, but
the work Of the Bureau is praised.
Civil Service extension is urged anu