Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-09

is heartily to be commended where Il
! springs from a sincere and permanent IN
tention to become citizens, and real ap
probation of the privilege. But 1t Is {
| source OF untold evil and trouble where Il
| Is traceable to selfish and dishones
motives, such as the effort by artificial ant
create voters who are ready-made tools Of
| corrupt politicians, or the desire to evade
certain labor laws creating discrimination
against alien labor. All good citizens
| whether naturalized or native born. are
equally Interested in protecting our citizen
! ship against fraud In any form, and, OF
/ the other hand, in affording every facility
for naturalization to those who In good
| faith desire to share alike our privileges
| and our responsibilities.
The federal grand jury lately in session
Ia New York city dealt with this subJec!
| and made A presentment which states the
situation briefly and forcibly and contains
| important suggestions for the consideration
Of the Congress. This presentment Is In
Guided as an appendix to the report OF the
| attorney general.
Extension Recommended Of Purposes OF
Appropriation for Enforcing Trust
and Interstate Commerce Laws.
In my last annual message, in connection
| with the subject Of the due regulation OF
combinations Of capital which are or may
| become injurious to the public | recon-
| mended a special appropriation for the bet
! ter enforcement Of the antitrust law as IT
! rection Of the attorney general According,
IL (by the legislative, executive and judicial
| appropriation act Of February %, 1908. 81
Stat, S54, 9O4l, the Congress abpropriate ted,
| 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 direction of the
| attorney general in the employment Of spe-
clal counsel and agents in the department
OF justice to conduct proceedings and prose
cutions under said laws in the courts Of the
| and a
matter of the utmost Importance and ur-
gency, the extension of the purposes of this
appropriation. SO that it may be available,
under 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 a deplorabe state
of affairs in these three matters of vital
concern.
Postal Frauds.
BY similar means-that is. through frauds,
forgeries, and perjuries and by shameless
briberies-the laws relating to the proper
conduct of the public service in general
and to the due administration of the post
Office department have been VIGOROUSLY
violated. and many indictments have been
round, and the consequent prosecutions are
IN course Of hearing or on the eve thereof.
For the reasons thus indicated, and so that
the government may be prepared to enforce
promptly and with the greatest effect the
due penalties for such violations of law.
anu TO this end may be furnished with sui
fcient instrumentalties and competent 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 of making the said
appropriation available for immediate use
for all such purposes, to be expended under
the direction Of the attorney general.
Need for Treaties Making Bribery Ex-
traditable
Steps have been taken by the state de-
partment looking to the making o. bribery
an extraditab BILE offense with foreign powers
The needs of more effective treaties cover
ing this crime Is manifest. The exposures
and prosecutions Of official corr lption In
ST. Louis, Mo, and other cities and states
have resulted IN number Of siyerS and
takers Of brides becoming fugitiTes in for
eign lands. Bribery has not been included
in extradition treaties heretofore, the
may have been as much official corruption
IN former years, there has been more de-
veloped and brought to light in the imme-
date past than in the preceding century
policy Of the United States to leave no
place on earth where a corrupt man fleeing
from this country can rest in peace. There
Is no reason why bribery should not be IN
cluded in all treaties as extraditable. The
recent amended treaty with Mexico, where
by this crime was put in the list Of extra
precedent in this regard. Under this treaty
the state department has asked, and Mexico
has granted, the extradition of one Of the
St Louis bride givers.
There can be no crime more serious than
bribery. Other offenses violate one law
while corruption strikes at the foundation
Of all law. Under our form of government
al authority is vested in the people and by
them delegated to those who represent
them in official capacity. There can be no
offense heavier than that Of him in whom
| 1,oex
sells it for his own gain and enrichment;
and no less heavy is the offense of the
bride giver. He Is worse than the thief.
for the thief robs the individual, while the
| corrupt official plumbers an entire city or
/ state He Is wicked as the murderer
for the murderer may only take one life
against the law, while the corrupt official
and the man VINO corrupts the official alike
aim at the assassination of the common
wealth itself. Government of the people,
by the people, for the people Will perish
| from the face of the earth If bribery Is toll
Grated. The glvers and takers of brides
stand on an evil pre- -eminence of infamy.
| The exposure and punishment Of public
corruption IS an honor to nation. not a
disgrace. The shame lies in liberation. 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 q haven Of refuge IN any
| foreign land and avoid punishment, just so
long encouragement is given them to con-
| tlnue their practices. If we fall to do all
| tndL III us lies TO stamp OUT corruption we
cannot escape our share of responsibility
| for the guilt. The first requisite Of success
| full self-government is uniinching enforce
ment of the law and the cutting out Of cor
| ruptiOn.
| Alaskan Boundary
For several years past the rapid develop,
ment of Alaska and the establishment Of
! growing American interests in regions
/ Heretofore unsurveyed anu imperfectly
| known brought into prominence the urgent
| necessity Of practical demarcation Of the
| boundaries between the jurisdictions Of the
| United States and Great Britain. Although
the treaty Of 1925 between Great Britain
| and Russia the provisions Of which were
copied in. the treaty of 1857, whereby Russia
conveyed Alaska to the United States. was
positive as to the control, first by Russia
| and later by the United States, Of strip
Of territory along the continental mainland
| from the western shore Of Portland Canal
to Mount st. Elias, following and surround
! Ing the indentations Of the coast .tand In
Guiding the islands to the westward, Its
description Of the landward margin of the
| strip was indefinite, resting on the supposed
| existence of a continuous ridge or range
| of mountains skirting the coast, as figured
| in the charts of the early navigators. 1t
| had at no time been possible for either
! party In interest to lay down, under the au
| thority of the treaty line so obviously
exact according to it's provisions to com