The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1903-12-10

tries. This commission has filed it's pre-
liminary report, which has been made
public. I deem it important that the
commission be continued. and that sum
OF money be appropriated sufficient to
pay the expenses of its further labors.
Merchant Marine.
majority of our people desire that
steps be taken in the interests of Ameri-
can shipping. so that we may once more
resume our former position in the ocean
carrying trade. But hitherto the diff
ferences of opinion as to the proper meth
cd 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, l recommend
that the Congress direct the Secretary
or the Navy the Postma ster- General,
and the Secretary of Commerce and La
Dor. associated with such a 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 it's next
session what legislation Is desirable or
necessary for the development Of the
American merchant marine and American
commerce. and incidentally of a national
ocean mail service of adequate auxiliary
naval cruisers and naval reserves. While
such measure is desra BILE in any event.
1t is especially desirable at this time, in
view or 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 23-knot steam
ers, and the British have contracted for
24-knot steamers. Our service should
equal the best. If it does not, the COM
mercial public will abandon it. 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 so 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 immigra-
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 sucn num-
bers as to depress the conditions of life
for those already there During the last
two years the immigration service at New
folk has been greatly improved, and the
corruption and inefficiency which former
~ 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
K. Franllel, 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 a condition of affairs
calling for the immediate attention of the
congress. Forgeries and perjuries of
shameless and fragrant character have
been perpetrated, not only in the dense
centers of population, but throughout the
country; and it 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. IT is never to be for
gotten that citizenship is, to quote the
words recently used by the Supreme
Court, an 'ineStimable heritage" whether
II proceeds from birth within the country
or is obtained by naturalizat ton; and we
poison the sources of our national char
acter and strength at the fountain if 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 if 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-
ton with the subject Of the due regula-
ton of combinations of capital which
are or may become injurious to the pub
lie, l recommended a 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
iS4s'tiNS' SAcNotiNc. anu dDDTO-
priation act of February %, 1903. 80
Stat, S5i. e04, the Congress appropriated.
for the purpose of enforcing the various
Federal trust and tate-commerce
laws. the sum of five hundred thousand
dollars, to be expended under the direc-
ton of the AttorneyGeneral 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
l now recommend, as matter of the ut
most Importance and urgency, the extern
sion OF the purposes of this appropria-
ton. so that it may be available, under
the direction of the Acknowledgement 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 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
lands Of different character and extend
Ing through various sections of the coun-
try, have been dishonesty acquired It
Is hardly necessary to urge the import
ance OF recovering these dishonest acouf-
sitions. stolen from the people, and of
promptly and duly Furnishing the Of
tenders.