Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1903-04-08

shown not merely the ever growing influence of the United States in the Western Hemisphere, but also, think
 l may safely say, have exemplified the firm purpose of the United States that it's growth and influence and power shall rebound not to the harm but to the benefit of our sister republics whose strength Is less. Our growth, therefore, is beneficial to human kind in general. We do not intend to as- sume,any:position which can give,just offense to our neighbors. Our adher- ence to the rule of human right is not merely profession. The history of our dealings with Cuba shows that we reduce it to performance.
 The Monroe Doctrine is not interna- tional law, and though I think one day it may become such, this is not necessary as long as it remains a card
 inal feature of our foreign policy and as long as we possess both the will and the strength to make it effective. This last point, my fellow citizens, is all important, and is one which as a people we can never afford to forget. 1 believe in the Monroe Doctrine with all my heart and soul; l am convinc- ed that the immense majority of our fellow countrymen so believe in it; but I would infinitely prefer to see us abandon it than to see us put it forward and buster about it, and yet fail to build up the efficient fighting strength which in the last resort can alone make it respected by any strong for eign power whose interest it may ever happen to be to violate it.
 Boosting and clustering are as ob-
 jectionable among nations as among
 individuals, and the public men of a great nation owe it to their sense of national self respect to speak courte-
 ously of foreign powers, just as
 brave and self respecting man treats all around him courteously. But though to boast is bad, and cause
 lessly to insult another, worse; yet worse than all is it to be guilty of
 boasting, even without insult, and
 when called to the proof to be unable to make such boasting good. There
 is homely old adage which runs:
 Speak softly and carry big stick; you will go far" If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build, and keep at pitch of the high est training, a thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe Doctrine will go far. ask you to think over this. If you do, you will come to the conclu- sion that it is mere plain common sense, so obviously sound that only the blind can fail to see it's truth and only the weakest and most irresolute can fail to desire to put in into force. We'll, in the last two years, am happy to say we have taken long strides in advance as regards our navy. The last congress, in addition to small vessels, provided nine of those formi- dable fighting ships upon which the real efficiency of any navy in war ulti- mately depends. It provided, more over, for the necessary addition of officers and enlisted men to make the ships worth having. Meanwhile the navy department has seen to it that our ships have been constantly exer- cised at sea, with the great guns, and in maneuvers, so that their efficiency as fighting units, both individually and when acting together, has been steadily improved. Remember that allof this is necessary. A war ship is huge bit of mechanism, we'll nigh as delicate and complicated as it is form idable- It takes years to build it. It takes years to teach the officers and 1 men how to handle it to good advant- l age. It is an absolute impossibility to imprOvise navy at the outset of war. No recent war between any two l nations has lasted as long as it takes to build battle ship; and it is Just | as impossible to improvise the officers or the crews as to improvise the navy.
 To lay up battle ship and only send it afioat at the outset of a war, with raw crew and untried officers, would be not merely folly but a crime, for it would invite both dis aster and disgrace. The navy which so quickly decided in our favor the war in 1898 had been built and made efficient during the preceding fifteen years. The ships that triumphed off Manila and Santiago had been built under previous administrations with money appropriated by previous con gresses. The officers and the men did their duty so we'll because they had already been trained to it by long sea service. All honor to the gallant officers and gallant men who actually did the fighting; but remember, too, to honor the public men, the ship and steel workers, the owners of the shipyards and armor plants, to whose united foresight and exertiOn we owe it that in 1898 We had craft so good, guns so excellent and American Seamen of so high type in the con- ming towers, in the gun turrets, and in the engine rooms. It is too late to prepare for war when war has come; and if we only prepare sufficiently no war will ever come. We wish powerful and efficient navy, not for purposes of war, but as the surest guaranty of peace. If we have such navy-if we keep on building it up We may rest assured that there is but the smallest chance that trouble will sver come to this nation; and we may likewise rest assured that no foreign power will ever quarrel with us about ,he Monroe Doctrine.
 ADVERTISED LETTERS.
 The following is list of letters re- in the postoffice at Prescott, Arizona, for the week ending March