Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-12-17

countries and the er-standard coun- |
tries This commission has filed its pre- |
liminary report, which has been made |
public. deem 1t important that the |
commission be continued and that sum |
OF money be appropriated sufficient to |
pay the expenses OF its further labors.
Merchant Marine.
A 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 II has proved impossible to secure |
the adoption Of any particular scheme. |
Having in view these facts. I recommend |
that the Congress direct the Secretary
OF the Navy, the Postmaster 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 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 a national
OCedu Hidn sbINlCe OF dueQQaIe auxiliary
naval cruisers and naval reserves. While
such a 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 23-knot steam
,ers. and the British have contracted for
24-knot steamers. Our service should
equal the best. II It does not, the COM
mercial public win abandon 1t. II we are
to stay in the business 1t ought to be
with full understanding Of the advan-
tages to the country on one hand, and
on the other with exact knowledge Of ths
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 swil. 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 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 inefficiency which former
ly obtained there have been eradlcated.
This service has just been investigated by
a committee Of New York citizens OF high
standing, Messrs. Arthur v. Vriesen, Lee
X. Franl1el Eugene A, Phibln, 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
islative 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 perjurles OF
shameless and fragrant 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
Qnttau that oifizancbfn 10 m puota tho
words recently used by the Supreme
Court, an "lnestlmable heritage" whether
II 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-
stltuent members claim their standing |
through the prostitution Of the high right |
and calling OF citizenship. It 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- |
tion Of combinations OF capital which |
are or may become injurious to the pub |
lie, / recommended special approprla- |
tion for the better enforcement Of the |
antitrust law as II 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 %. 1908, 80 |
Stat, s5I. 904). 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-
ton 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.
1 now recommend, as a matter Of the ut
most Importance and urgency, the extern
sion OF the purposes OF this approprla-
tion, so that II 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 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 II |