Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-09-29

O maximum, from which the federal gov
eminent was empowered 10 offer a reduc-
ton, in return for an equivalent concession
on the part OF a foreign country. Presi-
dent Mckinley undertook honestly TO carry
out the purpose OF the act. A number
OF reciprocity agreements were negotiated,
which, II ratified, would have had the two
fold result OF ~cheapening many imported
products for American consumers. and of
opening and charging foreign markets
to American producers. Not nEs OF
those Agreements has met with ire ap-
prevail of the republican masters of the
senate. Indeed, they did not even permit
their consideration. In view Of the atti-
tude OF the present executive, no new
agreement need be expected from him.
Nor does the republican platform contain
a favorable reference to one of the sus-
pended treaties. The reciprocity clauses
main a monument of legislative coZenage
and political bad faith, unless the peo-
pie take the matter in their own hands
at the ballot box and command a reduction
OF duties in return for reciprocity con-
cessions.'
Independence for the Filipinos.
In some quarters it has been assumed
that in the discussion of the Philippine
question in my response, the phrase
self-government,' was intended TO mean
something less han independence. 1t
was not intended that it should be under
stood to mean, nor do 1 think as used it
does mean less than independence. How
ever, toheliminate all possibility for con-
lecture, | now state that l am in hearty
accord with that plank in our platform
that favors doing for the Filipinos what
we have already done for the Cubans;
and l favor making the promise to them
now That we shall take such action as
soon as they are reasonably prepared for
1t. If independence, such as the Cubans
enjoy. cannot be prudently granted to
the F1lipinos at this time, the promise
mar If shall Rnma tho nnnn1Gnt thaxr ~
capable of receiving it will ten to stimu-
late rather than hinder their develop
ment. And this should be done not only
in justice to the Filipinos, but TO pre-
serve our own rights: for a free people
cannot Withhold freedom from another
people and themselves remain free. The
liberation OF tyranny over others will
soon breed contempt for freedom and
of resistance to insidious usurpation of
our constitutional rights.
The statute relating to civil service
Is the outcome of the efforts of thought
full, unselfish and public-spirited citi-
zens, Operation under it has frequently
been of such a character as to offend
against the spirit of the statute, but the
results achieved. even under a partial
enforcement of the law, have been such
as to both deserve and command the
utterance of the democratic party that
1t stands committed to the principle of
civil service reform and demands its
just and impartial enforcement
Panama Canal.
AN Isthmian canal has long been the
hope of our statesmen, and the avowed
aim of the two great parties, as their
platforms in the past show. The
Panama route having been selected,
pressed to completion with all reason
able expedition.
The methods by which the executive
acquired the Panama canal route and
| rfphfC nrn a nlrp Of raprnt 10 Naa-n,
To them. the statement that thereby
a great public work was assured to the
proht OF our people is not a sufficient
n na : to eo the fs eharge T Of violation d a Of IF
that the principles and healthy con-
victions which in their working out
have made us free and great, stand
firmly against the argument or sugges-
of the means employed to promote our
welfare. They hold that adherence to
principle, whether it works for our good
or i'll, will lave a more benefcent infu-
material upbuliding, and that we should
ever remember that the idea of doing a
wrong to a smaller, weaker nation that
we, or ever all mankind, may nave a
resultant good is %repugnant to the prin-
ciples upon which our government was
founded.
Under the laws of the United States
the duty is imposed on the executive to
proceed with due diligence in the work
of constructing the canal. That duty
should be promptly performed.
Pensions for Our Soldiers and Sailors.
The national democracy favors liberal
pensions to the surviving soldiers and
ground that they deserve liberal treat
ment. It pledges by its platform ade-
quate' legislation to that end. But 1t
usurp the power of congress to legislate
on that subject. Such usurpation was
attempted by pension order No. rs, and
effect has been given to it by a congress
that dared not resent the usurpation. 1t
is said that this order was made in the
performance of a duty imposed upon the
president by act of congress- but the
provision making the imposition is not
pointed out. The act to which the order
refers, which is the one relating to pen
sions to civil war veterans. does not au-
thorize pensions on the ground of age.
1t does grant pensions to those suffering
from any mental or physical disability,
or disabilities, of a permanent character,
not the result of their own vicious hab-
It's. which so incapacitates them from
the performance of manual labor as to
This specified requirement of incapacity
is in effect set aside by order No. rs as
to all persons over 81.
The war closed nearly 40 years ago.
In the meantime many of our soldiers
and sailors long survived the age of
t2, and passed away without receiving
any pension. Skillful pension attorneys
hunting through the statute failed to
find there a provision giving a pen
sion TO all who had reached g.. Many
prominent veterans urged the Justice of
congressional action giving a service
pension TO all veterans. Bills to that
not until March of this year did any
one ever claim to have made the dis
covery. that the president had power to
treat the statute as If it read that when
| a n1o i'm nj ho1 AoocaI the ama re 60 ,,aor.
he is necessarily disabled one-half in
ability to perform manual labor and
therefore entitled to a pension.
The present pension commissioner in
dicated his view of the order when in
a recent address he thanked the presi-
dent for what he had done, and advised
his hearers to use their influence that
a law might be passed to the same eff
feet. Full confidence after all seems not
to v been placed on the defense of
justification, for 1t is pleaded in mitiga-
ton that a former democratic president
did something looking in that direction.
Even If that were so-which is not adj
mitted-our present duty would be none
the less plain and imperative. Our peo-
Pile must never tolerate the citation of
one act of u%surpation of power as an
excuse for another. The first may pos
sibly be due to mistake; the second, be-
ing based on the first. cannot be. In
explanation, however, it should be said
that the order relied on simply provided
that the age of rs years should be re-
garded as evidence of inability to per-
form manual labor. Few men are able
to perform manual labor at that age,
but nearly all men are at G.. The first
order is based on a fact that experience
teaches, the other is based ON the asser-
ton of that which is not true as a gen
eral rule.
The old inquiry: What are you 60
ing to do about it?' is now stated in a
new form, 1t is said by the administra-
ton, in reply to the public criticism OF
this order, that 1T is easy to test our
opponents sincerity in this matter. The
order in question is revocable at the
pleasure of the executive. If our OPP
ponents come into power they can revoke
this order and announce that they will
treat the veterans of 81 and 70 as pre-
sumably in full bodily vigor and not
The Umpire's Turn.