Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-09-15


object 70 &: FIR & coutpsssd In power VIC
shall continue our foreign puatpy end oar
handling OF tho navy on exactly tf,e same
lines In the nsture a. N eho past To
what phass of car foreign policy. and 70
what use Of tire navy, do uHr opponants
ob,ect7 DO they ohjsct to the way in
which tho Mont<,o doctyfne has been
strengthened and uphold7 Never bt6ore
has this doctrine been aoout-sced in
abroad az 1t Is now; and yet. while up
holding the rights Of the weaker Amer.
lean republics against foreign aggrcs-
bion. tho administration has lost no OPP
portunity to point out 70 these republics
that those who SOCK equity should come
with clean hands. and that whoever
claims liberty as right must accept tho
responsibilities that go with the exercise
Of the right. Do our opponents object
to what was done IN reference to the Pc
titiou Of American citizens against the
Kishlncn massacre. or to the protest
against the treatment Of the Jews in
Roumana. or to the efforts that have
been made In behalf OF the Arrpenians IN
Turkey? No other administration In our
history, no other government In tho
world has moro consistently stood for the
broadest spirit of brotherhood IN our
common humanity, or has hold moro
reSolute attitude Of PROTEST against every
wrong that outraged the civilization Of
the age, Nt nome or ABROAD. 10
ponents object to the fact that tho inter-
national 'rsbur,al at The Hague was res
cued from Impotence and turned into a
potent instrument for peace among the
nations This government has used that
tribunal and advocated its use by 9th
ers IN pursuance of It's policy. to promote
tho cause of international peace and good
will by all honorable methods. In car
ryng out this policy 1t has settled dis
pute after dispute hy arbitration or by
friendly agreement. 1t has behaved to-
ward all nations strong or weak. with
courtosY. dignity and Justice and 1t is
now on excellent terms with all.
SOME THINGS ACCOMPLISHED
1o our opponents object to the settle
ment OF the Alaska boundary liner DO
they object to the fact that after freeing
Cuba gave her reciprocal trade ad-
vnntaGeS with the United States. while
nt the same time Weeping naval stations
IN tho island and providing against its
sinking into chaos or being conquered by
any foreign power? DO they object to
the fact that our flag now flies over Porto
Rico? Do they object to the acquisition
Of Hawaii? Once they "hauled down
our flag there: we have hoisted Il again.
DO they intend once more to haul 1t
down? DO they object to tho part we
played IN China? 10 they not know that
the voice Of the United States would now
count for nothing in the far east If
had abandoncd the Philippines and re-
fused u do what was done in China?
10 thoy object to the fact that this gov
eminent secured peaceful settlement OF
the troubles IN Venezuela two years ago?
10 they object TO the presence OF the
ship of war OF Colon when the revolution
broke out IN Panama and when only tho
presence of this ship saved tho lives of
American citizens and prevented insult 10
49, o.,
American warshlps appeared promptly at
the port of Beirut when an effort had
been made to assassnate an American
official. and in tho port of Tangtcr when
an American citizen had been abducted.
and that in each ca 80 the wrong com
plained Of was righted and expiated. and
that within the last few days the visit of
an American squadron TO Smyrna WAS
followed by the long delayed concession
Of their just rights to those Americans
concerned in educational work in Tur-
key DO they object to the trade treaty
with China, SO fun of advantage for the
American people in the future? DO they
object to the fact that the ships carrying
the national flag now have higher
standard than ever before IN marksman-
shin and in sear1anship az individual
units and as component parts of squad
rons and fleets? If they object to any or
all Of these things we join issue with
IL
only highly advantagcous to the United
States but hardly less advantageous to
the world as whole. Peace and good
VIII have followed In It's footsteps. The
government has shown itself no less
anxious to respect the rights of others
than insLstcnt that the rights OF Amer
teams be respected In return. AS for the
navy, It has been and is now the most
potent guarantee Of peace, and II is such
chiefly because It Is formidable and ready
for use
TIE PENSION ORDER.
When our opponents speak Of ZEN
croachments" 10y the EXECUTIVE upon the
authority OF congress OF the Judiciary.
apparently the act they ordinarily have
IN view Is pension order No. S Issued
under the authority of existing law. This
order directed that hereafter any veteran
Of the civil, war who had reached the age
OF sixtytwo should be prceunptively en-
titled TO the pension of a6 a month. given
under the dependent pension Law 10 those
whose capacity to earn their livelihood
by manual labor has been decreased so
per cent, and that by the time the age of
seventy was reached tho presumption
should be that the physical disability was
complete. the age being treated as an evil
dental fact in each case This order was
made in the performance OF duty i'm
posed upon the president by an act OF
congrcss, which requires the executive to
make regulations to govern the subord'-
mates OF the pension Office In determining
who are entitled 10 pensions President
cleveland had already exercised this pow
or by "A regulation which declared that
sevonty-hve should be set as the age at
which total disability should be conclu-
siycly presumed Similarly President Nc
Kinley established sixty-fva as tho age
ut which half disability should be cOnclu
sivelS presumed. The regulation now In
question In the exercise OF the same pow
or supplemented these regulations made
under presdenta Cleveland and Mckin
ley
The men who fought for union and for
liberty in the years from 1851 to 1865 not
only saved this nation from ruin. but rem
derod an inesttmabie service 20 all man
kind. We of the United States owe the
fact that today we have a country TO
what they did. and the nation has decreed
by law that no ono Of them If disabled
from earning his own living shall lack
the pension 70 which he Is entitled not
only as a matter Of gratitude. but as a
matter OF justice. 1t 10 the policy OF the
Republican party. steadily continued
through many years. 70 treat the vet
Grams OF tho civil war in a spirit OF
broad liberAlity. The order In question
carried ont this policy and Is justified not
merely on legal grounds, but also on
grounds of public morality. 1t is a mat
ter OF common knowledge that when the
average man who depends for hts wages
| upon bodily labor has reached the age Of
stxty-two his earning ability In In oil
probability less by half than 1t was when
! he was In hts prime. and that ny tho time
| no has reached the age OF seventy ne has
probably lost all earning ability. If there