Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-08-03

spirit. we are not constrained to keep
silent on any vital question; we are di-
vided on no vital question; our policy
is continuous, and is the same for all
sections and localities There Is moth
ing experimental about the government
we ask the people to continue In power,
for our performance in the past, our
proved governmental efficiency, IS
guarantee as to our promises for the
future. Our opponents, either openly
or secretly, according to their several
temperaments, now ask the people to
trust their present promises in consl-
deration of the fact that they intend to
treat their past promises as null and
void. We know our own minds and we
have kept of the same mind for suf-
fcient length of time to give to our
policy coherence and canity. In such a
fundamental matter as the enforcement
Of the law we DO not have to depend
upon promises, but merely to ask tiat
our record be taken as an earnest OF
what we shall continue tod In deal
ing with the great organizations known
as trusts, we do not have to explain
why the laws were not enforced, but
to point out that they actually nave
been enacted to increase. the effective
ness of their enforcement. We do not
have to propose to turn tn rascals
out" for we have shown in very deed
that whenever by diligent investigation
a public official can be found who has
betrayed his trust he will be punished
to the full extent of the law without
regard to whether he was appointed
under a Republican or a Democratic
administration. This is the efficient
way to turn the rascals out and to keep
them out, and it has the merit OF sim
cereity. Moreover the betrayals of trust
in the last seven years have been In
significant in number when compared
with the extent of the public service.
Never has the administration OF the
government been on cleaner and
higher level; never has the public
work of the nation been done more
honestly and efficiently.
The President then discussed the is
sues of protection, reciprocity and our
foreign policy at some length.
He said further:
eve earnestly desire friendship with
all the nations of the New and Old
Worlds; and we endeavor to place our
relations with them upon a basis OF re-
ciprocal advantage instead of hostility.
We hold that the prosperity Of each
nation is an aid and not hinderance
to the prosperity of other nations. we
seek international amity for the same
reasons that make us believe In peace
within our own borders; and we seek
this peace not because we are afraid or
unready, but because we think that
peace is right as we'll as advantageous
American interests in the Pacific
have rapidly grown. American enter
Prise has laid cable across this, the
greatest of aceans. We have proved IN
effective fashion that we wish the
Chinese Empire well and desire its in
tegrity and independence
Our foothold in the Philippines
greatly strengthens our position in the
competition for the trade of the East;
but we are governing the Philippines in
the interest of the Philippine people
themselves. We have already given
them large share in their government
and our purpose is to increase this
share as rapidly as they give evidence
of increasing fitness for the task. The
great majority of the officials of the
islands, whether elective or appointive
are already native Filipinos. We are
now providing for legislative assem-
bly,. This is the first step to be taken
in the future; and it would be eminent
ly unwise to declare what our next
step will be until this first step has
been taken and the results are mani
fest. To have gone faster than we have
already gone in giving the islanders a
constantly increasing measure of self
constantly increasing measure Of self
government would have been disas-
trous. At the present moment to give
political independence to the Islands
would result in the immediate loss Of
civil rights, personal liberty and pub
lie order, as regards the mass Of the
-FiEpinos;yfor the muJortIy OF the Is
'1alders have been given these great
hoons by us, and only keep them be-
cause we Hgilantly safeguard and
guarantee them. To withdraw our
government from the islands at this
time would mean to the average native
tile loss OF his barely-won civil free
dom. We have established in the is
lands a government by Americans as
sisted by Filipinos. We are steadily
striving to transform this into self
government by the Filipinos assited
by Americans.
The principles which we uphold
should appeal to all our countrymen,
in all portions of our country. Above
all they should give us strength with
the men and women who are spiritual
heirs of those who uphold the hands Of
Abraham Lincoln; for we are striving
to do our work in the spirit with which
Lincoln approached his. During the
seven years that have just passed there
is no duty, domestic or foreign, which
we have shirked; no necessary task
which we have feared to undertake. or
which we have not performed with
,asonable efficiency. We have never
AIDED Impotence We have never
'ught refuge in criticism and con1-
,,Iaint instead of action. We face the
future with our past and our present
rs guarantors of our promises; and we
ere content to stand or to fall by the
record which we have made aud are
making"