Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-26

mitigation that a former Democratic
president did something looking in that
direction. Even if that were So, which
is not admitted. our present duty
would be none the less plain and i'm
perative. Our people must never toll
crate the citation of one act Of usurpa-
ton of power as an excuse for anoth-
er. The first may possibly be due to
mistake; the second, being based on
the first, cannot be. In explanation,
however it should be said that the or
der relied on simply provided that the
age of SeVenty-tivc years should be re
garded as evidence OF inability 10 per
form manual labor. Few men are able
to perform manual labor at that age,
but nearly all men are at sixty-two.
The first order is based on a fact that
experience teaches; the other is based
on the assertion Of that which is not
true as general rule.
The old inquiry. what are you GO
ing TO do about it," is now stated IN
new form. 1t Is said by the admins
tration, in reply to the public criticism
of this order. that lit is easy TO test
our opponents sincerity in this mat
ter. The order in question is revocable
at the pleasure of the executive. If
our opponents come into power they
can revoke this order and announce
| that they will treat the veterans of
siXty-twO and seventy as presumably
in full bodily vigor and not entitled to
pension. Will they authOritatively
state that they intend TO do this? If
so. we accept the issue"
This suggests the suspicion ut least
that the order was made to create an
issue; that it was supposed to present
a strong strategic position in the bat
tie of the ballots.
On the assumption that the order, as
stated by the administration. is revoca-
BILE at the pleasure of the executive, ii
having been an attempted, though per
lhaps unwilling. encroachment upon the
legislative power. and therefore I'M
warranted by the constitution. | accept
the challenge and declare that, if elect
ed, | will revoke that order.
But go further and say that, that being
done, Will contribute my effort toward
the enactment of = law To be passed by
both houses of congress ana approved
by the executive that will give an age
pension without reference To disability
to the surviving heroes of the civil
|
Il pension may bc accepted with di%ui-
ty because of the consciousness that ii
comes us Il just tuc from the people
through their chosen representatives,
and not us largesS distributed by the
chief executive.
Foreign Relations.
The foreign relations of the govern
ment have in late years assumed
special Importance. Prior to the ac-
QUESTION of the Philippines we were
practically imvulnera1le against at
taCkS by foreign states. Those tropical
possessions. however. 1000 miles from
our shores. have changed all this and
have III effect put us under bonds to
keep the peace. The new conditions
call for n management of foreign af-
fairs the more circumSpCCt in that the
recent American invasion of foreign
markets in all parts of the world has
excited the serious apprehension of
all the great industrial peoples. 1t is
essential. therefore. more than ever
to adhere strictly 10 the traditional
policy of the country as formulated by
its first president and never, in my
judgment. wisely departed from-to in
vite friendly relations with all nations
while avoiding entanSling alliances
with any. Such policy means the Gull
tivation OF peace instead of the Glorifica-
ton of war. and the mindinG of our own
business in lieu OF spectacular intcrmed-
ding with the affairs of other nations.
1t means strict observance of the prin-
ciples of international law and condemns
the doctrine that great state. by rea-
son Of it's strength. may rightfully APP
prOpriate the sovereignty or territory OF
Il small state on account of its weakness.
1t means for other American states that
we claim rights and Will assume no
| functions save those OF a friend and of
an ally and defender against European
aggrcssions. 1t means that we repudiate
| the role of the American continental pO-
liceman. that we refuse to act debt
| collector for foreign states their Citi-
| zenS. that respect the independent
sovereignty of each American state and
its right to preserve order and otherwise
! regulate its own internal affairs in its
own way, and that any intervention in its
| affairs by us is limited to the single Of
| flee of enabling its people to work out
their own political and national destiny
| for themselves free from the coercion Of
| any European state,
| Reform In Governmental Expenditures.
| Twenty-eight Srars have passed since
the Democratic party of the state of New
! York in convention assembled recon-
! mended to the national Democracy the
| nomination of Samuel j. Tildeu its
| candidate for the presidency aud declared
| il TO be their settled conviction that a
| return to the constitutional principles
| frugal expenses and administrati.e purity
| Of the founders of the republic is TIE first
! and most imperiOus duty Of the times
| the commanding issue now before tie
! people OF the Union" This strong ex-
! preston was called forth by the national
| expenditures for the year $40, which
| amounted to S274. ora situation which.
| in the opinion OF "a majority of peo-
! pie Justified imperative demand for
| reform in the administration Of public
| affairs. As the expenditures OF the last
| fiscal year amounted to the enormous
total of SIS. 10000. il is evident that d
| thorough investigation Of the public seTv-
| ice and the immediate abandonment OF
| useless and extravagant expenditures are
| more necessary now than they were then
| This astounding increase il out OF all
| proportion to the increase Of our popula-
| ton and finds no excuse from whatever
I aSDect we view the situation The ma