Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-12-10

recommended that the harbor OF Homo
lulu be dredged and that special attentio.
be given the report OF the governor VI
Porto Rico.
The foreign policy is gone into at some
length and strong recommendations Tor
peaceful attitude Of our Government are
made. Disarmament OF the nations II
touched upon in this wise Until some
method Is devised by which there shall DO
a degree of international control over Of.
Tending nations, it would be wicked
thing for the most civilized powers, -.
to dsarm." Arbitration treaties
are highly approved Of, and the second
Hague Peace Conference is referred to.
With regard to the policy toward other
nations of the Western Hemisphere the
message declares: 1T is not true that
the United States feels any land hunger
as regards other nations of the
Western Hemisphere, save such as are for
their welfare. Any country whose
people conduct themselves well can count
upon our hearty friendship"
'"In asserting the Monroe Doctrine" says
the President, "in taking such steps as we
have taken in regard to Cuba. Venezuela
and Panama, and endeavoring to cireum-
scribe the theatre of war in the Far East,
and to secure the open door in China,
we have acted in our own interest as wei!
as in the interest OF humanity at large"
The President expresses his horror OF the
Kishenef and Armenian atrocities, hold.
ing it to be our National duty to stand
ever in defense Of the oppressed side in
such occurrences.
The rights of American citizens abroad
are dealt with.
II is strongly advised that the work Of
building our Navy be steadily pushed and
that it always be held in a state of pre-
paredness for war, thus insuring peace.
It is recommended that the law relative
to medals of honor in the Navy be changed
SO that commissioned officers and warrant
officers as well as enlisted men may be
awarded them.
"Wthn the last three years the United
States has set an example in disarmament
where disarmament was proper. :.
Peace came in the Philippines and now our
Army has been reduced to the minimum
gard to ;t- efficiency. We should
be able, in the event Of some sudden emer-
gency, to put into the field one first class
Army corps, which should be. as whole,
at least the equal of any body of troops
of like number belonging to any other ma
ton"
The past conduct of the government OF
the Philippines is reviewed The message
says, in part: "Withn two years we
shall be trying the experiment of an cleo
tive lower house in the Philippine Legis.
lature. 1t may be that the Filipinos will
misuse this Legislature. In such
case they will do themselves no good and
will stop for the time being all further
effort to advance them. :. -. But .
they act with wisdom and self.restraint,
.. they can rest assured that q
full and increasing measure of recognition
will be given them. Above all, they should
remember that their prime needs are
moral and industrial, not political"
Every measure taken concerning the
islands should be taken primarily with
view to their advantage. We should GER
tainly give them lower tariff rates on their
exports to the United States; if this is
not done it will be wrong to extend, our
shipping laws to them. earnestly hope
for the immediate enactment into law of
the legislation now pending to encourage
American capital to seek investment in the
islands in railroads, in factories, in plan.
tations and in numbering and minino."
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, December S, 1904.