Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-12

1
granting to every American citizen,
native or naturalized, Christian or Jew.
the same passport, so far as it has
power it insists that all foreign govern
ments shall accept the passport as
prima facie proof that the person there
| in described is citizen of the United
| States and entitled to protection as
such. 1t Is a standing order to every
| American diplomatic and consular
| officer TO protect every American citi-
zen, of whatever faith, from unjust
molestation; and our officers abroad
have been stringently required to
| comply with this order.
Under such circumstances, the de-
mand of our opponents that negoti-
atoms be begun to secure equal treat
ment of all Americans from those gov
! ernments which do not now accord it.
SHOWS either ignorance of the facts or
| lhSlhcerlty. No change of policy in the
method or manner of negotiation would
| aud effectiveness to what the State
| department has done and is doing.
| Inc steady pressure which the Depart
ment has been keeping up in the past
| VIII be continued in the future. This
Administration has on all proper occa-
SONS given clear expression to the be-
| lief of the American people that dis
| crlmlnation and oppression because of
| Religion, wherever practiSed, are acts
| OF injustice before God and man; and
in making evident to the world the
depth OF American convictions in this
regard We have gone to the very limit
| of diplomatic usage.
! II is striking evidence of our op-
poncnts' iusncerity in this; matter that
with their demand for radical action b.
| the State Department they couple a
| demand for reduction in our small
| military establishment. Yet they must
| know that the heed paid to our protests
/ against ill-treatmcnt of our citizens
! Will be exactly proportionate to the be
| lief in our ability to make these pro-
| tests effective should the need arise.
! Our opponents have now declared
/ themselves in favor of the Civil Service
! law, the repeal of which they demand
ed in 1900 and in 1886. If consistent,
| they should have gone one step further
and congratulated the country upon
! the way in which the Civil Service law
| is now administered, and the way in
! which the classified service has been
extended. The exceptions from eXami-
nations are fewer by far than ever be-
/ fore, and are confined to individual
cases where the application of the
rules would be impracticable, unWiS",
| unjust, or unnecessary. The admins
| tration Of the great body of the classi-
| fed civil service is free from politics.
| and appointments and removals have
/ 11a 1oC
tistice show that there is little differ
ence between the tenure of the Federal
| classified employees and that of the
employees of private business corpor-
:ttions. Less than one per cent of the
classified employees are over seventy
! years of age. and in the main the
service rendered is vigorous and eff
/ Gent. Where the merit system was of
| course most needed was in the Philip
pine Islands: and a civil service law Of
very advanced type has there been put
into operation and scrupulously OBJ
served. Without one exception every
j appointment in the Philippines has
| been made in accordance with the
| strictest standard of fitness, and with
out heed to any other consideration.
! Finally, we come to certain matters
| upon which our opponents do in their
; platform of principles definitely take
issue with us, and where, if they are
sincere. their triumph would near
! disaster to the country. But exactly as
| it is impossible to call attention to the
| present promises and past record of
or opponents without seeming often
| sive, so it is Impossible to compare
| their platform with their other and
later official utterances and not create
! doubt as to their sincerity. In their ,
private u unofficial utteranccS many
| Of them frankly advance this in |
sincerity as merit taking the position |
| that as regards the points on which I |
| am about to speak they have no inten- |
ton of keeping their promises or of de- |
| parting from the policies now estab- |
| lished, and that therefore they can be |
trusted not to abuse the power thew
seek.
When we take up the great question !
OF the tariff we are at once confronted I
ny tho doubt as to whether our OppO-
ncnts do or do not mean what they saw |
They say that protection is robbery" |
and promise to carry themselves ac-
cordinGly if they are given power. Yet |
prominent persons among them assert |
that they do not really mean this and |
that if they come into power they will |
| adopt our policy as regards the tariff; |
while others seem anxious to prove |
that ii is safe to give them partial !
power, because the power would be +
only Partial and therefore they would |
not be able to do mischief The last j. |
certainly q curious plea to advance on |
behalf Of party seeking to obtain |
control Of tho government
At the outset it is worth while to '
say word as to the attempt to identi-
~ the question of tariff revision or '
tariff reduction with n solution Of
the trust question This is always a |
sign Of desire to avoid any real effort |
TO deal adequately with the trust ques-
TON In speaking on this point at Min
ncapolis, on April A, 1903, said:
'The question of tariff revision.
speaking broadly, stands wholly apart
from the question of dealing with the
trusts. No change in tariff duties can
nv ,,1,e ;,I