Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-08-05

tical ability to achieve those purposes. |
Judging by the history of the last |
twelve years, down to this very |
month, is there justification for be- |
lieving that under similar circum-
stances and with similar initial diff |
ferences of opinion, our opponents
would have achieved any practical
result?
We have already shown in actual
fact that our policy is to do fair and
equal justice to all men, paying no
heed to whether a man is rich or
poor; paying no heed to his race, his
creed, or his birthplace.
We recognize the organization of
capital and the organization of labor
as natural outcomes of our industrial
system. Each kind Of organization
is to be favored so long as it acts in
spirit of justice and of regard for
the rights of others. Each is to be
granted the full protection of the
| law, and each in turn Is to be held to
strict obedience to the law; for no
man is above it and no man below 1t.
| The humblest individual Is to have
his rights safeguarded as scrupulous-
ly as those of the strongest organiza-
ton, for each is to receive justice,
no more and no less. The problems
with which we have to deal in our
modern industrial and social life are
manifold; but the spirit in which 1t is
necessary to approach their solution Is
simply the spirit of honesty, of cour-
age, and of common sense.
In inaugurating the great work OF
irrigation in the west the administra-
| h1y
to take one of the longest strides ever
taken under our government toward
utilizing our vast national domain
for the settler. the actual home-maker.
Ever since this continent was dis
covered the need Of an Isthmian Canal
to connect the Pacific and the Atlantic
has been recognized; and ever since
the birth of our nation such a canal
has been planned. 1T last the dream
has become reality. The Isthmian
Canal is now being built by the gov
crnment of the United States. We
conducted the negotiation for it's con-
struction with the incest and most
scrupulous honor, and in q spirit of
the largest generosity toward those
through whose territory it was to
run. Every sinister effort which could
be devised by the spirit of faction or
the spirit of self-interest was made
in order to defeat the treaty with
Panama and thereby prevent the con-
summation of this work. The con-
struction of the canal is now an as
! sured fact; but most certainly 1t is
unwise to entrust the carrying out of
so momentous a policy to those who
have endeayored to defeat the whole
undertaking.
Our foreign policy has been so con-
Quoted that, while not one of our just
claims has been sacrificed, our rela-
tions with all foreign nations are now
of the most peaceful kind; there Is
rot cloud on the horizon.
We earnestly desire friendship with
all the nations of the new and old
worlds; and we endeavor to place
our relations with them upon basis
of reciprocal advantage instead OF
hostility. We hold that the prosper
ity of each nation is an aid and not q
hindrance to the prosperity of other
3 nations. We seek international amity
= for the same reasons that make us
= believe in peace within our own Dor
: ders; and we seek this peace not be-
S cause we are afraid or unready, but
e because we think that peace is right
t as well as advantageous.
e Our foothold in the Philippines
e greatly strengthens our position in
: the competition for the trade of the
3 east; but we are governing the Phil
: ippines in the interest of the Philip.
: pine people themselves. We have al.
q ready given them q large share in
l.
:, to increase this share as rapidly as
I they give evidence of increasing fit
: ness for the task. The great majority
Q of the officials of the islands, whether
C elective or appointive are already
s native Filipinos. We are now pro
: viding for legislative assembly. Thi!
r is the first step to be taken in thu
1t future; and it would be eminently un
a wise to declare what our next stel
o will be until this first step has beer
+ taken and the results are manifest
n To have gone faster than we have al
e ready gone in giving the islanders
e constantly increasing measure of self
( government would have been disas
e trous. At the present moment I,
= give political independence to tn,
d islands would result in the immediate
l. loss of civil rights, personal libert.
= and public order, as regards the mas
n of the Filipinos, for the majority o
is the islanders have been given thes
l. great boons by us, and only kee
q them because we vigilantly safeguar
'e and guarantee them. To Withdraw
e our government from the islands q
sr this time would mean to the averag
< native the loss of his barely-won civi
lie freedom. We have established in tn
h islands a government by American
If assisted by Filipinos We are steadil
h striving to transform this into sell
Ig government by the Filipinos assiste
by Americans.
r The principles which we uphol
ID should appeal to all our countrymer
h, in all portions of our country. Abov
r all they should give us strength wit
e. the men and women who are tn