Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-12-08

q curse 10 our government; and II 10 the
affair Of every honest voter. wherever born.
TO see that no fraudulent voting is allowed.
that no fraud In connection with natural-
ization Ii permitted.
Naturalization Laws Need Revis. On.
There should DO a comprehensive ievi-
sion OF the naturalization laws. The cot. =
having power to naturalize should &C
definitely named by national authority; the
testimony upon which naturalization may
be conferred should be definitely prescribed:
publication OF impending naturalization
applications should be required In advance
or their hearing In court; the form and
wording OF all certificates issued should be
uniform throughout the country. and the
courts should be required to make returns
10 the secretary OF state at stated periods
| OF all naturalizations conferred.
Not only are the laws relating to
naturalization now defective, but those
relating to citizenship OF the United
States ought also to be made the subject
| or scientific inquiry with view to prob
able further legislation. BY what acts
repatriation may be assumed to have
been accomplished. how long an Amer
lean citizen may reside abroad and re-
| ceive the protection OF our passport.
whether any degree Of protection should
be extended to one who has made the
declaration OF intention to become a citi-
gen OF the United States but has not Sc
cured naturalization, are questions OF
serious import. involving personal rights
and often producing friction between this
government and foreign governments.
Yet upon these questions our laws are
silent. / recommend that an examina-
ton be made into the subjects OF citizen
ship. repatriation and protection Of
Americans abroad. with view to ap-
propriate legislation.
Protection Of Elections.
\ The power Of the government to pro-
tect the integrity OF the elections OF Its
own officials Is inherent and has been
recognized and affirmed by repeated
declarations OF the supreme court. There
IL no enemy OF free government more
dangerous and none SO insidious as the
corruption OF the electorate. No one de-
tends or excuses corruption. and II would
| seem to follow that none would oppose
vigorous measures to eradicate 1t. I
| recommend the enactment OF q law d.
rected against bribery and corruption In
federal elections. The details OF such o
law may be safely left to the wise dis
erection of the congress. but II should 60
| uH lar Us uuutT TIE COHStikutlUu ~ 10 puS-
| sible to go. and should include severe
penalties against him who gives or re-
ceives q bride intended to influence his
| act or opinion as an elector; and pro-
visions for the publication not only Of
the expenditures for nominations and
elections OF all candidates but also OF
all contributions received and expendi-
lures made by political committeeS.
Our Foreign Policy.
In treating OF our foreign policy and OF
the attitude that this great nation should
assume in the world at large, II Is ABB
solutely necessary to consider the army
and the navy. and the congress. through
which the thought OF the nation finds Its
expression. should keep ever wildly In
mind the fundamental fact that 1t is i'm
possible to treat our foreign policy,
whether this policy takes shape in the
effort to secure justice for others or
justice for ourselves. save as conditioned
upon the attitude We are willing to take
toward our army. and especially toward
our navy. 1t Is not merely unwise, 1t Is
contemplate. for q nation. as for an In
dividual, to use high-sounding language
to proclaim Its purposes. or to take posi-
lions which are ridiculous II unsupported
by potential force. and then to refuse TO
provide this force. II there is no inten-
| lion OIL pTONluiub anu VI hcCPihb ZIG
force necessary to back up strong at
titude. then 1t is FAR better not to assume
such an attitude.
Striving for World Peace.
The steady aim OF this nation, as Of all
enlightened nations. should be to strive
to bring ever nearer the day when there
shall prevail throughout the world the
peace OF Justice. There are kinds OF
peace which are highly undesirable.
which are In the long run as destructive
as any war. Tyrants and oppressors have
many times made wilderness and
called It peace. Many times peoples who
were slothful or timid or shortsighted.
who had been enervatcd by ease or by
luxury, or misled by false teachings.
have shrunk In unmanly fashion from
doing duty that was stern and that need
ed self-sacrifice. and have sought to hide
from their own minds their shortcom-
ings their ignoble motives, by calling
| them love OF peace. The peace OF tyran-
nous terror. the peace OF craven weak
ness, the peace OF injustice. all these
should be Stunned as We shun unright-
eous war. The goal to set before US as
nation, the goal which should be set be-
fore all mankind. Is the attainment OF
the peace OF justice. OF the peace which
comes when each nation Is not merely
safe-guarded in Its own rights, but
scrupulously recognizes and performs Its
duty toward others. Generally peace tells
1 for Righteousness; but II there Is conflict
between the two. then our fealty Is due
first to the cause OF righteousness. I'm
| righteous wars are common, and un-
| righteous peace Is rare: but both should
be Stunned. The right OF freedom and
| the responsibility for the exercise OF that
right cannot be divorced. One OF our
great poets has we'll and finely said that
freedom Is not q gilt that tarries long
in the hands OF towards. Neither does
II tarry long in the hands Of those too
slothful, too dishonest or too unintelli-
gent to exercise Il. The eternal vigilance
which is the price Of liberty must be ex-
ercised, sometimes to guard against out
i side foes; although Of course far more
| often to guard against our own selfish
or thoughtless shortcomings
Not Ready for Disarmament.
II these self-evident truths are kept be-
fore us. and only II they are so kept before
us. we shall have a clear idea OF what our
foreign policy In its larger aspects should
be. 1t Is our duty TO remember that ma
ton has no more right to do injustice to
| another nation, strong or weak than an
individual has to DO injustice to another
individual; that the same moral law applies
| In one case as In the other. But We must
| also remember that II Is as much the duty
of the nation to guard its own rights and
its own interests as It Is the duty OF the
| Individual so to do, Within the nation the