Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-10-01
a maximum. from which the federal gov.

a maximum, from which the federal gov
ernmcnt was empowered 10 offer a reduce
ton, In return for an equivalent concession
on the part OF foreign country, Presi-
dent Mckinley undertook honestly to carry
out the purpose Of the act. number
OF reciprocity agreements were negotiated,
which, II ratified. would have had the two.
products for American consumers, and of
opening and enlarging foreign markets
10 American producers. Not one of
those agreements has met with the ap-
proval OF the republican masters Of the
senate. Indeed they did not even permit
their consideration In view of the attl-
tuue OF the present executive, no new
agreement need be expected from him.
Nor does the republican platform contain
favorable reference to one Of the sus-
pended treaties. The reciprocity clauses
OF the Dingey act seem destined to fS-
main monument OF legislative cozenage
and political bad faith, unless the peo-
PIE take the matter In their own hands
at the ballot box and command a reduction
OF duties In return for reciprocity con-
cessOns"
Independence for the Filipinos.
-, In some quarters It has been assumed
that in the discussion OF the Philippine
question in my response, the phrase
self-government,' was intended to mean
something less than independence 1t
stood to mean. G>r do | think as used T.
does mean lass tnan independence. How
ever, to eliminate all possibility for con-
lecture, now state that | am in hearty
accord With that plank in our platform
that IA tors doing for the Flipinos what
we have already done for the Cubans:
and ! favor making the promise to them
now that we shall take such action as
soon as they are reasonably prepared for
It, II independence, such as the Cubans
enjoy, cannot be prudently aranted to
the Flllpinos at this time, the promise
that 1t shall come the moment they are
capable OF receiving i will tend to stimu-
late rather than hinder their develop
ment. And this should be done not only
In Justice to the Flipinos, but to pre-
serve our own rights: for free people
cannot withhold freedom from another
people and themselves remain free. The
federation OF tyranny over. others will
soon breed contempt for freedom and
self-government, and weaken our power
of resistance to nsdious usurpation of
our constitutional rights.
The statute relating to civil service
Is the outcome of the efforts of thought
full, unselfish and public-sprited cti-
zens. Operation under 1t has frequently
been of such a character as TO offend
against the spirit Of the statute. but the
results achieved even under a partial
enforcement of the law, have been such
as to both deserve and command the
utterance of the democratic party that
1t stands committed to the principle of
civil service reform and demands its
Just and impartial enforcement.
Panama Canal.
IAN Isthmian canal has long been the
hope of our statesmen, and the avowed
aim of the two. great parties, as their
platforms in the past show. The
the building of the canal should be
pressed to completion with all reason
able expedition.
"The methods by which the executive
rights are a source Of regret to many
To them. the statement that thereby
great public work was assured to the
profit of our people is not a sufficient
to so6 the charge nev Of violation Of
that the principles and healthy con-
victions which in their working out
have made us free and great, stand
firmly against the argument or sugges-
ton that we shall be blind to the nature
welfare. They hold that adherence to
principle, whether 1t works for our good
or Ill, Will have more benehcent infiu-
ence on our future destiny than all our
material upbulidng, and that we should
ever remember that the idea of doing a
wrong TO smaller weaker nation that
we, or even all mankind. may have a
resultant good is repugnant to the priv
ciples upon which our government WAS
founded.
Under the laws of the United States
the duty Is imposed on the executive to
proceed with due diligence in the work
of constructing the canal. That duty
gnopd be fpronnys r soors
''The national democracy favors liberal
pensions to the surviving soldiers and
sailors and their dependents, on the
ground that they deserve liberal treat
ment. 1t pledges by its platform ade-
quate legislation to that end. But it
denies the right of the executive to
usurp the power of congress to leglsate
on that subject Such usurpatlon was
attempted by pension order No. Is, and
effect has been given to 1t by congress
that dared not resent the usurpation. 1t
is said that this order was made in the
performance of a duty imposed upon the
president by act of congress- but the
provision making the imposition is not
pointed out. The act to which the order
refers, which is the one relating to pen
sions to civil war veterans, does not au-
thorize pensions on the ground of age.
1t does grant pensions to those suffering
from any mental or physical disability,
or disabilities, OF permanent character,
not the result Of their own Vicious hab-
it's which so incapacitates them from
the performance of manual labor as to
| render them unable to earn a support
This specified requirement of incapacity
is in effect set aside by order No. rs as
to all persons over 62,
THE war closed nearly 40 years ago
In the meantime many of our soldiers
and sailors long survived the age of
62, and passed away without receiving
any pension. Skillful pension attorneys
hunting through the statute failed to
find there. provision giving a PEN
sion to all who had reached GO. Many
prominent veterans urged the Justice of
congressional, action giving service
pension TO all veterans. Bills to that
effect were introduced in congress. And
not until March of this year did any
one ever claim to have made the dis
covery that the president had power to
treat the statute as If 1t read that when
claimant had passed the age of GO years
ability to perform manual labor and
therefore entitled to pension.
THE present pension commissioner in
dicated his view of the order when In
dent for what he had done. and advised
his hearers to use their influence that
law might be passed to the same eff
feet. Full confidence after all seems not
to have been placed on the defense of
justification, for 1t Is pleaded In mtiga-
tion that a former democratic president
did something looking In that direction,
Even II that were so-which Is not ad-
mitted-our present duty would be none
the less plain and imperative. Our peo-
one act of usurpation of power as an
excuse for another. The first may pos
sibly be due to mistake: the second, be-
ing based on the first. cannot be- In
explanation. however, 1t should be said
that the order relied on simply provided
that the age of 70 years should be re-
garded as evidence OF inability to per-
form manual labor, Few men are able
to perform manual labor at that age.
but nearly all men are at c. The first
order is based on fact that experience
teaches, the other is based on the asser-
ton of that which is not true as gen
eral rule.
1.-THE old inquiry: What are you 60
ing to do about it2' Is now stated In a
new form IT is said by the admlnistra-
ton, In reply to the public criticism OF
this order that It is easy to test our
opponents sincerity in this matter The
order in question Is revocable at the
pleasure of the executive. II our op-
ponents come into power they can revoke
this order and announce that they will
treat the veterans of 81 and 20 as pre-
sumably in full bodily vigor and not