Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-12-08

cent. for the period Immediately preced-
| ing. and 1899 for the four-year period inl-
mediately preceding that. @.
National Quarantine Law.
II 10 desirable to enact proper national
quarantine law. II Is most undesirabloF
| that a state should on it's own initiRtivs
enforce quarantine regulations which are
| In effect a restriction upon Interstate and
international commerce. The question
should properly be assumed by the govern
ment alone. The surgeon general OF the
national public health and marine hospital
service has repeatedly and convincingiys
set forth the need for such legislation. Y
| Af Currency
The attention Of the constess should bs
1 especially given to the currency question.
and that the standing committeeT on,.the
| matter In the two houses charged with the
| duty, take Zip the matter OF our currency
| and see whether II is not. possible to secure /
| an agreement in the business world for
bettering the system; the committees
should consider the question ofthe retire
ment of the greenbaclks and the problem
/ Of securing In our currency such elaslici, "
| as is consistent with safety. Every silver
dollar should be made by law redeemable'.
| In gold at the option Of the holder.
| Merchant Merire.
l especially commend to your immediate
| attention the encouragement Of our mer-
chant marine by appropriate legislation.
] Tariff.
| On the tariff l, shall communicate with
| you later.
Immigration and Naturalization.
There is no danger Of having too many
immigrants Of the right kind. 1t makes no
| difference from what country they come.
II they are sound In body and In mind, and,
above all. II they are of good character, so
/ that we can rest assured that their chill
dren and grandchildren will be worthy,fe,-
| low citizens Of our children and grand
| children, then We should welcome them
with cordial hospitality. ..,
But the citizenship Of this country should
not be debased II 10 vital that We should
keep high the standard Of well-beihg
among our. wage workers, and therefore
l we should not admit masses Of men whose
| standards OF living and whose personal Gus
| toms and habits are such that they tend.to
lower the level Of the American wagO work. q.
| er: and above all, we should not admit any
man Of an unworthy type. any man con-
cerning whom We can say that he will him
self be q bad citisen. Or that his children
and grandchildren will detract from in
stead Of adding to the sum Of the good
citiSenship Of the country. Similarly We
should take the greatest care about mat
| uralinasAall saN Fraudulent naturalization,
the u I Non Of improper persons. u
a cuf1 + otsaovernment: and II Il the
atfalN Il lt MI honest voter, wherever born,
to re- - ~ 10 fraudulent voting 70 allowed.
| that ~ Aud IN connection with natural
isAtio permitted.
Matt \. .linAtion. L,Awa Need 1svisi0n.
There should b comprehensive revi-
| sion Of the naturalization laws. The courts
having power to naturalist should be
definitely named by national authority; the
testimony upon which naturalization may
be conferred should be definitely prescribed;
publication Of impending naturalisation
applications Should be REQUIRED in advance !
| OF their hearing In court; the form and
wording OF all certificates issued should be
uniform throughout the country and the
i! courts should, be required TO make returns
| to the secretary Of state ct stated perloon
of all naturalizations conferred.
Not only are the laws relating 10
naturalization now defective, but those
relating to citizenship of the United
States ought also to be made the subject
i of scientific Inquiry with view to prob
able further legislation. BY what acts
expatriation may be assumed to have
been accomplished. how long an Amer
saH ssp. aitlssf Bx a sr Apasspoff
whether any degree of protection should
be extended to one who has made the
declaration OF intention to become o citi-
gen OF the United States but has not se-
| cured naturalization, are questions OF
serious import, invoiving personal rights
and often producing friction between this
government and foreign governments.
Yet upon these questions our laws are
silent, l recommend that an examina-
tion be made into the subjects OF citizen
ship, expatriation and protection OF
Americans abroad. with a view to ap-
proprlate legislation
7 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
is no enemy OF free government more
dangerous and none so insidlous as the
| corruption OF the electorate. No one de-
fends or excuses corruption, and 1t would
seem to follow that none would oppose
vigorous measures to eradicate 1t.
| recommend the enactment Of a law d.
rected against bribery and corruption In
federal elections. The details OF such
law may be safely left to the wise dis
cretion of the congress, but II should go
as far as under the constitution It IL pos
sible to go, and should include severe
penalties against him who gives or re-
ceives a brlbe 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 expsndi-
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, It h alb
solutely necessary to consider the army
and the navy, and the congress. through
| which the thought OF the nation hnds its
expression, should keep ever vividly in
mind the fundamental fact that II 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. Il Is not merely unwise, IL ID
i fdr a n