The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-12-06
the PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
CONTINUED from Page Two.)

The Importance of securing proper
information and data with view 10
i the enlargement of our trade with ASIA
| is undiminished Our consular repre-
sentatWes in China have strongly
urged a place for permanent display OF
American products in some prominent
trade center of that empire. under
government control and management,
as an effective means of advancing
orr export trade therein. call the at
tention of the congress to the deslra-
bilty of carrying out these sugges-
tons.
immigration and Naturalization.
In dealing with the questions Of inn
migration and naturalization 1T is IN
/ dispensable to keep certain facts ever
before the minds of those who share IN
enacting the laws. First and foremost.
let us remember that the question OF
being a good American has nothing
whatever to do with a mans birthplace
any more than it has to do with his
creed. In every generation from the
time this government was founded
men of foreign birth have stood in the
very foremost rank of good citizen
ship, and that not merely in one but
in every field of American activity;
while to try to draw a distinction be-
tween the man whose parents came to
\ this country and the man whose an
! cestOrs came to it several generations
back is a mere absurdity. Good Amer
icanism is a matter of heart, of con-
science of lofty aspiration, of sound
| common sense, but not OF birthplace
or of creed. The medal of honor, the
highest prize to be won by those who
| serve in the army and the navy of the
| United States decOrateS men born here.
and it also decOrateS men born in
Great Britain and Ireland in Germany,
! in Scandinavia, in France, and doubt
less in other countries also. In the
| field of craftsmanship in the field of
business, in the field of philanthropic
endeavor it is equally true that among
the men of whom we are most proud
as Americans no distinction whatever
can be drawn between those who
! themselves or whose parents came over
! in sailing ship or steamer from across
! the water and those whose ancestors
stepped ashore into the wooded Wild
erness at Plymouth or at the mouth of
the Hudson, the Delaware, or the
James nearly three centuries ago. No
! fellOw-citiZen of ours is entitled to any
peculiar regard because of the way in
which he worships his Maker, or be-
cause of the birthplace of himself or
! his parents, nor should he be in any
way Disseminated against therefor.
Each must stand on his worth as a
man and each is entitled to be judged
solely thereby
| There is no danger of having too
many immigrants of the right kind.
| 1t makes no difference from what
country they come. If they are sound
in body and in mind and, above all,
| if they are of good character so that
we can rest assured that their chill
dren and grandchildren will be worthy
fellow citizens of our children and
grandchildren, then we should Well
come them with cordial hospitality.
But the citizenship of this country
should not be debased 1t is vital that
We should keep high the standard of
| well-being among our wage-workers,
and therefor we should not admit
| masses of men whose standards Of
| living and whose personal customs and
| habits are such that they tend to
lower the level of the American wage
worker; and above all we should not
admit any man of an unworthy type,
any man concerning whom we can say
that he will himself be a bad citizen,
or that his children and grandchildren
Will detract from instead of adding to
the sum of the good citizenship of the
country. Similarly we should take the
| greatest care about naturalization.
fraudulent naturalization, the natural
ization of improper persons, is a curse
to our government; and it is the af-
fair of every honest voter, wherever
born. to see that no fraudulent voting
is allowed, that no fraud in connection
with naturalization is permitted
In the past year the cases of false,
fraudulent, and improper naturaliza-
ton of aliens coming to the attention
of the executive branches of the gov
eminent have Increased to an alarm
ing degree. Extensive sales of forged
certlhcates of naturalization have been
discovered, as well as many cases Of
naturalization secured by perjury and
fraud; and in addition, instances have
accumulated showing that many courts
| issue certificates of naturalization
carelessly and upon insufficient evil
/ dence.
Protection of Elections.
II The power of the government to pro-
tect the integrity of the elections of it's
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 insidious
as the corruption of the electorate.
NO one defends or excuses corruption
and 1t would seem to follow that none
would oppose vigorous measures to
eradicate it. I recommend the enact
ment of law directed against bribery
and corruption in federal elections
The details of such a law may be safe
~ left to the wise discretion of the
congress, but it should go as far as
under the constitution it is possible to
go, and should include severe penal
ties against him who gives or receives
| a bride intended to inf1uepco his oct