The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-26


policy advocated alike BY Mr.. Blaine and Nj.
section Of the Diugley act, is discouraging ex-
hibiton Of bad faith. As already
mentioned by me, the . exorbitsnt duty
By the Dingley tariff was avowedly intended by
its author not to be permanent, but to serve
temporarily as maximum from which the fed
eral government was empowered to offer re-
duction, in return for an equivalent concession
on the part of foreign country President
purpose of this section of the act. A number Of
reciprocity agreements were negotiated within
the prescribed limita ton Of two years which Il
result of cheapening many imported
products for American consumers and
of Of opening opening and charging foreign markets
ments has met with the approval of the repub.
llcan masters Of the senate: Indeed, they did
not even permit their considera ton. In view |
of the attitude of the present executive no new !
agreement under the general treaty power need I
be expected from him. Nor does the republican
platform contain favorable reference to one of
the suspended trea ties. This section of the
Dingley act stands forth as monument of leg
islative cozenage and political bad faith
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 in
tended to meal something less than indepen-
dence. 1t was not intended that it should be
understood to mean, do I think used it does
mean less than independence. However, to
eliminate all possibility for conjecture, L now
state that I in hearty accord with that
plank in our platform that favors doing for the
F1lipinos what we have already done for the
Cubans; and favor making the promise to them
now that we shall take such action soon as
they are reasonably prepared for it. If indie
pendence, such the Cubans enjoy, cannot be
prudently granted to the Filipinos at this time
the promise that it shall the moment they
are capable of receiving it will tend to stimulate
rather than hinder their development. And this
should be done not only in justice to the Fill
pnos, but to preserve own rights; for free
people cannot withhold freedom from another
people and themselves remain free. The toera-
ton of tyranny over others will soon breed con-
tempt for freedom and self government, and
weaken our power Of resistance to insidous
usurpation Of our constitutional rights.
American Citizenship.
citizens, without distinction of creed
whether native born naturalized, at home and
abroad, the equal protection Of the laws and tho
enjoyment of all rights and privileges open to
them under the covenants LOT our treaties. as
their just due, should be made good to them. |
In the accomplishment of that result it is es-
sential that a passport issued by the government
of the United States to American citizen shall
be accepted the world proof of citizen
ship. $685.
Civil Service.
The statute relating to civil service is the out
Of the efforts of thoughtful unselish and
public-spirited citizens. Operation under it has
frequently been of such character as to offend
against the spirit of the statute but the results
achieved, even under partial enforcement OF
the law, have been such as to both deserve and
command the utterance of the democratic party
that it stands committed to the principle of
civil service reform and demand its pust and
impartial enforcement.
Reclamation Of Arid Lands.
vast exparse of country in the west, portions
of which are to be found in each Of the sixteen
Sfo foco and
rectly affected by the national statute--the out
come Of intelligent and persistent efforts of lead
Ing citizens providing for the reclamation of the
arid lands for the benefit of homeseekers. Dur |
ing the years Of the development of the meas |
ure which finally received the vote of every mem
Der of the upper house of congress, it encoun
tered opposition based to large extent upon the
view that the aim of its promoters to secure
the benefits Of irrigation to private owners at
government expense: The aim of the statute is,
however to euable this vast territory to reclaim
its arid lands without calling upon the taxpay-
ers of the country at large to pay for it. Wheth-
er the purposes of the bill will be fully accom-
ability, sorriety Of judgment. independence and
honesty of the officers Of the interior department
ha wing the great work in charge.
In 1902 the main canals and bitches in the re-
g1on affected aggregated more than $4,000
miles and the work of reclamation is but in it's
infarcy. The total cost of construction of the
necessary headgates, dams, main canals, ditches
| reservoirs and pumping stations was at that
time little over ninety-three millions Of dol
lars3 which of itself suggests the hundreds of
millions that may eventually be invested in the
territory covered by the sta tute. The magnitude
of the conception and the enormous expense its
carrying out involves. make us realize the
honest administration of the work authorized by
the statute, If effect is to be given to that part
Of the plan that relieves the county at large
from ultimate liability.
Panama Canal.
|
our statesmen, and the avowed aim Of the two
great parties. their platforms in the past
show. The Panama route having been selected,
the building of the canal should be pressed to
completion with all asonable expedition.
-, The methods by which the executive required
Of regret to many To them, the statement that
Thereby great public work was assured to the
profit Of our people is not sufficient answer to
the charge of viola ton Of national good faith.
They appreciate that the principles and healthy
convictions which in their working out have
made us free and great, stand firmly against the
argument or suggestion that shall be blind
to the nature Of the means employed to promote
our welfare. They hold that adherence to prin-
ciple. whether it works for our good ILL.,
will have more benefcent influence our flu
ture destiny than all our material upbuilding,
and that we should ever remember that the idea
of doing wrong to smaller. weaker nation
than we. or even all mankind, may have re-
sultant good is repugnant to the principles 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 should be promptly performed.
4! 49,. American Shipping. =: =
Our commerce in American bottoms amounts to
but per cent Of our total exports and imports.
For forty years PRIOR to 1851. when the repub-
lican party came into power. merchant
rne carried an average Of 80 per cent of our
foreign commerce By 1877 it had dwinded to
81 per cent. Now we carry but contemptibly
small fra ctiOn OF pXDOrtS and imDOrtS
American shipping in the foreign trade was
greater by almost 100, 900 tons in 1S1o-nearly a
hundred years ago--than it was last year. In
the face Of the continuous decline in the record
of American shipping during the last forty three
years. the promise of the republican party to
restore it is without encoura cement. The record
of the democratic party gives assurance that the
task be more wisely intrusted to It.
It Is an arduous task to undo the effect of
forty years of decadence, and requires the study
and investigation of those best fitted by expert
lence to find the remedy-whfch surely does not
lie In the granting of subsidies, wrung from the
'tpockets Of all the taxpayers 's,1"%t
Investigation Of Government Depart
ments. -
Recent disclosures. coupled with the rapid aug
mentation of government expenditures. show a
need of investigation of every department of
the government. The democrats in congress de-
manded it. The republican majority refused the
demand. The people determine by their vote
in November whether they wish an honest and
thoro investigation. democratic congress and
executive will assure it.
, Army and Navy.