Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-09-17

strengthened and upheld? Never before
has this doctrine been acquiesced in
abroad as it is now; and yet while up
holding the rights of the weaker Amer
lean republics against foreign agrees
sion, the administration has lost no OPP
portunity TO point out to these republics
that those who seek equity should come
with clean hands. and that whoever
claims liberty as a right must accept the
responsibilities that go with the exercise
of the right Do our opponents object
To what was done in reference to the Pc
ttion of American citizens against the
kiShinem massacre. or to the protest
against the treatment of the Jews i'm
Roumania. or to the efforts that have
been made i'm behalf of the Armenians in
Turkey? No other administration in our
history. no other government in the
world. has more consistently stood for the
broadest spirit of brotherhood in our
common humanity, or has held a more
reSolute attitude of protest against every
wrong that outraged the civilization of
the age, at home or abroad. Do our op-
ponents object TO the fact that the inter-
national tribunal at The Hague was res
cued from impotence and turned into a
potent instrument for peace among the
nations? This government has used that
tribunal and advocated its use by 9th
ers in pursuance of its policy to promote
the cause of'international peace and good
Will by all honorable methods. In car
rying out this policy il has settled dis
pute after dispute by arbitration or by
friendly agreement. 1t has behaved to-
ward all nations. strong or weak. with
courtesy, dignity and justice. and it Is
now on excellent terms with all
Do our opponents object to the settle
ment of the Alaska boundary line? Do
they object to the fact that after freeing
Cuba we gave her reciprocal trade ad-
vantages with the United States. while
at the same time keeping naval stations
in the island and providing against it's
sinking into chaos or being conquered by
any foreign power? DO they object to
the fact that our flag now flies over Porto
Rico? Do they object to the acquisition
of Hawaii2 Once they hauled down
our flag there; we have hoisted it again.
Do they intend once more to haul it
down? DO they object to the part we
played in China? Do they not know that
the voice of the United States would now
count for nothing in the far east if we
had abandoned the Philippines and re-
fused to do what was done in China 4?
eminent secured a peaceful settlement of
the troubles in Venezuela two years ago?
Do they object to the presence of the
ship of war off Colon when the revolution
broke out in Panama, and when only the
presence of this ship saved the lives of
American citizens and prevented insult to
the flag? Do they object to the fact that
American warships appeared promptly at
the port OF Beirut when an effort had
been made to ASA SSinate an American
official. and i'm the port of Tangier when
an American citizen had been abducted
and that i'm each case the wrong COM
planned of was righted and eXpiated. and
that within the last few days the visit of
an American squadron to Smyrna was
followed by the long delayed concession
of their just rights to those Americans
concerned i'm educational work in Tur-
key? DO they object to the trade treaty
with China so fun of advantage for the
American people in the future? Do they
object to the fact that the ships carrying
the national flag now have n higher
standard than ever before i'm markSman-
ship and i'm seamanship as individual
units and as component parts of squad
rons and fieets2 If they object to any or
all OF these things. We join issue with
them. Our fog ign policy has been not
only highly advanta geous to the United
States. but hardly less advantageous TO
the world whole Peace and good
will have followed i'm it's footsteps. The
government has shown itself no less
anxious to respect the rights of others
than insistent that the rights OF Amer
leans be respected in return. AS for the
navy. IL has been and is now the most
potent guarantee Of peace. and it is such
chiefly because IL is formidable and ready
for
When our opponents speak OF EN-
croachments" by the executive upon the
aNlnOfllN OF congress OF lDt v.
apparently the act they ordinarily have
in view is pension order No. as issued
under the authority of existing law. This
order directed that hereafter any veteran
or the civil war who had reached the age
of sxty-two should be prcsumptivcly en-
titled to the pension OF Sc a month. given
under the dependent pension law to those
whose capacity to earn their livelihood
by manual Labor has been decreased 80
per cent, and that by the time the age of
seventy was reached the presumption
should be that the physical disability was
complete, the age being treated as an evil
Dental fact i'm each case. This order was
made in the performance OF a duty inn
posed upon the president by an act OF
congress which requires the executive TO
make regulations to govern the subordi-
Mates of the pension office in determining
who are entitled TO pensions. President
Cleveland had already exercised this pow
er by regulation which declared that
seventy-five should be set as the age at
which total disability should bc conclu-
sively presumed. Similarly President Nc
Kiulcy established siXty-iivc as the age
at which half disability should be conclu-
sively presumed. The regulation now in
question i'm the exercise of the same pow
err supplemented these rcgula tons made
under Presidents Cleveland and McIlin-
, ley.
The men who fought for union and for
liberty in the years from 1861 to 1860 not
only saved TINS nation from rum, but rem
/ dered an nestimable service TO all man
kind. We of the United States owe the
fact that today we have a country 10
what they did. and the nation has decreed
by law that no one of them ii disabled
| from earning his own living shall lack
| the pension to which he is entitled not
only a matter of gratitude. but a
matter of justice. 1t is the policy of the
Republican party. steadily continued
through many years. to treat the vet
Grams of the civil war in spirit OF
broad liberality. The order in question
carried out this policy and is justified not
merely on legal grounds but also or
grounds of public morality. 1t is a mat
! ter of common knowledge that when the
1 average man who depends for his wages
upon bodily labor has reached the age oi
! siXty-two his earning ability is in al
| probability less by half than it was wher
! he was in his prime. and that by the time
he has reached the age of seventy he has
! probably lost all earning ability If there
| is doubt upon this point let the doubtei
examine the employees doing manual la
I Dor in any great mandatory or on any
/ great railroad and find out how large is
! the proportion of men between the ages
OF siXty-two and seventy and whether
/ these men are still employed at the high.
| ly paid tasks which they did in then