The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-12-09
0lls maAle.
THE PREsID

F"r 'a-=5e :
We give our r SAGE
Messengeu
presidents mess mas morn
70 congress 'eAe Oh the
lengthy docum was sent IN
tnan there Wa IL Is a very
all interesting much longer
reading. Ea ID for but 1T is
forty-two Lh OF it pleasant
headed. so and there are
find the m treated, is sub
dent in wt reader can easily
ing what hssed by the presi-
This m interested in know
respects has to say about 1t.
sages "a different in several
does N e usual annual mes
facts IS by the presidents. 1t
Ports n long extracts Of dry
TherI res from the annual re-
do ehads Of departments
um Lny subjects treated which
otf " find place in such a doc
d1 he of the subjects on which
d ldents have seen fit to adj
Fess at great length are here
a with few words, while
tenerally considered of less i'm
e are discussed at length, in
OF them the treatment partak-
nature of an essay and written |
II Ro0seyelt's pleasing, terse and |
style. This last feature is |
sIble TO large extent for the
ssary length of the message, but
hot make it the less Interestingly
CT, relieves it of theu sual dullnes
nOnotony OF such documents.
MY once does the president uncork
walls Of strenuosity and flourish the
IS stick That is when speaking of
FUR Policy Toward Other Nations of
lhe Western Hemisphere Here he
says:
Any country whose people conduct
themselves we'll can count on our
hearty friendship. If a nation shows
that 1t knows how to act with reason
able efficiency and decency in social
and political matters. if it keeps order
ana pays it's obligations it need fear No
interference from the United States.
Further on, though, he qualities the
above with the following statement:
We would interfere with them only i'm
the last resort and then only if il be-
came evident that their inability or I'M.
Willingness to do justice at home or
abroad had violated the rights of the
united states or had invited foreign
aggression to the detriment of the en-
tire body Of American nations.
only by way of parenthetical remark
does he refer to the race question and
10 Iynching when he speaks of our re-
Iatlons with other countries in the fol-
lowing sentences:
We have plenty of sins of our ov,
TO war against, and under ordinary Girl
cunstanceS we could do more for thel
general uplifting of humanity by strIy-I
win heart and soul to put a stop toI
CIVIC corruption, to brutal lawlessuessl
ana violent race prejudices here att
nome than by passing resolutions aboutI
wrong-dOing else where. ,
Yet 1T is not to be expected that a
people Ike ours, which, in spite of GER
tam very obvious shortcomings, new
ertheless, as a whole shows by its con-l {
slstent practice it's belief in the pr1nci-
pies of civil and religious liberty 5ndl
OF orderly freedom. a people amongl
Wnom oven the worst crimes, like the I
crime OF lynching, is never more thar
sporadic. so that individuals and not v
classes are molested in their fundamen '
tai lights. :
In discussing the Philippine question: Y
the President makes a remark with g
to Cuba which will sound ne I
tullarly TO many Americans OtharsI '
VIII declare that they always thought i
mere was a string to Cuban indepen- I
ience, which was held by the American I
government and that now such fact hasj h
'een off'cially declared by the president I
Nheh he says in regard to the Philip e
zines. :,
Al present they are utterly incapa-i b
'ie CT existing in independence at all
II or building up a civilization of their
wn: firmly believe we can help themI
= y rise hlgner and higher in the scaleI
1 SiVlLzatlon and of capacity for self 3,
oVernment, and most earnestly hone .
nat III the end they will be able 10 Il
Idhu, Il not entirely alone VET in -
ONE such relation to the United States -
S Cuba now stands ST
IL VIII De seen, also. that there is : re
INT here Of the possibility of entira tn
dependence Tor the Philippines a.
ome future day, although the presi- Fl
uesuon in the United States as heinz be
aiculated TO retard the DEVELOPMENT IN
The islands and Improvement of tba III
habitants IL
In only enc instance does the mes ne
lge smack of cant, and that is also W
reference TO the Philippines, when ne
claims that our chief reason Cor NJ,
10 hold the ISLANDS is for the w:
sueFnent of the natives and that we ru
ay GO our share of the worlds work is
ohg the line of civilizing such people. MS
Inc tariff question the president LET'S I'd
Verely alone. 1t is quite probable -
al there will be a lively fight in b.s
Fh party this winter over the question
revision. Evidently the president
shes TO see how matters stand he
re declaring for any position on Tho
esuon-not that he will wait until he Ct
n count noses and then take sidas