The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-09-26

attorneys hunting through the statute
failed to find there provision giving a
pension to all who had reached sixty
two. Many prominent veterans urged
the justice of congressional action Civ
ing a service pension to all veterans.
Bills to that effect were introduced in
congress. And not until March Of this
year did any one ever claim to have
made the discovery that the President
had power to treat the statute as if it
read that when claimant had passed
the age of sixty-two years he is neces-
sariIy disabled one-half in ability to
perform manual labor ana therefore en-
titled to a pension.
The president of the civil service COM
mission, General John C. Black, former
ly commissioner of pensions, and COM
mander-in-ehief OF the Grand Army
of the Republic, indicated his
view of the order when in a recent
address he thanked the President
for what he had done, and advised his
hearers to use their influence that a law
might be passed to the same effect.
Full confidence after all seems not to
have been placed on the defense Of JUS
tifcation, for it is pleaded in mitigation
that a former democratic President did
something looking in that direction.
Even il that were so-Which is not adj
Imitted-our present duty would be none
the less plain and imperative. Our peo-
pie must never tolerate the citation of
one act Of usurpation of power as an
excuse for another. The first may pos
sibly be due to mistake; the second, be-
ing based on the first, cannot be- In
explanation, however, 1t should be said
that the order relied on simply provided
that the age of seyenty-five years
should be regarded as evidence of ina
bility to perform manual labor. Few
men are able to perform manual labor
at that age. but nearly all men are at
sixty-two. The first order is based on a
fact that experience teaches, the other
is based on the assertion Of that which
is not true as a general rule.
The old inquiry, What are you going
to do about it," is now stated in new
form It is said by the administration,
In reply to the public criticism Of this
order, that 1T is easy to test our oppo-
nents sincerity in this matter. The or
der in question Is revocable at the
pleasure Of the Executive, If our oppo-
nents come into power they can revoke
this order and announce that they will
treat the veterans of sixty-two and sew
enty as presumably in full bodily vlgor
and not entitled to pension. Will they
authoritatively state that they intend
to do this? If so, we accept the issue.
This suggests the supicion, at least,
that the order was made to create an
Issue that it was supposed to present
a strong strategic position in the battle
of the ballots.
on the assumption that the order, as
stated by the administration, is revoca-
BILE at the pleasure of the executive, 1T
having been an attempted, though per-
haps unwilling encroachment upon the
legislative power, and therefore unwar-
ranted by the Constitution, accept the
challenge and declare that if am elect
|ed I will revoke the order. But
j go further and say that that being
done, will contribute my effort toward
the enactment Of law to be passed by
both houses OF congress and approved
by the Executive that viii give an age
pension without refefetice to disability
to the surviving heroes of the civil war;
and under the provisions Of which a
pension may be accepted with dignity
because of the consciousness that It
comes as a just due from the people
through their chosen representatives,
and not as largess distributed by the
Chief Executive.
Foreign Relations.
The foreign relations Of the govern
Ement have in late years assumed spec
|ial Importance, Prior to the acquisition
of the philippines, we We're practically
.invulnerable against attacks by foreign
states. Those tropical possessions,
however, seven thousand miles from our
shores, have changed all this and have
in effect put US under bonds to keep the
peace The new conditions call for a
management of foreign affairs the more
circumspect in that the recent Ameri-
can invasion of foreign markets In all
parts of the world has excited the seri-
Gus apprehension of all the great indus-
trial peoples. 1t is essential, therefore,
more than ever, to adhere strictly to the
traditional policy of the country as for
mulated by its first president and new
Ter, In my Judgment, wisely departed
from-to invite friendly relations with
all nations while avoiding entangling
alliances with any. Such policy
means the cultivation Of peace instead
of the Qualification Of war, and the
Winding of our own business In lieu of
spectacular intermeddling with the af-
fairs Of other nations. 1t means strict
observance of the principles of interna-
tional law and condemns the doctrine
that great state BY reason. of its
strength, may rightfully appropriate
the sovereignty or territory of a small
state on account of Its weakness. 1t
means for other American states that
we claim no right and will assume no
functions save those of a friend and of
an ally and defender as against Euro
pean aggressions. 1t means that we re-
pudiate the role of the American conti-
mental policeman; that we refuse to act
as debt collector for foreign states or
their citizens; that we respect the In.
dependent sovereignty of each Ameri-a
can state and its right to preserve or.
der and otherwise regulate its own in
ternal affairs in it's own way; and that
any intervention in its affairs by us is
limited to the single office of enabling