Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-08-04

been sacrificed, our relations with all for
eign nations are row of the most peaceful
kind; there is not a cloud on the horizon.
The last cause of irritation between US
and any other nation was removed by
the settlement Of the Alaskan boundary.
In the Caribbean sea we have made good
our promises Of independence to Cuba,
and have proved our assertion that our
mission in the island was one of justice
and not of self-aggrandizement; and
thereby no less than by our action in Vene-
zuela and Panama we have shown that
the Monroe doctrine is a living reality,
designed for the hurt of no nation, but
for the protection of civilization on the
western continent and for the peace OF
the world. Our steady growth in power
has gone hand in hand with a strengthen
ing disposition to use this power with
strict regard for the rights Of others, and
for the cause Of international justice and
good will.
We earnestly desire friendship with all
the nations of the new and old worlds;
and we endeavor to place our relations
with them upon a basis of reciprocal adj
vantage instead of hostility. We hold
hat the prosperity of each nation is an
aid and not a hindrance to the prosperity
Of other nations. We seek interns-
tional amity for the same reasons that
make us believe in peace within our W
borders; and we seek this peace, not be-
cause we are afraid or %unready, but be-
cause We think that peace is right as well
as advantageous.
American interests in the Pacific ave
rapidly grown. American enterprise has
laid a cable across this, the greatest Of
oceans. We have proved in effective fash
ion that we wish the Chinese empire well
and desire its integrity and independence.
Our foothold in the Philippines greatly
strengthens our position in the competl-
ton for the trade of the east; but We
are governing the Philippines in the in
terest of the Philippine people themselves.
We lave already given them a large
share in their government, and our pur-
pose is to increase this share as rapidly
as they give evidence of increasing Mt
ness for the task. The great majority Of
the officials Of the islands, whether elect
i've or appointive, are already native Fill
ipinos. We are now providing for a legis-
lative assembly. This is the first step to
be taken in the future; and 1t would be emf
nently unwise to declare What our next
step will be until this first step has been
taken and the results are manifest. To
have gone faster than we have already
gone in giving the islanders a constantly
increasing measure of self-government
would have been disastrous. Al the pres
ent moment to give political independence
to the islands would result in the immedi-
ate loss of civil rights, personal liberty ana
public order, as regards the mass of the
Filipinos, for the majority Of the is
landers have been given these great
boons by us, and only keep them because
we vigilantly safeguard and guarantee
them. To withdraw our government from
the islands at his time would mean to
the average native the loss of his barely
won civil freedom. We have established
in the islands a government by Americans
assisted by Filipinos. We are steadily
striving to transform this into self-gov-
ernmen by the Filipinos assisted by Amer
leans.
The principles which we uphold should
appeal to our countrymen, In AL portions
of our country. Above all they should
give US strength with the men and women
who are the spiritual heirs of those who
upheld the hands of Abraham Lincoln; for
we are striving to do our work in the spirit
with which Lincoln approached his. Dur
ing the seven years that have just passed
there is no duty, domestic or foreign, which
we nave shirked; no necessary risk which
we nave feared to undertake, or which we
nave not performed with reasonable efil-
cheney. We have never pleaded impo-
tence. We have never sought refuge In
criticism and complaint instead OF &C
ton. We face the future with our pas,
and our present as guarantors of our prom
Uses; and we are content to stand or TO 1al
by the record which we lave made anc
ORC making