Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-26
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE IS
REPORT OF STEWARDSHIP

upon congress the absolute necessity
OF continuing plans for strong naval
force begun under Cleveland and con.
tinued in all successive administra-
lions. A significant feature of Presi.
dent Roosevelt's argument, however, is
that he will ask for a great navy for
the purpose of preventing war and
not with the ideas of making war.
Facts Justify Argument
Fortunately enough, facts are at
hand to Justify this argument most
completely and President Roosevelt
will be able to submit more tangible
steps toward the peace of the world
than any of his predecessors. In this
way he will back up his plea for big
navy and will show that while he be-
lieves the United States should be
able to force respect all over the
world, it is none the less committed
to the actual policy of the peaceful set
Element of all international difficult
ties.
This message, therefore, may be ex-
pected to set the pace for peace. 1t
will recite, not without honest pride in
their accomplishment, the successive
steps which have been taken by this
administration to secure an agreement
among the nations of the world. At
tention first will be called to the fact
that the United States has been fore
most in suggesting a new peace con-
ference at The Hague, and an outline
will be given Of replies of nations of
continental Europe. which are even
more favorable than abstracts which
already have been printed.
Many Treaties Negotiated.
The final step and most complete
one has been the negotiation of trea-
ties of arbitration with one nation
after another. Others are now under
way and the President will take nat
ural pride in submitting to congress
this extraordinary evidence that he
believes in a big stick" and big
navy as actual means of preventing
| war
| The terms of the existing arbitra-
ton treaties are so simple and so lit
tie subject to miscellaneous criticism
1t is believed there will be little diff
Guilty in securing ratification by the
senate. The things which were OBJ
jected to so strongly in the treaty ne.
gotiated with Great Britain have been
omitted entirely from the new arbi-
tration agreemnts.
! These new treaties do not of them
selves prevent war, but their mere ex-
istence is deemed to be an incentive
to peaceful solution of international
difficulties, and the President will feel
justified in calling the attention of con-
gress to them in general terms, which
is all he can do properly until the in
junction of secrecy is removed by the
senate.
Make Real Diplomatic History.
In dealing with the diplomatic his
tory of the administration during the
last year the President has been en-
abled to write the real history which
he and John Hay made, and he prob
ably has sketched the situation in
such. way as to make attractive as
well as instructive reading.
Since the last message was submit
ted to congress the war between Rus
STA and Japan, which year ago was
only threatened, has become an actu-
atty. 1t was long ago asserted that
no European nation could become in
volved in a serious war; especially
where the orient was involved, with
out dragging all Europe into the fight.
This interesting diplomatic history,
which will be given to the world Of
ficially for the first time in the Presi-
dents message. will show that the ia
nous shirt-sleeve Yankee diplomacy,
successfully exerted at a critical per-
| iod, mas confined the war to the two
disputants.
America as Peacemaker.
in the message that Secretary Hays
! famous move which startled all Eu
rope by it's originality and it's bravery
practically prevented the spread of
hostilities, and thus enabled the
United States to occupy its natural
place as real peacemaker. While it
would not be becoming in the Presi-
dent to boast of the achievements of
his administration, he will not hest
tate to sketch out a plan by which
John Hay made himself and his d.
plomacy deservedly famous.
Had 1t not been for Hays wise move
in insisting that both Japan and Rus
STA should recognize the integrity of
China, the Chinese empire surely
would have been dismembered and the
nations of Europe almost as surely
would have been involved in fight
by this time as to the division of the
spoils. The attitude Of the United
States, as the President will show
rather by inference than by declara-
ton, set an example of strenuous neu-
trality which Great Britain, Germany,
France, Austria and Italy were only
too glad to follow.
Japan and Russia in Line.
Secretary Hays demand for the pres
ervation of China came before the
beginning of the actual hostilities be-
tween Japan and Russia. Both nations
practically were forced to accept it
because each feared in case of re-
fusal the strong and constantly grow
ing navy of the United States might
be utilized to protect China
AS it is the President will be enabled
to call attention to the fact, which is
deeply significant of the success of his