The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-12-09

well and finely said that freedom is not
gift that tarries long in the hands of
towards. Neither does it tarry long in
the hands Of those too siothful, too dis
honest or too unintelligent to exercise
1t. The eternal vigilance which is the
price of liberty must be exercised
sometimes to guard against outside
foes, although, of course, far more Of
ten to guard against our own selfish or
thoughtless shortcomings.
1t is our duty to remember that ma
ton has no more right to do injustice
to another nation, strong or weak, than
an individual has TO do injustice to an
other individual; that the same moral
law applies in one case as in the other.
But we must also remember that it is
as much the duty of the nation to
guard its own rights and its own inter
ests as it is the duty of the individual
so to do. Until some method Is devised
by which there shall be degree of in
ternational control over offending ma
tons it would be wicked thing for
the most civilized powers, for those
with most sense Of International obli-
cations and with keenest and most gem
erous appreciation Of the difference be-
tween right and wrong, to disarm. If
the great civilized nations, Of the pres
ent day should completely disarm, the
result would mean an immediate re-
cr,ldescence of barbarism in one form
or another. Under any circumstances a
sufficient armament would have to be
kept up to serve the purposes Of inter
national police, and until international
cohesion and the sense of international
duties and rights are far more ad.
vanced than at present nation desir-
Gus both Of securing respect for itself
and of doing good to others must have
a force adequate for the work which it
feels is allotted to it as it's part Of the
general world duty. Therefore it fol-
lows that self respecting, just and
farseeing nation should ON the one
hand endeavor by every means to aid
in the development of the various
movements which tend to provide sub
stitutes for war, which tend to render
AotAOlio III ShClI dStlOhS tOW0l1 OhC an
other and indeed toward their own
peoples more responsive to the general
sentiment Of humane and civilized
mankind, and, on the other hand, that
1t should keep prepared. while scrupu-
lousy avoiding wrongdolng itself, to
repel any wrong and in exceptional
cases to take action which in a more
advanced stage of International rela-
lions would come under the head of
the exercise Of the international police
Arbitration Treaties. -
We are in every way endeayoring to
help on, with cordial good WILL, every
movement which will tend to bring us
into more friendly relations. with the
rest of mankind. In pursuance of this
policy shall shortly lay before the sen.
ate treaties Of arbitration with all pow
ers which are willing to enter into these
treaties with U.S. 1t is not possible at
this period of the worlds development
to agree to arbitrate all, matters, but
there are many matters of possible
difference between us and other ma
tons which can be thus arbitrated.
Furthermore at the request Of the In
terparliamentary union, an eminent
body composed Of practical statesmen
from all countries, / have asked the
powers to join with this government
in a second Hague conference, at which
it is hoped that the work already SO
happily begun at The Hague may be
carried some steps further toward
completion. This carries out the de-
sire expressed by the first Hague con-
ference itself.
Policy Toward Other Nations of
Western Hemisphere.
1t is not true that the United States
feels any land hunger or entertains
any projects as regards the other ma
tons Of the western hemisphere save
such as IRE for their welfare All that
this country desires is to see the neigh
boring countries stable, orderly and
prosperous. Any country whose people
conduct themselves well can count upon
our hearty friendship. If a nation
shows that It knows how to act with
reasonable efficiency and decency in so
cial and political matters, If 1t keeps
order and pays its obligations, 1t need
fear no interference from the United
States. Chronic wrongdoing or an i'm
potence which results in a general loos-
ening Of the ties of civilized society
may In America, as elsewhere, ulti-
mately require intervention by some
civilized nation, and in the western
hemisphere the adherence of the Unit
ed States to the Monroe doctrine may
force the United States, however re-
luctantly, In fragrant cases Of such
wrongdoing or impotence. to the exer-
else Of an international police power.
Rights of American Citizens Abroad.
It's necessary for us firmly toinsist up
on the rights Of our own citizens abroad
without regard to their creed or race;
without regard to whether they were
born. here or born abroad. 1t has
proved very difficult to secure from
Russia the right for our Jewish fellow
citizen to receive passports and travel
through Russian territory 1t is a
wrong against which we are entitled to
protest to refuse him his passport
without regard to his conduct and char
!acter, merely on racial and religious
grounds.
The Navy.
The strong arm of the government
in enforcing respect for it's just rights
in international matters is the navy of
the United States. most earnestly
recommend that there be no halt in the
work of upbriIdinc tho American navy