Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-09-15


lines in the future as in the past. To
what phase of our foreign policy and to
what use OF the navy, do our opponents
object? DO they object to the way In
which the Monroe doctrine has been
strengthened and upheld? Never before
has this doctrine been acquiesced in
abroad az 1t Is now; and yet. while up-
holding the rights OF the weaker Amer
lean republics against foreign aggres-
sion, the administrati tion has lost no op-
portlnity to point out to these republics
that those who seek equity should come
with clean hands, and that whoever
claims liberty as right must accept the
responsibilities that go with the exercise
of the right. Do our opponents object
to what was done in reference to the PEE
tition of American citizens against the
kishinem massacre. or to the protest
against the treatment of the Jews in
Roumania, or to the efforts that have
been made in behalf of the ArmeIians In
Turkey? No other administration in our
history, no other government in the
world. has more consistently stood for the
broadest spirit of brotherhood in our
common humanity, or has held more
resolute attitude of protest against every
wrong that outraged the civilization Of
the age, at home or abroad. DO our OPP
ponents object to the fact that the inter-
national tribunal at The Hague was res-
cued from impotence and turned into a
potent instrument for peace among the
nations? This government has used that
tribunal and advocated its use by 9TH
ers in pursuance of its policy to promote
the cause of international peace and good
will by all honorable methods. In car
rying out this policy 1t has settled dis
pute after dispute by arbitration or by
friendly agreement. 1t has behaved to-
ward all nations strong or weak, with
courtesy, dignity and Justice and it is
now on excellent terms with all.
Do our opponents object to the settle
ment of the Alaska boundary line2 Do
they object to the fact that after freeing
Cuba we gave her reciprocal trade ad-
vantages with the United States while
at the same time keeping naval stations
in the island and providing against its
sinking into chaos or being conquered by
any foreign power? Do they object to
the fact that our flag now flies over Porto
Rico? Do they object to the acquisition
of Hawaii? Once they hauled down.
our flag there; we have hoisted It again.
Do they intend once more to haul it
down? Do they object to the part we
played in China? Do they not know that
the voice of the United States would now
count for nothing in the far east IL we
had abandoned the Philippines and re.
fused to do what was done in China?
Do they object to the fact that this gov
ernment secured a peaceful settlement of
the troubles in Venezuela two years ago?
Do they object to the presence of the
ship Of war off Colon when the revolution
broke out in Panama, and when only the
presence of this ship saved the lives Of
American citizens and prevented insult to
the flag? Do they object to the fact that
American warships appeared promptly at
the port of Beirut when an effort had
been made to assassinate an American
Official, and In the port of Tangier when
an American citizen had been abducted,
and that in each case the wrong COM
planned of was righted and expiated, and
that within the last few days the visit OF
an American squadron to Smyrna was
followed by the long delayed concession
of their just rights to those Americans
concerned in educational work in Tur-
key? Do they object to the trade treaty
with China so fun of advantage for the
American people in the future? Do they
object to the fact that the ships carrying
the national flag now have a higher
standard than ever before in marksman-
ship and i'm seamanship as individual
units and as component parts of squad
rons and fleets? If they object to any or
all of these things, we join issue with
them. Our foreign policy has been not
only highly advantageous to the United
States, but hardly less advantageous to
the world as a whole. Peace and good
win have followed in it's footsteps. The
government has shown itself no less
anxious to respect the rights of Others
than insistent that the rights of Amer
leans be respected in return. AS for the
navy, it has been and is now the most
potent guarantee of peace. and it is such
chiefly because it is formidable and ready
for use
when our opponents speak of ZEN
croachments,' by the executive upon the
authority of congress or the judiciary,
apparently the act they ordinarily have
in view is pension order No. Is, issued
under the authority Of existing law. This
order directed that hereafter any veteran
Of the civil war who had reached the age
of sixty-two should be presumptively en-
titled to the pension of $6 month, given
under the dependent pension law to those
whose capacity to earn their livelihood
by manual labor has been decreased 50
per cent. and that by the time the age of
seventy was reached the presumption
should be that the physical disability was
complete, the age being treated as an evil
Dental fact in each case. This order was
made in the performance OF q duty Inn
| posed upon the president by an act OF
congress, which requires the executive to
make regulations to govern the subordi-
mates of the pension Office In determining
who are entitled to pensions. President
Cleveland had already exercised this pow
| er by regulation which declared that
seventy-five should be set as the age al
which total disability should be conclu-
sively presumed. Similarly President Nc
| Kinley established sixty-five as the age
| at which half disability should be conclu
1 sively. presumed The regulation now iT
| question in the exercise of the same pow
| err supplemented these regulations made
i under Presidents Cleveland and McKin
| ley.
4 The men who fought for union and fol
/ liberty In the years from 1861 to 1865 no
only saved this nation from ruin. but rem
Il dered an inestimable service to all man
1 kind We OF the United States owe thu
II fact that today we have country 4
what they did, and the nation has decreet
| by law that no one of them IL disabled
from earning his own living shall lacl
the pension to which he is entitled no
4 only as a matter of gratitude. but as
matter of Justice. IT is the policy Of th
1 Republican party, steadily continues
through many years to treat the vet
| Grams of the civil war in a spirit o
i broad 1iberality The order in question
carried out this policy and is justified no
i merely on legal grounds, but also OF
grounds of public morality. It Is mat
ter OF common knowledge that when <h
/ average man who depends for his wage
i upon bodily labor has reached the age D
sfxty-two his earning ability is In al
probability less by half than it was whei
he was In his prime, and that by the tim
he has reached the age of seventy he ha
-rohakl.- lost all c@rnir.- ahiIit-. II ther