Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-12-14
Abuses in ion /.

During the past year evidence has accu-
muiated to confirm the expressions con-
| tanned in my last two annual messages IA
to the Importance of revising by appropri-
| ate legislation our system of naturaliZing
aliens. l appointed last March a commits
sion to make a careful examination Of
our naturalization laws, and to sug-
gest appropriate measures to avoid the
notorious abuses resulting from the
improvident or unlawful granting
of citizenship. This commission,
has discharged the duty imposed upon it,
and has submitted 4 report, which will be
| transmitted to the Congress for its con
sideration, and, l hope, for its favorable
| action.
Breaches of Trust i'm Public Service.
| There seems to be no statute OF the Uni
| ted States which provides for the punish
ment Of Il United States attorney or other
| officer of the government who cOrruptIy
| agrees to wrongfully do or wrongfully re-
| frain from doing any act when the cOnsid-
| Grafton for such corrupt agreement is 9th
er than one possessing money value. This
ought to be remedied by appropriate lesis-
| lation. Legislatin shuld also be enacted
| to cover, explicitly, unequivocally and be
| yond question, breach of trust in the shape
| of prematurely divulg ing official secrets by
an officer or employee of the United States,
| and to provide Il suitable penalty therefor.
| Condition of Public Land Laws.
| Once again l call your attention to the
| condition of the public land laws. Recent
| developments have given new urgency to
| the need for such changes as will fit these
| laws to actual present conditions. The
| honest disposal and right use of the re-
| naming public lands is of fundamental i'm
| pOrtance The Ubiquitous methods by which
the mOnopOliZing of the public lands is be
| ing brought about under the present laws
| are becoming more generally known, but
| the existing laws do not furnish effective
remedies. The recommendation Of the pub
| lie lands commission upon this subject are
| wise and should be given effect
| The creation of small irrigated farms IN
der the reclamation act is a powerful offset
| to the tendency of certain other laws to
| foster or permit monopoly of the land
| The greater part of the remaining public
| lands cannot be irrigated. They are at
present and will probably always be of
| greater value for grazing than for any
other purpose. This fact has led to the
| grazing homestead of $40 acres i'll NcbraS-
ka and to the proposed extension Of it to
other States. 1t is argued that n family
cannot be supported on 100 acres of arid
grazing land. This is obviously true; but
neither can family be supported $40
acres of much of the land TO which it is
proposed to apply the grazing homestead
TO establish universally any such arbitrary
limit would be unwise at the present time
| Merchant Marine Indispensable.
To the spread of our trade in peace and
the defense of our flag in war great and
prosperous merchant marine is indtspensa-
Bile. We should have ships of our own and
neutral markets, and in case of need to re-
| infOrce our battle line.
The Immigration Question.
We cannot have too much immigration
of the right sort, and we should have none
| whatever of the wrong sort or course 1t
is desirable that even the right kind of i'm
migration should be properly distributed in
this country. We need more of such immi-
grafton for the South; and special effort
should be made to secure 1t. In actual
practice it has proved so difficult to en-
force the immigration laws where long
stretches Of frontier marked by an imagin-
airy line alone intervene between US and
our neighbOrS that / recommend that no
immigrants be allowed to come in from
Canada and Mexico, save natives of the
two countries themselves. AS much as pos
sible should be done to distribute the immi-
grants upon the land and keep them away
from the cOngested tenement-hOuse dis
tricts of the great cities. But distribution
is a palliative, not a cure. The prime
need is to keep out all immigrants who
will not make good American citizens.
The laws now existing for the exclusion
of undesirable immigrants should be
strengthened. Adequate means should be
adopted, and enforced by sufficient penal
ties, to compel steamship companies en-
gagged in the passenger business to observe
in good faith the law which forbids them
to encourage or solicit immigration to the
United States. Provision should be made
for the surer punishment of those who in
duce aliens to come to this country under
promise assurance Of employment. 1t
ishould be made possible to infict sufli
GENTLY heavy penalty on any employer VIC
lating this law to deter him from taking
the risk. 1t seems to me wise that there
should be an international conference held
to deal with this question of immigration.
which has more than merely national
significance.
The questions arising in connection with
Chinese immigration stand by themselves.
| China Supb
entire Chinese coolie class, that is, the
class of Chinese labOrers, skilled aud I'M
skilled legitimately come under the head
of undesirable immigrants to this country.
because OF their numbers, the low wages
| for which they work, and their low stand
ard Of living. Not only is it to the
interest Of this country to keep them
out, but the Chinese authorities do
not desire that they should be adj
mitted At present their entrance is
prohibited by laws amply adequate to
accomplish this purpose. But in the effort
to carry out the policy OF excluding chi
| tice and wrong have been done by this
nation to the people of China, and there
fore ultimately 10 this nation itself. Chi
| nese students business and professional
men of all kinds-not only merchants, but
| bankers. doctors manufacturers, professors.
travellers and the like-shoUld be enCour-
| aged to come here and treated on precisely
| the same footing that we treat students.
business men. travellers and the like Of
other nations Our laws and treaties should
| be framed, not to put these people
| in the excepted classes. but to state that
| we will admit all Chinese. except Chinese
| Of the cOoie class, Chinese skilled or I'M
| skilled laborers.
Much trouble has come during the past
summer from the organized boycott against
| American goods which has been started in
China. The main factor in producing this
boycott has been the resentment felt by
the students and business people OF China,
by all the Chinese leaders. against the
| harshness OF our law toward educated
Cinnamon of the professional and business
| classes. This government has the friendii-
est feeling for China and desires China S
wel-being. We cordially sympathize with
the announced purpose of Japan to stand
for the integrity of China. Such an atti-
tUde tends to the peace of the world.
Adulteration of Foods.
! I recommend that law be enacted Ia
regulate interstate commerce in misbranG-
ed and adulterated foods. drinks. and drugs.
| Such law would protect legitimate manu-
! facture and commerce, and would tend to
secure the health and welfare Of the coD-
sumng public. Traffic in foodstuffs which
have been debased or adulterated so as to
iniure health to deceive purchasers
should be forbidden.
National Parks and Show Places.
l call your attention to the generous act