Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-12-07

movement and that the conference is
now an assured fact This government
will do everything in its power to secure
the success Of the conference 10 the end
that substantial progress may be made
IN the cause OF international peace, JUS
tice and good will.
In the conclusion of this subject he
says:
| have dwelt much on the dangers
to be avoided by steering clear of any
| mere foolish sentimentality because
my wish for peace is so genuine and
earnest; because / have real and
great desire that this second Hague
conference may mark a long stride
| forward in the direction of securing
the peace of justice throughout the
world. No object is better worthy the
attention of enlightened statcSmanShip
than the establishment of surer
| method than now exists of securing
justice as between nations, both for
| the protection of the little nations and
for the prevention of war between the
big nations. TO this aim should
endeavor not only to avert boodshed,
but above all. effectively to strengthen
| the forces of right. The Golden Rule
should be. and as the world grows in
morality 1T will be, the guiding rule
| OF conduct among nations among
Individuals though the Golden Rule
must not be construed, in fantastic
manner forbidding the exercise of
the police power. This mighty and
free republic should ever deal with
all other states, great or small, on
basis of high honor, respecting their
rights jealously it safeguards it's
own.
The Monroe Doctrine receives
| lengthy consideration, as does also the
| appeal of Santo Domingo for assist
ance which the president believes IL
is our duty to give.
In treating of the subject of the
army and navy the president favors
a change in the method of promotion.
| He would promote officers on merit
| instead of by seniority, believing that
this method would be conducive to bet
ter efficiency than tn one now in
| vogue. He also recommends an in
crease in the coast artillery; the gar
! risoning Of considerable bodies of
| troops at one place. and for an in
crease and reorganization of the med
ical service in both the army and
navy.
Naturalization Laws.
Legislation in line with the recommenda-
| tons Of the naturalization commission ap-
pointed by the president last March is
asked for. These recommendations are
| given as follows:
First A federal bureau of naturaliza-
tion. to be established in the department
| of commerce and labor, to supervise the
administration Of the naturalization laws
and to receive returns of naturaliZations
pending and accomplished
Second. Uniformity of naturalization
certificates. fees TO be charged, and pro-
! Cedure.
Third. More eXacting qualifications for
citizenship.
Fourth The preliminary declaration of
intention to be abolished and no alien to
be naturaliZed until at least 30 days after
the filing Of his petition.
Fifth. Jurisdiction to naturalize aliens
to be confined to United States district
| courts and to such state courts as have
jurisdiction in civil actions in which the
amount in controversy is unlimited; in
cities of over 100000 inhabitants the
United States district courts to have ex-
elusive jurisdiction in the naturalization
of the alien residents of such cities.
Public Land Laws.
Recommendations for changes in the pub
| lie land laws are made, and in this connec-
ton the president says:
The creation of small irrigated
| farms under the reclama tion act is a
powerful offset to the tendency of GER
tain other laws to foster or permit
| monopoly of the land. Under that act
| the construction of great irrigation
| works has been proceeding rapidly and
successfully. the lands reclaimed are
eagerly taken up. and the prospect
that the policy of national irrigation
| will accomplish all that was expected
| Of it is bright The act should be eX-
| tended to include the state of Texas.
| The reclamation act derives much
of its value from the fact that it tends
to secure the greatest possible num-
Der of homes on the land, and to Gre
ate communities OF freeholders. in part
by settlement on public land in part
by forcing the subdivision of large
private holdings before they can get
| water from, government irrigation
| works. The law requires that no right
to the use Of water for land in private
| ownership shall be sold for a tract
exceeding 100 acres to any one land
owner. This provision has excited ac-
| tive and powerful hostility, but the
| success of the law itself depends on
the wise and firm enforcement of it
We cannot afford to substitute tenants
| for frccholders on the public domain.
The greater part of the remaining
public lands cannot be irrigated. They
| are at present and will probably al
! ways be of greater value for grazing
| than for any other purpose. This fact
has led to the grazing homestead of !
| $40 acres in Nebraska and to the pro-
| posed extension of it to other states
! 1t is argued that a family cannot be
/ supported on $50 acres Of arid grazing
| land. This is obviously true; but
neither can family be supported on
! $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 un-
| wise at the present time 1t would
| probably result on the one hand in
| enlarging the holdings of some of the
! great land owners. and on the other
! in needless suffering and failure on
the part of very considerable pro-
| portion of the bona tide settlers who
| give faith to the implied assurance OF
| the government that such area is
| sufficient The best use of the public
| grazing lands requires the careful eX-
| animation and classification of these
| lands in order to give each settler
| land enough to support his family and
| no more. While this work is being
| done and until the lands are settled.
! the government should take control of
! the open range. under reasonable reg
| ulation3 suited to local needs follow
| ing the general policy already in sue
| ccssful operation on the forest re-
| serves. 1t is probable that the present
| grazing value of the open public range |
! is scarcely more than half what it