Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-12-05
Presidents Message.
CONTINUED from seventh Pagel

here under the law. Whether they are
Catholic or Protestant, Jew or gentle.
whether they come from England or
Germany. Russia, japan or Italy, mat
tiers nothing. All we have a right to
question Is the mans conduct. If he
is honest and upright In his dealings
with his neighbor and with the state,
then he Is entitled to respect and good
treatment. Especially do we need to
within our gates. 1t is the sure mark
OF low civilization, low morality, to
abuse or discriminate against or In any
way humiliate such stranger who has
come here lawfully and who is con-
Quoting himself properly. To remem-
Der this Is incumbent on every Amer
lean citizen, and it is of course pecul-
iarly incumbent on every government
official, whether of the nation or Of
the several states.
am prompted to say this by the
attitude of hostility here and there as
sumed toward the japanese In this
country. This hostility is sporadic and
is limited to very few places. Never
theless 1t is most discreditable to us
as a people, and 1t may be fraught
with the gravest consequences to the
nation.
/ ask fair treatment for the Japanese
as would ask fair treatment for Ger
mans or Englishmen, Frenchmen, Rus
slams or Italians. 1 ask 1t as due to
humanity and civilization. I ask it as
due to ourselves, because we must act
uprightly toward all men. l recon-
mend to the congress that an act be
passed specifically providing for the
naturalization Of Japanese who come
here intending to become American cit
liens. One Of the great embarrass-
ments attending the performance Of
our international obligations Is the
fact that the statutes of the United
States are entirely inadequate. They
fail to give to the national government
sufficiently ample power, through Unit
ed States courts and by the use of the
army and navy, to protect aliens In the
rights secured to them under solemn
treaties which are the law Of the land.
| therefore earnestly recommend that
the criminal and civil statutes Of the
United States be so amended and add
ed to as to enable the president, acting
for the United States government,
which is responsible In our interna.
tional relations, to enforce the rights
OF aliens under treaties.
The Cuban Matter.
Last August an instruction broke
out In Cuba which it speedily grew evil
dent that the existing Cuban govern
ment was powerless to quell. Thanks
to the preparedness of our navy,
was able Immediately to send enough
ships to Cuba to prevent the situation
from becoming hopeless, and l fur
thermore dispatched to Cuba the sec
rotary of war and the assistant secre-
tary of state in order that they might
grapple with the situation on the
ground.
In accordance with the so called
Platt amendment, which was embod-
led I'm the constitution Of Cuba. there
upon proclaimed a provisional govern
ment for the island, the secretary Of
war acting as provisional governor I'M
til he could be replaced by Mr.. Magoon,
the late minister to Panama and gov
ernor Of the canal zone on the isthmus
Troops were sent to support them and
to relieve the navy, the expedition be-
ing handled with most satisfactory
speed and efficiency. Peace has come
in the island, and the harvesting of the
sugar cane crop, the great crop of the
island, Is about to proceed. When the
election has been held and the new
government inaugurated In peaceful
and orderly fashion the provisional
government will come to an end.
The United States wishes nothing of
Cuba except that 1t shall prosper NOR
ally and materially and wishes nothing
Of the Cubans save that they shall be
able to preserve order among them
selves and therefore to preserve their
independence. If the elections become
farce and If the insurrectionary habit
becomes confirmed on the island it Is
absolutely out Of the question that the
island should continue independent,
and the United States, which has as
sumed the sponsorship before the civ
ilized world for Cuba's career as a ma
ton, would again have to intervene
and to see that the government was
managed In such orderly fashion as to
secure the safety Of life and property.
The Rio Conference.
The second international conference
of American republics, held In Mexi-
co In the years 19O1-02, provided for
the holding Of the third conference
within Ave years and committed the
fixing Of the time and place and the
arrangements for the conference to the
governing board of the bureau Of
American republics, composed Of the
representatives of all the American
nations In Washington. That board
discharged the duty imposed upon
it with marked fidelity and pains
taking care. and upon the courteous
Invitation Of the United States Of Bra
I'll the conference was held at Rio de
Janeiro, continuing from the Esd Of
July to the Goth Of August last. Many
subjects of common interest to all the
American nations were discussed by
the conference, and the conclusions
reached. embodied In a series of reso-
buttons and proposed conventions, will