Arizona republican., 1906-12-05


 theirs. But it is wicked for a nation only to regard its own interest, and foolish to believe that such is the sole motive that actuates any other nation. Ii should be our steady aim to raise the ethical standard of national action just as we strive to raise the ethical standard of individual action.
 Not only must we treat all nations fairly, but we must treat with justice and good will all immigrants who come here under the law. Whether they are Catholic. or Protestant. Jew or Gen tile, whether they come from England or Germany. Russia. Japan or Italy, matters nothing. All We have right to question Is the mans conduct. If he is honest and upright in his deal ings with his neighbor and with the state, then he is entitled to respect and good treatment. Especially do we need to remember our duty to the stranger within our gates. It 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 conducting himself prop erly. To remember this is incumbent on every American citizen. and it is of course peculiarly incumbent on ev- cry government official, whether of the nation or of the several states.
 I am prompted to say this by the at- titude of hostility here and there as- stunned toward the Japanese in this country. This hostility is sporadic and is limited to a very few places. Never theless, it is most discreditable to us as people. and it may be fraught with the gravest consequences to the nation.
 I recommend to the congress that an act be passed specifically providing for the naturalization of Japanese who come here intending 10 become Ameri- can citizens. One of the great embar- rassments attending the performance of our international obligations is the fact that the statutes of the United States are entirely inadequate. They fail 70 give the national government sufficiently ample power. through the United States courts and by the use of the army and navy. to protect aliens fin the rights secured to them under solemn treaties which are the law of the land. I therefore earnestly recorn-
 
 utes of the United States be so amend ed and added to as to enable the pres ident. acting for the United States government, which is responsible in our international relations. to enforce the rights of aliens under treaties. Even as the law now is something can be done by the federal government toward this end. and in the matter now before me affecting the Japanese. everything that 1t is in my power to do will be done. and all of the forces. military and civil. of the United States, which I may lawfully employ will be so employed. There should. however. be no particle of doubt as to the power of the nation al government completely to perform and enforce it's own obligations to Oth- CT nations. The mob of a single city may at any time perform acts of law less violence against some class of for eigners which would plunge us into war. That city by itself would be pow erless to make defense against the foreign power thus assaulted. and if in- dependent of this government it would never venture to perform or permit the performance of the acts complained of. The entire power and the whole duty to protect the offending city or the offending community lies in the hands of the United States govern ment It is unthinkable that we should a policy under which a given locality may be allowed to commit crime against a friendly nation. and the United States government limited, not to preventing the commission of the crime. but, in the last resort, to de- lending the people who have commit ted it against the consequences of their own wrongdoing.
 CUBA.
 Last August an insurrection broke l put in Cuba which it speedily grew evil | dent that the existing Cuban govern- ment was powerless to quell. This | government was repeatedly asked by l .he then Cuban government to inter | rene, and finally was notified by the ! president of Cuba that he intended to | resign; that his decision was irrevoc- lble; that none of the other constitu- ional officers would consent to carry ,n the government, and that he was oowerless to maintain order. It was .vident that chaos was impending and | here was every probability that if 'teps were not immediately taken by his government to try to restore or Ter, the representatives of various Flu opean nations in the island would ap- ply to their respective governments for Irmed intervention in order to protect he lives and property of their citizens. Thanks to the preparedness of our navy, I was able immediately to send | though ships to Cuba to prevent the ituation from becoming hopeless: and
 furthermore dispatched to Cuba the ecretary of war and the assistant sec etaTy of state. in order that they night grapple with the situation on the round. All efforts to secure an agreement between the contending fac ions, by which they should themselves Ome to an amicable understanding and ettle upon some modus vivendi-some provisional government of their own allied. Finally the president of the re- ublic resigned. The quorum of con- ress assembled failed by deliberate urpose of its members. so that there vas no power to act on his resigna tion nd the government came to a halt In ccordance with the so called Platt mendment, which was embodied in he constitution of Cuba, l thereupon reclaimed a provisional government or the island. the secretary of war