New-York tribune., 1907-10-04


of government are, after all, fairly simple In
a broad general way we should apply In the
affairs of the national administration, which
deals with the interests of all our eighty-odd
millions OF people. just the same rules that are
necessary in getting on with our neghbors IN
several neighborhoOds; and the nation as a
whole should show substantially the same quail
ties that would expect honorable man TO
show in dealing with his fellows. To illustrate
this, consider for moment two phases or gov
ernmental action
First as SO international affairs Among your
own neighbors, among your friends what IS the
attitude you like to see a man take TOWARD ms
fellows. the attitude you wish each OF your sons
to take when he goes out into the world Is IL
not a combination of readiness and aolHty 10
hold his own IL any one tries 10 wrong MIN.
while al the same time showing careful regard
not only for the rights, but for the feelings or
others? OF course it is! OF course, the type or
man whom respect whom we are proud or
If he is a kinsman. whom we are glad to nave
as a friend and neighbOr, is the man who is no
milksop, who is not afraid, who Will not to!-
crate nor hesitate TO resent Insult OF injury
but who himself never infilcts Insult OF lhItuS:
is kindly, good natured. thoughtul OF olheiS
Tights-in short. good man 10 do business with
or have live in the next house or nave as
friend. On the other hand, the man VINO laSks
any of those qualities is sure be objectiona Bile
If a man is afraid TO hold his own II ne VIII
submit tamely to wrongdoing, he is contemp-
tible II he is a bully oppressor, a man VINO
wrongs or insults Others he is even worse ana
should be hunted out of the community. ., but,
on the whole, the most contempt1ple posluon
that can possibly be assumed by any man Is
that of clustering. of Dragging, of insulting OF
wronging other people, while yet eNpectiIlg I,o ~
go through life unchallenged and Delng diNass
willing to back down and accept Illumination II
readiness to make good is demanded.
NO PEACE WITH INSULT"
Well all this Is lust as true of a nation as or
an individual and in dealing with other ma
tions we should act as we expect a man WHO 10
both game and decent TO act in private ill0'
There are few things cheaper and more opJec-
tionable whether on the part of the public man
or of the private man. on the part or a "il.e'
or Of a speaker, individual or group OF IN
dividuals than a course of conduct which is IN
sulting or hurtful, whether in speech OF ACT ~
individuals OF another nation or 10 the repre-
sentatives OF another nation or 10 aholiel I'D
tion itself But the policy becomes infamous
from the standpoint of the interests OF the
United States when 1t is combined WIN the re-
fusal to take those measures of preparation
which can alone secure from aggression on
the part of others. The policy Of peace with
insult is the very worst policy upon Willch 1t -
possible to embark, whether for a nation or al
individual To be rich. unarmed ana YET hso-
lent and aggressive is to court welnigh GER
tain disaster. The only safe and honorable rule
of foreign policy for the United States is to show
itself courteous toward other nations, scrupu-
louS not to infringe upon their rights ana yet
able and ready to defend its own. This nation
is terms of the most cordial good VIII
with all other nations. Let us make it a prime
object of policy to preserve these condi-
tiOns. To do so II is necessary on the one mana
TO mete out a generous justice TO all other peo-
plies and show them courtesy and respect, and
on the other hand as We are yet good way OFF
shape as to make 1t evident to all men that we
desire peace because we think It is Just and
right and not from motives OF weakness or tim
idity. AS for the first requisite, this means that
not only the government but the people as a
whole shall act in the needed spirit; for other
wise the folly of a few individuals may work
lasting discredit to the whole nation. The sec
ond requisite is more easily Secured-let US
build up and maintain at the highest point of
efficiency the United States navy. In any great
war on land we should have to rely in the fut
uTe we have relied in the past chiefly upon
volunteer soldiers: and although il is indiSpen-
Bile that little army, an army ludiCrously
small relatively to the wealth and population of
this mighty nation, should itself be trained 10
the highest point and should be valued and re-
spected as is demanded by the worth Of the
officers and enlisted men, yet il is not necessary
that this army should be large compared to
the armies Of other great nations But as re-
CARDS the navy all this is different. We have
enormous coast line, and our coast line Is on
two great oceans. To repel hostile attacks the
Notifications and not the navy, must be used:
but the best way 10 parry is to hit-no fight
ever be won except by hitting-and we can only
hit by means of the navy. II Is utterly impos-
sible TO improvise even makeshift navy under
the conditions of modern warfare. Since the
days of Napoleon war between two great
powers has lasted long it would take to
build a batteShip, let alone a feet of battle
ships; and II takes just as long to train the
crew Of battleship ii does to build II. and
as regards the most important thing of all, the
training Of the officers, II takes much longer
The navy must be built and all It's training given
in time of peace. When war has broken
out 1t is too late TO do anything. We have
a good navy, not yet large enough for our needs
but Of excellent material. Where a navy is as
small as ours the cardinal rule must be that
the battleships shall not be separated This
year ] am happy to say that shall begin a
course which 1 hope will be steadily followed
hereafter that. namely, of keeping the battle
ship feet alternately in the Pacific and I'm the
Atlantic. Early in December the feet will be-
gin its voyage TO the Pacific. and il will num-
ber, friends. among its formidable fighting craft
three great battleships named respectivelv the
10 md fha a..
a national feet in every sense of the term. and
its welfare should be, and ! firmly believe is
as much matter Of pride and concern for every
man in the farthest interior of our country as
for every man on the seacoast A long ocean
voyage Is mighty good training, and not the
least good II will do will be to show iust the
strengthening. Incidentally, think the voyage
VIII nave one good effect for to judge by their
comments on the movement some excellent peo-
pie in my own section Of the country need TO he
reminded that the Pacific Coast is exactly as
much part of this nation as the Atlantic
coast.
A WORKING COMPROMISE
So much for foreign affairs Now for a mat
| Ter or domestic policy. Here In this country
we nave founded a great federal democratic
republic. II is a government by and for the
people, @ ana therefore genuine democracy; and
the theofy or our Constitution is that each
neighborhood shall be left to deal with The
Things that concern only itself and which il can
most readily deal with; that town. county,
| city and state have their respective spheres oP
! duty while the nation deals with those rnattars
which concern all of US all of the peonIa no
matter where we dwell Our democracy Is
oased upon the belief that each individual ought
| TO nave the largest measure of liberty com
patible with securing the rights of other in
| dividuais, that the average citizen the nlain
| man whom we meet in daily life is norma 1I,1
! capable Of taking of his own affairs and
mas no desire 20 wrong any one else; and vet
that III the interest OF all there shall be sufficient
power lodged somewhere to prevent wicked peo-
PIE from trampling the weak under foot for
| their own gain. Our constant endeavor is 70
| make a good working compromise wherehw ne