Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-23

have to exercise continually greater gu
peryision, continually greater exercise
Of the right OF the rejection among mn
migrants that come hither ana snail. as
regards It may be, many different peo-
pies. take an attitude that VIII tend AZ
first to provoke friction with them NOW
Il is our undoubted right to say What
neon,e what persons, shall come to this
country to live, to work, to become citi-
zens. 1t is equally undoubtedly our duty
that that right shall be exercised IN a
way that will be provocative or the ieast
ard not of the most friction with out
siders.
1--WE have the right to choose who shall
come here from abroad. 1t Is our duty
to exercise that right so that It viii
cause the minimum offence to any other
friendly power, so that it will cause the
minimum Of friction and will be accom-
panied by the greatest good will and
friendship and evidences Of good VIII ana
friendship or our part toward other pow
ers But it is absolutely necessary that
II we claim for ourselves the right to
choose who shall come here. we snail be
in trim to uphold that right If any power
challenges it, and 1t cannot be upheld ny
words it cannot be upheld by coast de-
fence navy, by a navy that VIII parry
but that won't hit. 1t can be upheld only
by the possession of an efficient fighting
navy, a navy able to preserve the honor
and the interest of the United States, not
by inviting attack on our shores ana
then seeing ii we can not repel. but by
taking such action as shall guarantee us
against our shores being attacked.
at the present day the Monroe Doc
trine is unchallerged and the people
abroad who used to sheer at it now say
it is a pretty good doctrine after all,
useful doctrine on the whole for tie peace
Of the world. What has produced that
charge: Words? Not bit of it. Di-
plomacy? Only insofar as diplomacy
rested on the substantial basis Of poten-
tial force. The voyage Of the IL battle
ships around South America through the
Straits of Magellan from Hampton Roads
to Puget Sound, that was the most in
structive object lesson that had ever been
afforded as to the reality of the Monroe
Doctrine.
Nov. gentlemen. the possibilities of
misGpI rchension, of misconstruction of
that on says, are infinite. especially when
they are accompanied with something of
design. T wish to rciterate, and to say
with Just as much earnestness as I have
spoken today on other subjects. that I
want a frst-class fighting navy because
1t is the most favorable guarantee of
peace that the country can have Uncle
Sam can well afford to pay for his peace
and sa fety so cheap an insurance policy
as is implied in the maintenance of the
United States navy. There is not a more
paying investment that he makes.
II would not pretend for a moment.
gentlemen. to you or anyone else, that
merely military proficiency on Lard or sea
would by itself make this or any o,her
nation great. Our duties at home are of
first Importance but our duties aboard
are of vital consequence also. This ma
ton may fail, no matter how well it keeps
itself prepared against the possibility OF
disaster from abroad. But it will GER
tainly fail If we do not thus keep our
selves prepared And ask our people to
| take the keenest and most intelligent in
terest in the affairs of the navy and to
watch closely those at Washington. In
the executive department and in the leg
| islative department as WELL we are con-
cerned with the affairs of the navy, be-
cause as nation we need greatly, in the
interest of peace. in the interest of true
national greatness that the United States
| navy, with it's ships, its officers. its en-
| listed men. shall every point be kept tho
highest possible condition of efficiency
and we'll being"