Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-04-22

ed to exist In time of profound peace
and frequently, although by no means
always it is alleged to occur at the
hands of people who a,e not very
formidable in military sense. Ir
some cases the accusations of oppres.
sion ad wrong doing are doubteless
i'll founded. In others they are well
founded and in certain eases the most
appalling loss Of life is shown tc
have occurred, accompanied with
frightful cruelty.
Events still fresh in the mind OF
every thinking man show that neither
abitration nor any other device car
as yet be invoked to prevent the grav.
est and most terrible wrong doing te
people who are either few in mum.
bers or who. if numerous, have LOST
the first and most important of ma
tional virtues-the capacity for self
defense.
When a nation is so happily situat-
ed as ours-that it, when it has no
reason 10 fear or to be feared by its
land neighbors-the fleet is all the
more necessary for the preservation
of peace. Great Britain has been
saved by lis feet from the necessity
of facing one Of the two alternatives
of submission to conquest by for
eign power or of itself becoming q
great military power. The United
States can hope for permanent ca
reer Of peace on only one condition
and that is. on condition of building
and maintaining a first-class navy.
and the step to be taken toward this
end at this time is to provide for the
building Of four additional battle.
ships. / earnestly wish that the Con-
gress would pass the measures fol
which I have asked for Strengthening
and rendering more efficient the army
as we'll as the navy =, all of these
measures as affecting every branch
and detail of both services are sorely
needed and it would be the part Of
far-sighted wisdom to enact them all
into laws but the most vital and i'm
mediate need is that Of the four bat
tleships.
The Navy a Powerful Instrument.
To carry out this policy is but to
act in the spirit of George Washing
ion: is but tc continue the policies
which lie outlined when he said COB
serve good faith and Justice toward
all nations. Cultivate peace and har-
monv with all. Nothing is
more essential than that permanent,
inveterate antipathies against par
ticular nations and passionate attach
ments for others should be excluded,
and that in place Of them just and
amicable feelings toward all should
be cultivated.
81 cannot cecomm end to your no.
tice measures for the fulfillment Of
our duties to the rest of the world
without against pressing upon you
the necessity of placing ourselves in
a condition of complete defense and
Of exacting from them the fulfllment
Of their duties toward us. The Unit
ed State ought not to indulge per-
suasion that, contrary to the order of
human events, they will forever keep
at distance those painful appeals
to arms with which the history of
every other nation abounds.. There
is a. rank due to the United States
among nations which will be with
held, if not absolutely lost, by the
reputation of weakness. If we desire
to avoid insult. we must be able to
repel it, if we desire to secure peace,
one of the most powerful instruments
Of our rising prosperity, it must be
known that We are at all times ready
for war;
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House.
April 18th. 1908.