Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-25

view Of its island possessions; SO that
at all future congresses our country
will be entitled to two votes, as against
one vote each cast by every other ma
tion In the world.
Practical Benefits to the People.
No doubt the Democrats may inquire
as to what all this has to do with the
welfare Of American citizens. For
their enlightenment and information it
may be stated that, according to the
United States census of 1900, the for
e1gn born population in the United
States at that time was 10,4600S5. The
population, born Of foreign parentage
Zone or both parents having been born
in foreign countries) was 2G,19S,939,
or a total foreign population Of &c.
659,O24 The report of the Immigra-
tlon Commissioner by years since then
shows that 6,66S,656 have since come
to America, thus eking out the total
foreign population at the present time
to 46,327 $50 This does not take any
note of increase since 1900 in Ameri-
can-born children, one or both Of whose
parents are of foreign blood. Estimat-
ing that only one-half of this number
1868, ,S40-write one letter TO foreign
countries every two weeks, or 26 weeks
each year, we have 120,9S3, ,O40 letters
written annually, which, at the present
rate Of 5 cents postage each, amounts
to an expenditure of $6,499,152 annu-
ally. Under the present postal law
foreign correspondents may send let
ters to the United States collect" but
when they reach their destination the
recipient must pay double postage. Fig
uring the double postage on the same
basis, the foreign population Of the
United States pays during each year,
for postage under the present system,
$19,497 456.
Under the new and cheaper postal
charges advocated by the Republican
party, should the 2-cent rate become
universal, the foreign population in
the United States, to their direct cor
respondents, would only pay So, 3,249,576
72S, for letters sent to them from for
eign countries collect" In other
words, this Republican measure will
save the highly esteemed adopted citi-
Zens of our country, and those born
here Of foreign parentage $12,99S,25
annually, in the necessary correspond
ence with their loved ones abroad. But
perhaps the Democrats do not think
this is worth while.
Some GIaring Inconsistencies.
At present an American can send a
letter 5000 miles by land-say from
Mexico to Alaska-for 2 cents, but
must pay cents for letter of half
the weight sent 300 miles to England.
An Englishman pays cents on let
ter crossing the Atlantic, 3,10O miles,
and 2 cents on one crossing the Indian
and South Pacific Oceans, 10000 miles,
to New Zealand. All this is to be rem
edied on October the first next, thanks
to an enlightened Republican admins
tratiOn.
1t will probably be but a short time
after the convention between this coun-
try and England goes into effect, until
the dream of a universal 2-cent letter
postage, championed by the Repub,, ,,can
party, will be realized. Australia, New
Zealand and Egypt have already called
for the 2-cent rate. The Emperor of
Germany has said that if England es-
tablishes a 2-cent postage rate with
the United States, he will have Ger
many do the same. France, Italy,
South Africa, Japan, Belgium, Hol-
land, Denmark and Sweden would need
little more than an invitation to fol-
low suit
A 2-cent postal rate would bind all
the South American republics and the
United States still more closely togeth-
er into a peaceful, reciprocal, progress
sive, civilization, which would mean
more rapid development of both Ameri-
can continents and a new application
of the Monroe doctrine. With these
countries agreed, on the object desired,
the continent of Europe alone would
then be wholly outside this compre-
hensive postal union, and then the
continental powers would not long
stand aloof from it.
1t has remained for the United
States to take the initiative in a move
to reap the great glory of being the
pioneers of world wide 2-cent post
age Millions of our citizens will feel
almost as grateful for this beneIicent
act as millions of slaves did, when the
Republican party broke the shackles
thai bound them to perpetual physical
services.
BRYAN'S POLICIES DESTRUCTIVE.