The Lamar register., 1908-09-23

bryan luea. IL Woulu pe euu".is ioo'
ish upon our part to rely upon each OF
them possessing at all times and under
all circumstances and provocations, an
altruistic regard for the rights of 9th
ers.
Must Maintain American Prestige
The United States can hope FOR u
permanent career of peace on only one
condition, and that is Oh condition Oh
maintaining a first class ndvy-uespite
the obstructive tactics of the Democrat
ic party.
The government has found 1t neces-
sary to be liberal in appropriations ior
rivers. harbors and bays, for irrigation'
for the construction of public buildings
and for various other public enterprises
which rebound either to the beneht OF
some specific locality or to the peopie
ut large. Every great power has iouhu
it necessary to provide protection lor
its commerce, its foreign trade its
ports, and its people doing business or
travelling in other countries we nav
become great power. This NATION w.
day lines up alongside of the hVe great
powers of the world. We have assuii-
ed responsibilities by the recent COW
NAL expansion which was thrust upon
us, and from which we cannot eNcape
If we would. and ought not II we could
Responsibility of World Power.
We have obligations to Cuba, where
we have said to the world we VIII pro-
tect her against assault or INVASION
against attacks upon her independence
integrity of territory, OF her lhstitu-
tons We have Porto Rico, when can
be defended only from the sea, as CuDa
can be defended only from the sea- we
have the islands of Tutuila, GUAM
Hawaii and the philippines far from
the United States, all of when ihus'
be protected from the sea. we nave
assumed another obligation In the ran
ANA Canal, which perhaps is greatest
of all.
We have the longest line OF sea coast
of any other power in the woriu eA-
cept one-7,OOO miles-and In additioh
to that, Alaska. We have nssumeu re-
sponsibility for law and order III ran
ANA. The spades and drills ana steam
shovels are there at work ana the whoie
| world is taking notice, because they
are to alter the paths of commerce anu
tn change the relations of nations. The
| future of the Monroe Doctrine is III 'n'
custody of our navy. Its peaceiui reg
oynition will be the tribute which other
nations pay, not to the doctrine, Dut 10
our sea power.
We rs u people do not fully appre'
ciate the commercial jealousics now ex-
listing In Europe against us ana whlch
will be acccntuated by the CONSTRUCTION
and completion of the Panama canal
| Not alone our states on the Pacihc, bui
the whole line of ports on the Atlantic
Coast. will come into this conception
| for the ports on the Atlantic coast are
| as near In miles to Japan, emma anu
the Orient, by the Panama canal, as
are the reservoirs that gnther for dis
tribution abroad. the products OF CONT
mental Europe, or London, through Inc
| SucZ Canal.
Commerce and Our Sea Power.
This great future commerce cannot
be protected by treaties alone. We
cannot protect our commerce ana cx
pand our trade by mere arbitration OF
The Hague alone. We can only main
tain commerce by having a sea power
ADEQUATE for its protection. for the ~
curity OF our islands. and to prevent 4
hostile fleet from destroying in week
the Panama canal. after 1t has cost US
| - .,,-,, o., ty,ra. hupIraI million dol
lars and ten years to build.
1t is therefore to the interest OF ev'
cry high-minde,l, philosophical Ameri
can to endorse the constructive policy
of the Republican party. and encourage
the establishment and maintenance Of
n fjrst-class American navy