The Forrest City times., 1909-03-05

| It may we'll be submitted to the seri- ous consideration of congress whether | the deepening and control Of the chan nel of a great river system, like that of the Ohio or of the Mississippi. when | definite and practical plans for the enterprise have been approved and | determined upon, should not be pro l vided for in the same way
 For Army and Navy.
 Then, too, there are expenditures of government absolutely necessary 1T our country is to maintain its proper place among the nations of the world and Is to exercise it's proper influence in defense of its own trade interests in the maintenance of traditional American policy against the coloniza- tion of European monarchies in this hemisphere. and in the promotion of peace and international morality. 1 refer to the cost of maintaining a proper army, proper navy and suit able Notifications upon the mainland of the United States and in it's depend encies
 We should have an army so organ 1 ized and so officered, as to be capable in time of emergency in cooperation with the national militia. and under | the provisions of a proper national | volunteer law, rapidly to expand into a force sufficient to resist all probable | invasion from abroad and to furnish a respectable expeditionary force. if necessary, in the maintenance of our traditional American policy which | bears the name of President Monroe. Our Notifications are yet In state of only partial completeness and the number of men to man them is insuff- | cient. What has been said of the army may be affirmed in even a more em- | phatic way of the navy. A modern navy cannot be improvisesd It must be built and in existence when the emergency arises which calls for it's use and operation.
 Asiatic immigration.
 The admission of Asiatic immi- grants who cannot be amalgamated with our population has been made | the subject either of prohibitory | clauses in our treaties and statutes, or of strict administrative regulation secured by diplomatic negotiation. 1 sincerely hope that We may continue to minimize the evils likely to arise from such immigration without un- necessary friction and by mutual con sessions between self-respecting gov ernments. Meantime, We must take every precaution to prevent, or, fail ing that, to punish outbursts of race feeling among our people against for eigners of whatever nationality who have by our grant treaty right to pursue lawful business here and to be | protected against lawless assault or injury.
 This leads me to point out serious defect in the present federal jurisdic- tion which ought to be remedied at once. Having assured to other eoun- tries by treaty the protection of our laws for such of their subjects or citizens as We permit to come within our jurisdiction we now leave to a state or a city not under the control of the federal government, a duty of performing our international obliga- tions in this respect. By proper legis- lation we may, and ought to, place in the hands of the federal executive the means of enforcing the treaty rights of such aliens in the courts of the fed eral government. It puts our govern ment in pusillanimous position to make definite engagements 10 protect aliens and then to excuse the failure to perform those engagemnts by an explanation that the duty to keep them is in states or cities, not within our control.
 Monetary Laws Need Change
 One of the reforms to be carried out during the incoming administra- tion is a change of our monetary and banking laws, so as to secure greater elasticity in the forms of currency available for trade. and to prevent the limitations of law from operating to increase the embarrassments of a financial panic. The monetary con- mission lately appointed is giving full consideration to existing conditions and to all proposed remedies and will doubtless suggest one that will meet l public interest We may hope that the report will e4nbody neither the mar row view of those who believe that the sole purpose of the new system should! be 10 secure a large return on bank ing capital or of those who would have greater expansion of currency with little regard to provisions for it's immediate redemption or ultimate SC eurity. There is no subject of eco homie discussion so intricate and so likely to evoke different views and dogmatic statements as this one. The commission in studying the general in- tiuence of currency on business and of business on currency, have wisely extended Il eir investigation in Euro pean banking and monetary methods.
 The incoming congress should promptly fulfill the promise of the Re publican platform and pass a proper postal savings bank bill. It will not