The new era., 1909-03-25

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1t may well be submitted to the seri-
GUS consideration OF congress whether
the deepening and control of the chan
mel 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 lie pro-
vided for in the same way
For Army and Navy.
Then, too there are expenditures.
OF government absolutely necessary II
our country is to maintain Its proper
place among the nations of the world,
and is to exercise its proper influence
in defense Of its own trade interests,
in the maintenance of traditional
American policy against the colonial
tion of European monarchies in this
hemisphere. and in the promotion OF
peace and international morality.
refer to the cost OF maintaining
proper army, a proper navy and suit
able Notifications upon the mainland
Of the United States. and in its depend
encies.
We should have an army so organ
ized, and SO ofiicered, as to be capable
in time of emergency in cooperation
with the national militia, and under
the provisions of 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 fortifications are yet in state
OF only partial completeness and the
number OF men to man them is INSULT
cient. What has been said OF the army
may be affirmed in even more en-
phatic way of the navy. A modern
navy cannot be improvisesd. 1t must
be built and in existence when the
emergency arises which calls for its
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. l
sincerely hope that we may continue
to minimize the evils likely to arise
from such immigration without un-
necessary friction and by mutual con-
cessions 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 a 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 coun-
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 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. 1t puts our govern
ment in a pusillanimous position to
make definite engagements to protect
aliens and then to excuse the failure
to perform those engagements by an
h4 1,,t,
them Is in states or cities, not within
our control. q
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 COM
mission lately appointed is giving full
consideration to existing conditions
and to all proposed remedies, and will
doubtless suggest one that will meet
the requirements of business and of
public interest. We may hope that
the report will embody neither the mar
row view OF those who believe that the
sole purpose OF the new system should
be to secure large return on bank
ing capital or of those who would
have greater expansion of currency
with little regard to provisions for its
immediate redemption or ultimate Sc
curity. There is no subject of eco
nomic discussion so intricate and so
likely to evoke different views and
dogmatic statements as this one. The
commission in studying the general in
f1uence of currency on business and
of business on currency, have wisely
extended their investigation in Euro
pean banking and monetary methods.