The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-03-04

traditional American policy whicl
bears the name Oh President Monroe
Our fortihcations are yet IN STATE
OF only partial completeness, and the
number OF men to man them is insufi
cient. In few years, however the
usual annual appropriations for oul
coasta defenses both on the mainland
and in the dependencies, will make
them sufficient to resist all direct at
tack, and by thhat time we may hope
that the men 10 man them viii be pro
yided as a necessary adjunct The dis
tance of our shores from Europe and
Asia of course reduces the necessity
for maintaining under arms a great
army, but II does not take away the
requirement Of mere prudence, that we
should have an army sufficiently large
and so constituted as to form nucl-
Gus out of which a suitable force can
quickly grow
What has been said OF the army
may be affirmed in even more EN-
phatc way OF the navy. A modern
navy cannot be improyised. 1t must
be built and in existence when the
emergency arises which calls for its
use and operation My distinguished
predecessor has in many speeches and
messages set out with a great force
and striking language the necessity
for maintaining a strong navy com
mensurate with the coast line, the gov
ernmental resources and the foreign
trade of our nation, and | wish to re-
iterate all the reasons which he has
presented in favor of the policy of
maintaining a strong navy as the best
conseryator of our peace with other
nations and best means of securing
respect for the assertion of our rights,
the defense of our interests and the
exercise of our influence in interna-
tional matters.
Our international policy is always
to promote peace We shall enter in
to any war with a full consciousness
of the awful consequences that it al
ways entails, whether successful or
not, and we, Of course, shall make
every effort consistent with national
honor and the highest national inter-
est, to avoid a resort to arms We
favor every rnstrumentality like that
of The Hague Tribunal and arbitration
treaties made with view to its use
in all international controversies, in
order to maintain peace and to avoid
war. But we should be blind to ex-
listing conditions, and should allow
ourselves to become foolish idealists,
II we did not realize that with all the
nations of the world armed and pre-
pared for war, we must be ourselves in
A similar condition, in order to pre-
vent other nations from taking adj
of us and OF our inability to
defend our interests and assert our
rights with strong hand. In the in
controversies that are like
" to arise in the, Orient, growing out
If the question of the open door and
)ther issues, the United States can |
maintain her interests intact and can |
iecure respects for her just demands. |
She will not be able to do SO, however, |
( it is understood that she never in
ends to back up her assertion of |
light and her defense Of her interest |
" anything but mere verbal protest |
md diplomatic note. For these rea-
IONS. the expenses oG the army and
lavy and of coast defenses should al
Ways be considered as something |
which the government must pay for,
md they should not be cut off through |
mere consideration of economy. Our
government is able to afford suitable
Irmy and a suitable navy. 1t may
them without the slightest /
langer to the republic or the cause of
rec institutions, and fear of additional
axation ought not to change proper
,olicy in this regard.
The policy of the United States in
he Spanish war, and since, has given
I a position of influence among the
lations that it never had before, and
hould be constantly exerted to secur-
ng to its bona fide citizens, whether
lative or naturalized, respect for them
IS such an foreign countries. We
knuld make every effort to prevent
and degrading prohibition
gainst any of our citizens wishing
to soiourn IN foreign
because of race or religion.
The admission of Asiatic immi-
rants who can not be amalgamated
With our population has been made
he subject either of prohibitory clau-
es in our treaties and statues, or of
trict administrative regulation secur-