Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-03-10

ana STRIKING language the necessary
for maintaining strong navy COM
mensurate with the coast line, the
governmental resources and the for
eign trade of our nation; and I wish
to reiterate all the reasons which he
has presented in favor Of the policy
of maintaining q strong navy as the
best conservator of our peace with
other nations and the best means of
securing respect for the assertion of
our rights, the defense of our in
terests and the exercise of our in
fuence in international matters.
TIE Maint Of Peace.
Our. international policy is always
to promote peace. We shall enter
into any war with a full conscious
ness of the awful consequences that
it always entails, whether successful
or not, and we, of course, shall make
every effort, consistent with national
honor ard the highest national in
terest, to avoid resort to arms. We
favor every instrumentality, like
that of The Hague Tribunal and ar
bitration treaties made with view
to its use in all international contro-
versies, I'M order to maintain peace
and to avoid war. But we should be
blind to existing conditions, and
should allow ourselves to become fool
ish idealists, if we did not realize
that with all the nations of the world
armed and prepared for war, we
must be ourselves In similar con-
dition in order to prevent other ma
tions from taking advantage of us
and of our inability to defend our
interests and assert our rights with
strong hand. In the international
controversies that are likely to arise
in the Orient, growing out of the
question of the open door and other
issues, the United States can main
tain her interests intact and can Sc
cure respect for her just demands.
She will not be able to do, so, how
ever, if it is understood that she
never intends to, back up her asser-
tion Of right and her defense of her
interest by anything but mere verbal
protest and diplomatic note. For
these reasons, the expenses of the
army and navy and of coast defenses
should always be considered as some
thing which the government must
pay for, and they should not be cut
off through mere consideration of
economy. Our Government is able
to afford a suitable army and suit
able navy. 1t may maintain them
without the slightest danger to the
Republic or the cause of free insti-
tutions, and fear of additional tax
alton ought not to change a proper
policy in this regard.
Protection of Americans in Foreign
Lands.
The policy of the United State in
the Spanish War and since, has given
it position of influence among the
nations that it never had before, and
should be constantly exerted to Sc.
curing to its bona fde citizens,
whether native or naturalized, re-
spect for. them as such in foreign
countries. We should make every
effort to prevent humiGating and de-
grading prohibition against any Of
our citizens wishing temporarily to
sojourn in foreign countries because
Of race or religion.
Immigrants.
The admission Of Asiatic immi-
grants who can not be anaalgamated
with our population has been made
the subject either Of prohibitory
clauses in our treaties and statutes,
or Of strict administrative regula-
ton secured by diplomatic lnegotia-
tion. I sincerely hope that we may
continue to minimize the evils likely
to arise from such immigration with
cut unnecessary friction and by mu-
tual concessions between self-respect-
ing governments. Meantime, we must
take every precaution to prevent, or,
failing that, to punish outbursts of
race, feeling among our people
against foreigners of whatever nat
ionaGty who may have by our grant
a treaty right to pursue lawful bus
mess here and to be protected
against lawless assault or injury.
Protection of Foreigners.
This leads me to point out a seri-
Gus defect in the present Federal
jurisdiction which ought to be rem
edied at once. Having assured to
other countries by treaty the pro-
lection of our laws FOR such of their
subjects or citizens as we permit to
come within our jurisdiction, we now
leave to State or a city, not un-
der the control of the Federal Gov
ernment, the duty of performing our
international obligations in this re-
spect. By proper legislation 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 Federal
Government. It puts our govern
mentl in pusillanimous position to
make definite engagements to pro-
tect aliens and then to excuse the
failure to perform those engagements
by an explanation that the duty to
keep them is in States or cities, not
within our control. IF we would
promise. we must nut ourselyes In