The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-03-04

the requirement. OF mere pruueuCe,
that we should have an army suftl-
GENTLY large and so constituted as to
form nucleus out of which suitable
force can quickly grow.
What has been said of the army
may be affirmed In even more en-
phatic way Of the navy. A modern
navy cannot be improvised. 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 great force and
striking language the necessity for
maintaining a strong navy commensu-
rate with the coast line, the govern
mental resources and the foreign trade
of our nation, and l wish to reiterate
all the reasons which he has presented
in favor Of the policy of maintaining
a 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 interests and the exercise of
our influence in international matters.
Must Arm as Other Nations Do.
Our international policy is always to
promote peace. We shall enter into
any war with a full consciousness of
the awful consequences that it always
entails, whether successful or not, and
we, Of course, shall make every effort,
consistent with national honor and the
highest national interest, to avoid a
resort to arms. We favor every tnstru-
mentality, like that Of The Hague trf-
bunal and arbitration treaties made
with a view to it's use in all interna-
uonal controversies, in order to main
tain peace and to avoid war. But we
should be blind to existing conditions
and should allow ourselves to become
foolish 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 condition in
order to prevent other nations from
taking advantage of us and of our in
ability to defend our interests and as
sert our rights with strong hand.
In the international controversies that
are likely to arise in the orient, grow
ing out of the question Of the
open door and other issues, the
United States can maintain her inter-
ests intact and can secure respect for
her just demands. She will not be
able to do so, however, If it Is under
stood that she never intends to back
up her assertion Of right and her de-
Tense 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 de-
lenses should always be considered as
something which the government must
pay for, and they should not be cut of
through mere consideration Of econ
omy. Our government is able to af-
ford suitable army and suitable
navy. It may maintain them without
the slightest danger to the republic or
the cause Of free institutions, and fear
Of additional taxation ought not to
change proper policy in this regard
Protection For Our Citizens Abroad.
The policy of the United States In
the Spanish war and since has given
nations that it never had before, and
should be constantly exerted to secur-
ing to it's bona fide citizens, whether
native or naturalized, respect for them
as such in foreign countries. We
should make every effort to prevent
humiliating and degrading prohibition
against any Of our citizens Wishing
temporarily to sojourn in foreign coun-
tries because Of race or religion.
The Japanese Question.
The admission of Asiatic immigrants
who cannot be amalgamated with our
population has been made the subject
either of prohibitory clauses In our
treaties and statutes or of strict adj
ministrative regulation secured by dip
lomatic negotiations. I sincerely hope
that we may continue to minimize the
evils likely to arise from such immi-
grafton without unnecessary friction
and by mutual concessions between
self respecting governments. Mean
time we must take every precaution to
prevent or, failing that, to punish OUT
bursts Of race feeling among, our peo-
pie against foreigners Of whatever ma
tionality who have by our grant a
treaty right to pursue lawful business
here and to be protected against law
less assault or injury.
This leads me to point out serious
defect in the present federal jurisdic-
ton 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 citi-
zens 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 the duty Of per-
forming our International obligations
In this respect. 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 government
In pusillanimous position to make
definite engagements to protect aliens
and then to excuse the failure to per-
form those engagements by an expla-
nation that the duty to keep them Is In
states or cities not within our control.
It we would promise, we must put
ourselves In a position to perform our
promise. We cannot permit the posi-
bic failure Of Justice due to local preju-.
dice In any state or municipal govern
ment to expose us to the risk Of a war
which might be avoided If federal