Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-05

use and operation. My distinguished
predecessor has in many speeches and
messages set out with great force AND
| striking language the necessity fol
| maintaining a strong navy common
surate with the coast line, the govern
| mental resources and for foreign trade
| of our nation; and l wish to reiterate
all the reasons which he has presented
| in favor of the policy of maintaining d
strong navy as the best conservator al
| 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.
Cur 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,
CONSTANT with national honor and the
highest national interest, to avoid Il
resort to arms. We favor every in
strumentality like that of The Hague
Tribunal and arbitration treaties made
with view to it's use in all inter-
national controversies, in order to
maintain peace and to avoid war. But
we should be blind to existing condi-
lions, 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 a similar condl-
ton, in order to prevent other nations
from taking advantage of us ana OF
our inability to defend our interests
and assert our rights with strong
hand. In the international con-
troversies that are likely to arise In
the orient, growing 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 De
able to de so, however, if it is under
stood that she never intends to back
I'D 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
paw for, and they should not be cut Off
through IlSIG COiloioSiNSioii
economy. Our Government is able to
afford a suitable army and a suitable
navy. 1t may maintain them without
the slightest danger to the Repuplc
or the cause of free institutions, ana
fear ct additional taxation ought not to
change proper policy in this regard.
The policy of the United States IN
the Spanish War, and since has given
it a position of influence among the
nations that it never had before, and
should be constantly eXerted TO Sc
curing to it's bona fide citizens, Wheth-
err native or naturalized, respect Tor
them as such in foreign countries. We
should make every effort to prevent
humilating and degrading prohibition
against any of our citizens wishing
temporarily to sojourn in foreign coun-
tries because of race or religion.
The admission of Asiatic Immigrants
who can not be amalgamated with our
population has been made the subjecf
either of prohibitory clauses in oul
treaties and statutes, or of strict ad-
minis,rative regulation secured by Dip
lomatic negotiation I sincerely hope
that we may continue to minimize the
ton without unnecessary friction and
by mutual concessions between self-re-
specting governments Meantime, we
must take every precaution to prevent.
or. failing that, to punish outbursts OF
race feeling among. out people against
foreigners of whatever nationality Whc
have by our grant treaty right t.
pursue lawful business here and to be
protected against lawless assaults OF
injury.
This leads me to point out serious
defect in the present Federal jurisdic
| ton which ought to be remedled al
once. Having assured to other coun-
tries by treaty the protection of our
| laws for such of their subjects or cltl-
| zens as we permit to come within ou'
| jurisdiction, we now leave to State
or city, not under the control of tht
| Federal Government, the duty of per
| forming our international obligations
in this respect. BY proper legislator
we may, and ought to- place in thu
hands of the Federal Executive thu
| means, of enforcing the treaty rights o
such aliens in the courts Of the Fedora
Government. 1t puts our government
i'm a puslianimous position to max
definite engagements to protect alien
and then to excuse the failure to per
form those engagements by an expla
nation that the duty to keep them is il
States or cities, not within our con
troll IF we would promise, we mus
put ourselves in a position to perform
: our promise We cannot permit tn
| possible failure of justice due to loca
prejudice in any State or municipa
, COVE rnment to expose us to the risk c
war which might be avoided If Fec
eral Jurisdiction was asserted by suita
BILE legislation by Congress and carrie
; out by proper proceedings instituted b
l the Executive, in the courts of the Ma
r tional Government.
| One OF the reforms to be carried OF
} during the incoming Administration
e Il change of our monetary and bankin
4 laws, SO as to secure greater elasticit
f n the forms of currency available fC
r trade. and to prevent the limitations (
4 law from operating to increase the en-
barassments of financial panic. tt
e Monetary Commission lately appointe
e IS giving full consideration to existir
: conditions and to all proposed remedie
:, and will doubtless suggest one thu
IL 80 ~