Tne mcnmond Palladium, Wednesday, December 5, 1906.
rie PresMeifs Message Read Yesterday
ingress
C
resident Roosevelt in bis annual
pssage again urges the enactment of
law prohibiting corporations from
ntributing to campaign funds. lie
so urges the passage of the measure
nferring upon the government the
;ht of appeal In criminal cases on
bestions of law. Continuing, the
resident says:
r cannot too strongly urge the pas
ge of the Mil in question. A failure
pass It will result in seriously ham
ring the government in Its effort to
tain Justice, especially against
nlthy Individuals or corporation
10 do wrong, and may also prevent
is government from obtaining Justice
r wageworkers who are not them
Ives able effectively to contest a case
iere the Judgment of an inferior
urt has been against them. I have
ocificnlly In view a recent decision
a district Judge leaving railway
hployees without remedy for vlola-
n of a' certain so called labor statute,
e importance of enacting into law
e particular bill in question is fur-
t Increased by the fact that the gov-
lment has now definitely begun a
iicy of resorting to the criminal law
those trust and Interstate commerce
fees where such a course offers a rea
dable chance of success.
Proper Ta of Injunction.
n my last message I suggested the
jactment of a law in connection with
Issuance of injunctions, attention
ving been sharply drawn to the mat-
by the demand that the right of ap
ing injunctions In labor- cases
puld be wholly abolished. It is at
st doubtful whether a law abolish
r altogether the use of Injunctions
such cases would stand the test of
h courts. In which case, of course, the
islation would be ineffective. More-
tr, I believe It would be wrong alto-
her to prohibit- the use of Injunc-
ns. It la criminal to permit sym-
Jthy for criminals to weaken our
Jnda In upholding the law, and If
a seek to destroy life or property
mob violence there should be no Im
rment of the power of the courts to
lil with them in the most summary
a effective way possible. But so
r as possible the abuse of the power
puld be provided against by some
h law as I advocated last 3 ear.
Aitmlait Lrnchlng.
call your attention and the atten-
b of the nation to the prevalence of
hue among us and, above oil, to the
demic of lynching and mob violence
it springs up now in one part of our
mtry, now in another. Each Kec-
p, nortn, soutn, ease or west, nas
own faults. No section can with
Rdom spend its time Jeering at the
pits of another section. It should be
y trying to amend its own short-
nlngs. To deal with the crime of ;
ruptiou It Is necessary to have an ,
akeued public conscience and to
hplement this by whatever Iegisla-
11 will add speed and certainty In
? execution of the law. When we
ii with lynching even more is neces
y. A great many white men are
icbed. but -the crime is peculiarly
f
quent in respect to black men. The
latest existing cause of lynching is
perpetration, especially by black
u, of the hideous crime of rape, the
st abominable in all the category
crimes, even worse than murder.
Lawlessness grows by what It feeds
Ln. and when mobs bein to lynch
rape they speedily extend the
here of their operations and lynch
many other kinds of crimes, so that
b-thirds of the lynchlugs are not
rape at all. while a considerable
bportion of the Individuals lynched
innocent of all crime,
here is but one safe rule In dealing
h black men as with white men.
is the same rule that must be ap-
fed in dealing with rich men and
br men that is. to treat each man.
atever his color, his creed or his so- j
1 position, with even handed justice
his real worth as a man. White
pie owe It quite as much to them-
Ives as to the colored race to treat
II the colored man who shows by
life that he deserves such treatment.
negro domination involved.
u my judgment, the crime of. rape
buld always be punished with death,
is the case with murder, Assault
ih intent to commit rape should be
de a capital crime, at least in the
cretion of the court, and provision
buld be made by which the punlsn-
nt may follow immediately upon
heels of the offense. ,
'0 more shortsighted policy can be
ligined than in the fancied Interest
one class to prevent the education
another class. The white man, If
is wise, will decline to allow the
rroes la a mass to grow to man-
bd and womanhood without educa-
Preacher" of Mere Discontent.
In dealing with both labor and cap
1. with the questions affecting both
kwratlons. and trades unions, there
one matter more Important to re-
mber than aught else, and that is
Infinite harm done by preachers of
re discontent These are the men
o seek to excite a violent class ha-
U against all men of wealth. They
k to turn wise and proper move
nts for the better control of corpora-
hs and for doing away with the
ises connected with wealth Into a
kipaign of hysterical excitement and
kebood ln which the aim Is to ln-
Ine to madness the brutal passions
mankind. The sinister demagogues
S foolish visionaries who are always
rer to undertake such a campaign i
destruction sometimes seek to as
iate themselves with those working
a genuine reform la governmental
5 social methods and sometimes mas-
frade as such reformers. In reality
y " are the" worst" enemies of the
bse they profess to advocate, just as
purveyors of sensational slander In
vspaper or magazine are the worst
mies of all men who are engaged Ib
bonest effort to better what Is bad
Jour social and governmental condi-
tis.
orruption is never so rife as in com-
nlties where the demagogue and the
tator bear full sway, because in
n communities all moral bands be
be loosened, and hysteria and sensa
LalMm replace the spirit of sound
gmeut and fair dealing as between
tne squalid onaiuny tnus produced" nien
are sure in the end to turn toward any
leader who can restore order, and then
their relief at being free from the In
tolerable burdens of class hatred, vio
lence and demagogy is such that they
cannot for some time be aroused to in
dignation against misdeeds by men of
wealth, so that they permit a new
growth of the very abuses which were
In part responsible for the original out
break. The one hope for success for
our people lies in a resolute and fear
less but sane and cool Leaded advance
along the path marked out last year
by this very congress. There must be
a stern refusal to be misled into fol
lowing either that base creature who
appeals and panders to the lowest in
stincts and passions in order to arouse
one set of Americans against their fel
lows or that other creature, equally
base, but no baser, 'who In a spirit of
greed or to accumulate or add to an
already huge fortune seeks to exploit
his fellow Americans with callous dis
regard to their welfare of soul and
body. The man who debauches others
ln order to obtain a high office stands
on an evil equality of corruption with
the man who debauches others for
financial profit, and when hatred is
sown me crop wuicn springs up can
only be evil.
The plain people who think the me-
chanics, farmers, merchants, workers
with head. or haud, the. men to whom
American traditions are dear, who love
their country alid try to act decently
by their neighbors owe it to them
selves to remember that the most dam
aging blow that can be given popular
government is to elect an unworthy
and sinister agitator on a platform of
violence and hypocrisy.
Railroad Employees Iloan.
I call your attention to the need of
passing the bill limiting the number of
hours of employment of railroad em
ployees. The measure is a very moder
ate one, and I can conceive of no seri
ous objection to It. Indeed, so far as
It is in our power, it should be our aim
steadily to reduce the number of hours
of labor, with as a goal the general in- j
traduction of an eight hour day. There .
are industries in which it is not pos
slble that the hours of labor should
be reduced, just as there are communi
ties not far enough advanced for such
a movement to be for their good, or, If j Cise tax. In addition to these, there is
In the tropics, so situated that there is every reason why, when next our sys
no analogy between their needs and tem of taxation is revised, the national
ours In this matter. On the isthmus : government should impose a graduated
of ranama, for Instance, the coudi- j inheritance tax and, if possible, a grad
tions are in every waj- so different uated Income tax.
from what they are here that an eight j 1 am well aware that such a subject
hour day wouldlbe absurd, just as it as this needs long and careful study ln
is absurd, so far as the isthmus Is con- order that the people may become fa
cerned. w?rc white labor cannot be miliar with what is proposed to be
employed, to bother as to whether the done, may clearly see the necessity of
necessary work is done by alien black j proceeding with wisdom and self re-
men or by alien yellow men. But the
wageworkers of the United States are
of so high a grade that alike from the
merely industrial standpoint and from
the civic standpoint It should be our
object to do what we can In the direc
tion of securing the general observance
of an eight hour day.
Lot me again urge that the congress
provide for n thorough Investigation
of the conditions of child labor and of
the labor of women in the Uniled
States. The horrors incident to the
employment of young children in fac
tories or at work" Anywhere are a blot
on our civilization.
In spite of all precautions exercised
by employers there are unavoidable ac
cidents and even' deaths Involved ln
nearly every line of business connect
ed with the mechanic crts. It is a
great social injustice to compel the em
ployee, or. rather, the family of the
killed or disabled victim, to bear the
entire burden of such an Inevitable
sacrifice. In" other words, society shirks
its duty by laying the whole cost on
the victim, whereas the Injury comes
from what may be called the legitl-
mate risks of the trade. Compensation
for accidents or deaths due In any line
of Industry to the actual conditions un
der which that Industry is carried on
should be paid by that portion of the
community for the benefit of whleh
the industry is carried on that is, by
those who profit hy the industry. If
the entire trade risk is placed upon the
employer, he will promptly and prop
erly add It to the legitimate cost of pro
duction and assess it proportionately
upon the consumers of his commodity.
It is therefore clear to my mind that
the law should place this entire "risk
of a trade" upon the employer.
Capital and Labor Disputes.
Records show that during tiv twen
ty years from Jan. 1. 18S1, to Dec. 31,
1900, there were strikes affecting 117,
I09 establishments, and 6.105,694 em
ployees were thrown out of employ
ment. During the same period there
were 1,005 lockouts, involving nearly
10,000 establishments, throwing over
1,000.000 people out of employment.
These strikes and lockouts Involved an
estimated lass to employees of $307,
000,000 and to employers of $143,000,
000. a total of $150,000,000. The public
suffered directly and indirectly prob
ably as great additional loss.
Many of these strikes and lockouts
would not have occurred had the par
ties to the dispute been required to
appear before an unprejudiced body
representing the nation and. face to
face, state the reasons for their con
tention. The exercise "of & Judicial
spirit by a disinterested body repre
senting the federal government, such
as would be provided by a commission
on conciliation and arbitration, would
tend to create an atmosphere of friend
liness and conciliation between con
tending parties.
Control of Corporations.
It canuot too oftea be repeated that
experience has conclusively shown the
Impossibility of securing by the actions
of nearly half a hundred different state
legislatures anything but Ineffective
chaos In the way of dealing with the
great corporations which do not oper
ate exclusively within the limits of
any one state. In some method, wheth
er by a national license law or in other
fashion, we must exercise, and that at
an early date, a far more complete
control than at present over these great
corporations a control that will, among
other thiugs, prevent the evils of ex
cessive overcapitalization and that will
compel the disclosure by each big cor
poration of its stockholders and of its
rur-tiriii tn i squirm jcfcct!ua: aa-
ea directly or through subsidiary or
affiliated corporations. This will tend
to put a stop to the securing of inor
dinate profits by favored individuals at
the expense whether of the general
public, the stockholders or the wage
workers. Our effort should be not so
much to prevent consolidation as such,
but so to supervise and control it as
to see that it results in no harm to the
people.
Combination of capital, like combina
tion of labor, is a necessary element of
our present industrial system. It Is
not possible completely to prevent it,
and if it were possible such complete
prevention would do damage to the
body politic. What we need Is not
vainly to try to prevent all combina
tion, but to secure such rigorous and
adequate control and supervision of
the combinations as to prevent their
injuring the public or existing in such
form as inevitably to threaten injury,
for the mere fact that a combination
has secured- practically complete con
trol of a necessary of life would under
any circumstances show that such
combination was to be presumed to be
adverse to the public interest. It is
unfortunate that our present laws
should forbid all combinations instead
of sharply discriminating between
j those combinations which do good and
j tUOse combinations which do evil. Re-
j bates, for instance, are as often due to
j tne pressure of big shippers (as was
I gllown in tije investigation of the
Standard Oil company and as has been
shown since by the lnvestigatioi of
the tobacco and sugar trusts) as to the
initiative of big railroads. Often rail
roads would like to combine for the
purpose of preventing a big shipper
from maintaining improper advantages
at the expense of small shippers and
of the general public. Such a combina
tion, instead of being forbidden by law,
should be favored. In other words, It
should be permitted to rallroa- 1 to
make agreements, provided these agree
ments were sanctioned by the Inter
state commerce commission and were
published. With these two conditions
complied with It is impossible to see
what harm such a combination could
do to the public at large.
Inheritance and Income Tax.
The national government has long
derived its chief revenue from a tariff
on imports and from an internal or ex-
stralnt and may make up their minds
just how far they are willing to go in
the matter, while only trained legisla
tors can work out the project in neces
sary detail. But I feel that in the near
-future our national legislators should
enact a law providing for a graduated
inheritance tax by which a steadily In
creasing rate of duty should be put
upon all monej-s or other valuables
coming by gift, bequest or devise to
any Individual or corporation. There
can be no question of the ethical pro
priety of the government thus deter
mining the conditions upon which any
gift or inheritance should be received.
As the law now stands it is undoubt
edly difficult to devise a national in
come tax which shall be constitutional.
But whether It is absolutely impossible
is another question, and if possible it
is most certainly desirable. The first
purely income tax law was passed by
the congress in 1SC1, but the most im
portant law dealing with the subject
that of 1894. This the court held
was
to be unconstitutional.
The question is undoubtedly very in
tricate, delicate and troublesome. The
decision of the court was only reached
by one majority. It is the law of the
land and of course is accepted as such
and loyally obeyed by all good citizens.
Nevertheless the hesitation evidently
felt by the court as a whole in coming
to a conclusion, when considered to
gether with previous decisions on the
subject, may perhaps indicate the pos-
sihUittr nf rtovlsln v a constitutional in-
come tax law which shall substantially j
accomplish the results aimed at. The
difficulty of amending the constitution
13 so great that only real necessity can
justify a resort thereto. Every effort
should be made in dealing with this
subject, as with the subject of the
proper control by the national govern
ment over the use of corporate wealth
in interstate business, to devise legis-,
lation wijich without such action shall'
attain the desired end. but if this fails
there will ultimately be no alternative
to a constitutional amendment.
Industrial Training.
Our Industrial development depends
largely upon technical education, in-
clading in this term all industrial edu
cation, from that which fits a man to
be a good mechanic, a good carpenter
or blacksmith to that which fits a man
to do the greatest engineering feat.
The skilled mechanic, the skilled work
man, can best become such by tech- j
nical Industrial education. The far
reaching usefulness of institutes of
technology and schools of mines or of
engineering is now universally ac
knowledged, and no less far reaching
is the effect of a good building or" me
chanical trades school, a textile" "or
watchmaking or engraving school.
In every possible way we should help
the wageworker who toils with his
haDds and who must (we hope in a
constantly increasing measure) also
toil with his brain. Under the constitu
tion the national legislature can do but
little of direct Importance for his wel
fare save where h is engaged in work
wbk-h permits It to act under the in
terstate commerce clause of the consti
tution, and this is one reason why I
so earnestly hope that both the legis
lative and judicial branches of the gov.
eminent will construe this clause of
tbe constitution in the broadest possi
ble manner.
The Farmer.
The only other persons whose wel
fare is as vital to the welfare of the
whole country as is the welfare of the
wageworkers are the tillers of the soil,
the farmers.
Several factors must co-operate in
t&a InmroTsfiigAt of the Xarjser's. ecu- j
dition. lie must have the chance to
be educated in the widest possible
sense, in the sense which keeps ever in
view the intimate relationship between
the theory of education and the facts
of life.
Organization has become necessary
in the business world, and it has ac
complished much for good in the world
of labor. It is no less necessary for
farmers. Such a movement as the
grange movement is good in itself and
is capable of a well nigh Infinite fur
ther extension for good so long as It is
kept to Its own legitimate business.
The benefits to be derived by the as
sociation of farmers for mutual ad
vantage are partly economic and part
ly sociological.
Irrigation and Forest Preservation.
Much is now being done for the
states of the Rocky mountains and
great plains through the development
of the national policy of irrigation and
forest preservation. No government
policy for the betterment of our inter
nal conditions has been more fruitful
of good than this.
Divorce Legislation.
I am well aware of how difficult It Is
to pass a constitutional amendment.
Nevertheless, in-my judgment, the
whole question of marriage and di
vorce should be relegated to the au
thority of the national congress. The
change would be good from every
standpoint. In particular it would be
good because it would confer on the
congress the power at once to deal
radically and efficiently with polygamy,
and this should be done whether or
not marriage and divorce are dealt
with. It is neither safe nor proper to
leave the question of polygamy to be
dealt with by the several states.
Merchant Marine.
Let me once again call the attention
of the congress to two subjects con
cerning which I have frequently be
fore communicated with them. One is
the question of developing American
shipping. I trust that a law embody
ing in substance the views or a major
part.of the views expressed in the re
port on this subject laid before the
house at its last session will be passed.
It seems to me that the proposed meas
ure is as nearly unobjectionable as any
can be.
The Currency.
I especially call jour attention to the
second subject, the condition of our
currency laws. The national bank act
has ably served a great purpose in aid
ing the enormous business develop
ment of the country, and within ten
years there has been an increase in
circulation per capita from $21.41 to
$33.08. For several years evidence has
j been accumulating chat additional y
islation Is needed. The recurr ' ot
each crop season emphasizes tu de
fects of the present laws. There must
soon be a revision of them, because
to leave them as they are means to in
cur liability of business disaster. Since
your body adjourned there has been a
fluctuation in the interest on call
money from 2 per cent to 30 per cent,
and the fluctuation was even greater
during the preceding six months. The
secretary of the treasury had to step
In and by wise action put a stop to the
most violent period of oscillation.
I do not press any especial plan. Va-i
rious plans have recently been pro
posed by expert committees of bank
ers. Among the plans which are possi
bly feasible and which certainly should 1
receive your consideration is that re- j
peatedly brought to your attention by
the present secretary of the treasury,
the essential features of which have
been approved by many prominent
bankers and business men. According
to this plan, national banks should be
Permitted to issue a specified propor- j
tion of their capital In notes of a given
kind, the issue to be taxed at so high
a rate as to drive the notes back when f
not wanted in legitimate trade. This-
plan would not permit the Issue of
currency to give banks additional prof
its, but to meet the emergency present
ed by times of stringency.
I do not say that this is the right sys
tem
. I only advance it to emphasize
belief that there ;is need for the
my
adoption of some system which shall ;
, . , , . .. . '
LC? auiuuiaut auu j ix lis ail owuuu
" to all possibility of
discrimination and favoritism.
The law should be amended so as
specifically to provide that the funds
derived from customs duties may be
treated by the secretary of the treas
ury as he treats 'funds obtained under
the Internal revenue laws. There
should be a considerable increase in
bills of small denominations. Permis
sion should be given banks, if necessa
ry under settled restrictions, to retire
their circulation to a larger amount
than three millions a month.
1 most earnestly hope that the bill to
provide a lower tariff for or else abso
lute free trade in Philippine products
will become a law. No harm will come
to any American industry, and. while
there will be some small but real mate
rial benefit to the Filipinos, the main
benefit will come by the showing made
as to our purpose to do all ln our power
for their welfare.
Porto Rlcan Affafra.
American citizenship should be con
ferred on the citizens 'of Porto Rico.
The harbor of San Juan, in Porto Rico,
should be dredged and Improved. The
expenses of the federal court of Porto
Rico should be met from the federal
treasury.
Hawaii.
The needs of Hawaii are peculiar.
Every aid should be given the Islands,
and our efforts should be unceasing to
develop them along the lines of a com
munity of small freeholders, not of
great planters with cooly tilled es
tates. Alaska.
Alaska's needs have been partially
met, but there must be a complete re
organization of the governmental sys
tem, as I have before Indicated to you.
I ask your especial attention to this.
Our fellow citizens who dwell on the
shores of Piget sound with character
istic energy are arranging to hold in
Seattle the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific ex
position. This exposition In its pur
poses and scope should appeal not only
to the people of the Pacific slope, but
to the people of the United States at
large.
Rlajhta of Aliens.
"ot calx m.us TQ treat 3IX n&tioas
fairly, but we must trait with justice
and good will ail immigrants who come
here under the law. Whether they are
Catholic or Protestant. Jew or pontile
whether they come from England or
Germany. Russia. Japan or Italy, mat
ters nothing. All we h.ue a right to
question is the man's couduct. If he
is honest auU upri"t in his dealings
with his neighbor and with the state,
then he Is entitled to respect and good
treatment. Especially do we need tc
remember our duty to die strange?
within our gates. It is the sure mark
of a low civilization, a low morality, to
abuse or discriminate against or in any
way humiliate such stranger who has
come here lawfully and who Is con
ducting himself properly. . To remem
ler this Is incumbent on every Amer
ican citizen, and it is of course pecul
iarly incumbent on every government
official, whether of the nation or of
the several states.
I am prompted to say this by the
attitude of hostility here and there as
sumed toward the Japanese in this
country. This hostility is sporadic and
is limited to a very few places. Never
theless It is most discreditable to us
as a people, and It may be fraught
with the gravest consequences to the
nation.
I ask fair treatment for the Japanese
as I would ask fair treatment for Ger
mans or Englishmen. Frenchmen, Rus
sians or Italians. I ask it as due to
humanity and civilization. I ask it as
due to ourselves, because we must act
uprightly toward all men. I recom
mend to the congress that an act be
passed specifically providing for the
naturalization of Japanese who come
here Intending to become American cit
izens. One of the great embarrass
ments attending the performance of
our international obligations is the
fact that the statutes of the United
States are entirely inadequate. They
fall to give to the national government
sufficiently ample power, through Unit
ed States courts and by the use of the
army and navy, to protect aliens In the
rights secured to them under solemn
treaties which are the law of the land.
I therefore earnestly recommend that
the criminal and civil statutes of the
United States be so amended and add
ed to as to enable the president, acting
for the United States government.
which is responsible in our interna
tional relations, to enforce the rights
of aliens under treaties.
The Cuban Matter.
Last August an insurrection broke
out In Cuba which it speedily grew evi
dent that the existing Cuban govern
ment was powerless to quell. Thanks
to the preparedness of our navy, I
was able Immediately to send enough
ships to Cuba to prevent the situation
from becoming hopeless, and I fur
thermore dispatched to Cuba the sec
retary of war and the assistant secre
tary of state in order that they might
grapple with the situation on the
ground.
In accordance with the so called
riatt amendment, which was embod
ied in the constitution of Cuba, I there
upon proclaimed a provisional govern
ment for the island, the secretary of
war acting as provisional governor un
til be could be replaced by Mr. Magoou,
the late minister to Panama and gov
ernor of the canal zone on the isthmus.
Troops were sent to support them and
to relieve the navy, the expedition be
ing handled with most satisfactory
speed and efficiency. Teace has come
In the island, and the harvesting of the
sugar cane crop, the great crop of the
island, i3 about to proceed. When the
election has been held and the new
government inaugurated in peaceful
and orderly fashion the provisional
government will come to an end.
The United States wishes nothing of
Cuba except that it shall prosper mor-
anv and materially and wishes nothing !
t, . T Ii.
able to preserve order among them-'
selves ana tnererore to preserve tneir
luucpeuueuce. ir tne elections Decome
a farce and if the insurrectionary habit
ab8olute, out of tbe questioa that the
.;.,. j
"... T. ., . , . V
and the Lnited States, which has as-
isiuxiu buuuiu cuuuuue juueyeuueui,
sumed the sponsorship before the civ
ilized world for Ctiba's career as a na
tion, would again have to Intervene
and to see that the government was
managed in such orderly fashion as to
secure the safety of life and property.
The Rio Conference.
The second international conference
of American republics, held in Mexl- j
co in the years 1901-02, provided for
the holding of the third conference
within five years and committed the ;
fixing of the time and place and the
arrangements for the conference to the
governing board of the bureau of , Mrs. Clarence Pitts, were the fiesta
American republics, composed of tbej0f Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Clements, Sun
representatives of all the American
nations in Washington. That board
discharged the duty imposed upon
it with marked fidelity and pains-!
taking care, and upon the courteous
invitation of the United States of Bra
zil the conference was held at Rio de
Janeiro, continuing from the 23d of
July to the 29th of August last. Many
subjects of common interest to all the
American nations were discussed by
the conference, and the conclusions
reached, embodied in a series of reso
lutions and proposed conventions, will
be laid before you upon the coming of
the final report of the American dele
gates. Panama Trip.
I have just returned from a trip to
Panama and shall report to you at
length later on the whole subject of the
Panama canal.
The Alsreelraa Convention.
The Algeciras convention, which was '
signed by the United States as well as '
ujr idum 01 me powers or .arope su-
persedes the previous convention of j
the United States and a majority of '
the European powers.
i U13 1 1 tTii L 1
confers upon us equal commercial
rights with all European countries and f
does not entail a single obligation of
any kind upon us. and I earnestly hope
it may be speedily ratified.
Sealing.
The destruction of the Pribiiof Is
land fur seals by pelagic sealing still
continues. The herd, which, according
to the surye y made ln 1S74 by direc
tion of the congress, numbered 4,700,
QQ2. &B& TE&jci-. according tUs?2tx?
rev vi tjiit A.r.ei'.cna t.oiVivi;-::
co in in ."s Toners in 1S91, amounted to
1.000.000. has now been reduced to
i ibont 1S0.000. ThU result has beer
brought about by Canadian and some
tl er -V:g vessels killing tV:e female
-eal v. ! ;k in the wrier Ourh'rr tL'!r
nnnual plriunge to and from tb
-south or la search of f jo 1.
The poc: ss of destruction has been
acce!er;'.' f d during rscezt ycar3 by t!u
appearance of a nuivber of Japanese
1 ves -e! engaged In nei.'g.c seal.ng.
Suitable representations regarding
the ' i:i"h!ent have been made to the
government of Japan, and we are as
sured tbat all practicable measure wi'.I
be taken by that country to prevent
any recurrence of the outrage.
We have not relaxed our efforts to
secure an agreement with Ortat Brit
ain for adequate protection of the seal
herd, and negotiations with Japan for
the same purps-e are In progress.
The laws for the protection of the
seals within the jurisdiction of the
United States need revision and
amendment. J
Second llaarne Conference.
In my last raoaoipe I advised you
that the emperor of Russia had taken
the initiative in bringing about n sec
ond peace conference at The Hague.
Under tb? guidance of Russia the ar
rangement of the preliminaries for
such a conference has been progressing
during the past year. Progress has
necessarily been slow, owing to the
great number of countries to be con
sulted upon every question that has
arisen. It Is a matter of satisfaction
that all of the American republics have
now. for the first time, been Invited to
join in the proposed conference.
Army and Navy.
It must ever be kept ia mind that
war Is not merely Justifiable, but im
perative upon honorable men. upon an
honorable nation, where peace can
only be obtained by the sacrifice of
conscientious conviction or of national
welfare.
The United States navy is the surest
guarantor of peace which this country
possesses. I do not ask that we con
tinue to increase our navy. I ask
merely that it be maintained at its
present strength, and this can be done
only if we replace the obsolete and out
worn ships by new and good ones, the
equals of any afloat in any navy. To
stop building ships for one year means
that for that year the navy goes back
instead of forward.
In both the army and the navy there
is urgent need that everything possible
should be done to maintain the highest
standard for the personnel alike as re
gards the officers and the enlisted men
I do not believe that ln any service
there Is a finer body of enlisted men
and of junior officers than we have in?
both the army and the navy, including
the marine corps.
West Point and Annapolis already
turn out excellent officers. We do not
need to have these schools made more
scholastic. On the contrary, we should
never lose sight of the fact that the
aim of each school Is to turn out
man who shall be above everythtn;
else a fighting man.
There should soon be an increase It.
the number of men for our coast de
fenses. These men should be of the
right type and properly trained, and
there should therefore be an increase
of pay for certain skilled grades, espe
cially in the coast artillery. Money
should be appropriated to permit troops
to be massed in body and exercised in
maneuvers. rrtioni.ir!v In marching.
WILLIAMSBURG.
Williamsburg, Ind., Dec. 4. fSpl.)
Pleasant Harris of Richmond, is vis
iting with Mr. and Mrs. Seth Lucas.
Mr. and Mrs. William Blair enter
tained last Sunday JuuVe and Mrs.
i William Converse and son Blair
ucnmoni
of
Miss Ellen Mullen of Richmond, is
visiting with Mr. ad Mrs. Jaspor Rob
erts. Mrs. Bowsman, who visited her son
Frank, returned to her home at
Greensfork, Monday.
Asher Pearse went to Muncin ou
business Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Creighton Ball visited
with Mr. and Mrs. Victor St. Meyer.
Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Farmer enter
tained last Thursday, Mr. and Mrs.
John King, Centerville; Mrs. Martha
Farmer, Economy and
Mrs. Winnio
Dennie.
Miss Alsie French of Richmond, vis
ited with Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Reynolds
last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Linus Meredith and
daughter, Miss Janice and Mr. and
day.
Mrs. Gavazih Cates returned from
Ft. Wayne Sunday, where sha was call
ed by the illness of her son.
Will Lewis, county chairman of the
farmers institute, has secured Prof.
D. B. Johnson as one of the speakers
for the coming institute.
Miss Eff'e Helm returned to Alcxan
dria Monday, after spendiing hci
Thanksgivinig at home.
Mrs. Pearl Ricker of Marion, visit
ed with Mr. and Mrs. Will Brown,
Thursday.
Paul Lewis of Earlham spent h!s
Thanksgivinig vacation at home.
The furnace at the Friends' church
has been completed.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Duke went to
housekeeping in the Chas. Beard prop
erty last Wednesday.
Wm. Lewis spent Monday at Greens-
fork on business. - . . .
H- S. Davis was at Richmond on bus
jness Monday.
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