Daily press. [volume], December 05, 1906, Page 3, Image 3

About Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
PRESID ENTSMESSAG E
h rre8ldont Itoosevelt In his annual
message again urges the enactment of
n law prohibiting corporations from
oonlrlbutlug to cmpaign funds. Ho
also urges the passage of the measure
conferring upon the government tho
right of appeal In criminal cases on
questions of law. Continuing, tho
president says:
, I cannot too strongly urge the pas?
sage of the bill In question. A failure
tto pass It will result in seriously ham?
pering the government in its etTort to
obtain Justice. especially against
wenlthy Individuals or corporations
who do wrong, und may also prevent
the government from obtaining Justice
for wigeworkers who are not them?
selves able effectively to contest a case
M,'bcre the Judgment of an Inferior
court has been against them. I hnvo
specifically In view a recent decision
toy n district Judge leaving railway
employees without remedy for viola?
tion of a certain so called labor statute.
The importance of enacting Into law
the particular bill in question Is fur?
ther Increased by the fact that the gov?
ernment has now definitely begun a
policy of resorting to the criminal law
In those trust nnd Interstate commerce
cases whore such a course offers a rea?
sonable chance of success,
Proper l.'ne of Injunctions.
I In my last message I suggested tho
enactment of n law in connection with
the issuance of injunctions, attention
having been sharply drawn to the mat?
ter by the demand that the right of ap?
plying injunctions In lubor cases
should be wholly abolished. It is nt
least doubtful whether a law abolish?
ing altogether the use of Injunctions
In ouch cases would stand the test of
the courts, In which case, of course, the
legislation would be Ineffective. More?
over, I believe It would bp wrong alto?
gether to prohibit the use of Injunc?
tions. It Is criminal to permit sym?
pathy for criminals to weaken our
hands in upholding the law, and If
men seek t:> destroy life or property
by mob violence there should be no im?
pairment of the power of the courts to
deal with them In the most summary
and effective way possible. But so
far as possible the abuse of the power
should be provided against by somo
such law as I udvocated last year.
Ap;nln*< I.ynrhlnp;.
' I call your attention and the atten?
tion of the nation to the prevalence of
crime amoug us and, above all, to tho
epidemic of lynching und mob violence
that springs up now In one part of our
country, now In another. Each sec?
tion, nortli, south, east or west, has
Its own faults. No section can with
wisdom spend its time Jeering at the
faults of another section. It should be
busy trying to uincnd Its own short?
comings. To deal with the crime of
corruption it is necessary to have an
nwnkoned public conscience and to
supplement this by whatever legisla?
tion will add speed and certainty In
the execution of the law. When wo
deal with lynching even more Is neces
sary. A great many wblfe men are
lynched, but the crime Is peculiarly
frequent In respect to black men. The
greatest existing cause of lynching is
the perpetration, especially by black
men, of the hideous crime of rape, the
most abominable in all the category
of crimes, even worse than murder.
Lawlessness grows by what It feeds
upon, and when mobs begin to lynch
for rape they speedily extend the
sphere of their operations and lynch
for many other kinds of crimes, so that
two-tbirds of the lynchlugs are not
for rape at nil. while a considerable
proportion of the individuals lynched
arc Innocent of all crime.
There Is but one safe rule In dealing
with black men as with white men.
It Is tho same rule that must be ap?
plied in dealing with rich men and
poor meu? that is, to treat each man,
whatever his color, his creed or his so?
cial position, with even handed justice
on bis real worth as a man. White
people owe It quite as much to them?
selves as to the colored race to treat
well the colored man who shows by
his life that he deserves such treatment.
There Is no question of social equality
or negro domination Involved.
Iu my judgment, the crime of rape
should always be punished with death,
ns is the case with murder. Assault
with intent to commit rape should be
made a capital crime, nt least in the
discretion of the court, nnd provision
should be made by which the punish?
ment may follow immediately upon
the heels of the offense.
No more shortsighted policy can he
imagined than In the fancied Interest
of one class to prevent the education
of another class. The white man. If
ho Is wise, will decline to allow the
negroes In a mass to grow to man?
hood and womanhood without educa?
tion.
'Trenchers of .Mere Discontent."
In dealing with both labor and cap?
ital, with the questions affecting both
corporations and trades unions, them
Is one mntter more important to re?
member than aught else, and that is
the infinite harm dono by preachers of
mere discontent. These are the men
who seek to excite a violent class ha?
tred against all men of wealth. They
seek to turn wise and proper move
meals for the better control of corpora?
tions and for doing away with the
abuses connected with wealth Into n
campaign of hysterical excitement and
falsehood In which the aim Is to In?
flame to madness the brutal passions
of mankind. The sinister demagogues
nnd foolish visionaries who are always
eager to undertake such n campaign
of destruction sometimes seek to as?
sociate themselves with those working
for n genuine reform lu governmental
nnd social methods and sometimes i?is
querudc as such reformers, lu reuhty
they are the worst enemies of the
cause they profess to advocate. Just us
.the purveyors of sensational .slander lu
newspaper or iiingnatue are the worst
enemies of all men who ure engaged In
an honest effort tu better what Is had
In our social uud governmental condi?
tions.
Corruption Is never so rife us In com?
munities where tho demngogue and the
I r.gltntor bear full sway, because lu
such communities all moral bauds be
I come loosened, and hysteria and sousa
tlonnlisin replace the spirit of sound
I Judgment and fair dealing as between
j mnn and man. lu sheer revolt agalust
j the squalid anarchy thus produced men
arc sure In the end to turn toward any :
i leader who can restore order, nud ihen
their reli-f at being tree from the lu
I tolerable burdens of class hatred, yio
I ience and demagogy Is such that they
cannot for some time be aroused to In
' dignntlon against misdeeds by men of
! wealth, no that they permit a now
! growth of the very a buses which were
j In part responsible for tho orlglunl out?
break. The one hope for success for
our people lies in a resolute and fear
jless but sane and cool headed advance
along the path marked out last year
I by this very congress. There must be
I a stern refusal to be misled Into fol?
lowing' either that base creature who
? ppcdls and panders to tho lowest In
1 Minds and passions In order to arouse
one pet of Americans ngnlnst their fel?
lows or that other creature, equally
' base, but no baser, who lu a spirit of
greed or to accumulate or add to nn
already huge fortune seeks to exploit
his fellow Americans wljh callous dis?
regard to their welfnre of soul and
I body. The man who debauches others
! In order to obtain a high olllce stands
J on an evil equality of corruption with
I the man who debauches others for j
? fliiaucial profit, and when hatred is
' sown the crop which springs up can
only be evil.
The plain people who think?the me?
chanics, farmers, merchants, workers
with bead or hand, the men to whom
American traditions are dear, who love
their country and try to net 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 nn unworthy
and sinister agitator on u platform of
violence and hypocrisy.
llnllrnntl Hin piny eea' llnnra,
1 call your attention to tho need of
passing tlie bill limiting the number of
hours of employment of railroad em?
ployees. The measure Is a very moder?
ate one. and 1 can conceive of no seri?
ous objection to it. Indeed, so far as
It Is lu our power, it should be our aim
I steadily to reduce the number of hours
of labor, with as a goal the general In
I troductlon of an eight hour day. There
are Industries In which it Is not pos?
sible that the hours of labor should
he reduced, just ns there are communi?
ties not far enough advanced for such
a movement to be for their good, or. If
in the tropics, so situated that there Is
no annlogy between their needs nnd
ours in this matter. On the Isthmus
of Panama, for Instance, the condi?
tions are In every way so different
from what they are here that an eight
hour day would he absurd, just as It
is absurd, so far as the Isthmus is con?
cerned, where white Inbor cannot be
employed, to bother ns to whether the
necessary work Is done by alien black
men or by alien yellow men. nut the
wngeworkcrs of the United States nro
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 nn eight hour day.
Let nie again urge that the congress
provide for a thorough Investigation
of tlie conditions of child labor and of
the labor of women In the United
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 arc unavoidable ac?
cidents and even deaths involved in
nearly every line of business connect?
ed with the mechanic arts It Is n
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 nn Inevitable
sncrillce. In other words, society shirks
its duty by laying the whole cost on
the victim, whereas the lujury comes
from what may be called the legiti?
mate risks of the trnde. Compensation
for accidents or deaths duo 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 bciiclit of which
the Industry Is carried on?that is, by
those who profit by the Industry. If
the entire trade risk Is placed upon the
employer, be will promptly and prop?
erly add it to the legitimate cost of pro?
duction nnd assess It proportionately
upon tho consumers of bis commodity.
It Is therefore clear to my mind that
the law should place this entire "risk
of a trade" upon the employer.
' nplinl and l.nhnr Dlapateti.
Records show that during the twen?
ty years from Jnu. 1. 18S1. to Dec. 31,
1900, there were strikes affecting 117.
r?00 establishments, aud 15,103.004 em?
ployees were thrown out of employ?
ment During the same period there
were 1,005 lockouts. Involving nearly
10,000 establishments, throwing over
1.000.0(H) people out of employment
These strikes nnd lockouts involved uu
estimated loss to employees of $:>07.
000,000 andvto employers of $14:1.000.
000, a total of $?I.">0,000,000. The public
suffered directly and Indirectly prob
ably as givnt additional loss.
Many of these strikes nud 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, ?tute the reasons for their con
-'
1
teutlon. The exercise of n Judicial
spirit by n disinterested body repre-,
scut lug (tic lei. imI government, such,
ns would be provided by n commission
on conciliation and arbitration, would
lend to creiite un ntuiosphere Of friend?
liness and conciliation between con?
tending parties.
Control ot ('orunrntlona.
It cannot toe often be repeated that
experience has conclusively shown the
Impossibility of securing by the actions
[ of nearly half a hundred different stato
legislatures anything but Ineffective
chaos In the way of dealing with iho
great corporations which do uot bper-j
ate exclusively within the liinlts of
any one state. In some method, wheth-'
er by a national license law or In other
fashion, we must exercise, ami that tit
an early dale, a far more complete
control than at present over these great
corporations? a control that will, among
other tilings, prevent the evils of ex-:
cesslve overcapitalisation nud that will
compel the disclosure by each big cor-,
porntIon of its stockholders ami of Its
properties und business, whether own?
ed directly or through subsidiary or
nftlliutcd corporations. This will tend
to put n stop to the securing of Inor-'
dlmite profits by favored Individuals nt,
the expense whether of the general
public, the stockholders or the woge
workers. Our effort should be not so
much to proven consolidation as such,'
hut so to supervise and control It as
to see that It results In no harm to the
people.
Combi nation 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 wen: possible such completei
prevention would do damage to the
body politic. What wo need Is not
vainly to try to prevent all comblna-|
tlou. but tit secure such rigorous and
adequate; control and supervision of.
the combinations us to prevent their!
lujurlng (lie public or exlstlug In such,
lorm as Inevitably to threaten Injury,'
for the mere fact that a combination
has secured practically complete con-|
tr?l of a necessary of lite would under
nuy circumstances show that BUCli.
combination was tu be presumed to be
adverse to the public internst. It is
unfortunate that our present laws
should forbid all combluutlous instead.
of sharply discriminating between'
those combinations which do gootl and
those combinations which do evil. Ite-j
bates, for Instance, are as often due to
the pressure of big shippers (as was
shown In the Investigation of tbfl
Standard OH company and as has been
shown since by the Investigation ot
the tobacco ami sugar (rusts) as to the
Initiative of big railroads. Often rail?
roads would like to combine lor Una
purpose of preventing a big shipper
from maintaining Improper advantages',
at the expense of small shippers and'
of the general public. Such a comblna-l
tlou, Instead of bel?g forbidden by law,'
should tie favored. In other words, It
Should be permllted to railroads tu
make agreements, provided these ngreo I
incuts were sanctioned by the Inter-]
stnto commerce commission and were
published. With these two conditions'
compiled witti It is Impossible to sea'
what harm such a combination could'
do to the public at large. ?
Inheritance und Incnmr Tux. 1
The national government bus Ion in
derived its chief revenue from n tarifl
on Imports and from an Internal or ex-'
eise tux. In addition to these, there Is
every reason why, when next our sys |
tern of taNation Is revised, the uutional
government should Impost; a graduated
Inheritance tax and, if possible, a grail-1
uutcd Income tax.
I nui well aware thnt such a subject
as thi3 needs long and careful study In.
order thnt the people inny become fa?
miliar with what Is proposed to be
done, may clearly sec the necessity ot
proceeding with wisdom and self re
stralnt and may make up their minds
just how for they are willing to go in
the matter, while only trained legisln
tors can work out the project in neces?
sary detail. Hut I feel thnt In tho ncai,
future our notional legislators should,
enact a low providing for n graduated ^
Inheritance tax by which a steadily in-1
(Teasing rate of duty should be pul,
upon all moneys or other valuables'
coming by gift, bequest or devise t? I
any individual or corporation. Then
can be no question of the ethical pro?
priety of the government thus deter
mining the conditions upon which an;
gift or inheritance should be received.
As the law now stands it Is undoubt?
edly difficult to devise n nntlonnl In
come tax which shall be constitutional
Hut whether it Is absolutely Impossible'
Is another question, and If possible II
Is most certainly desirable. The first
purely income tax law was passed bj
the congress in 1801, but the most Im?
portant law dealing with the subject
was that of IS'Jl. This the court held
to be unconstitutional.
The question is undoubtedly very In?
tricate, delicate and troublesome. The
decision of the court was only reachedj
by one majority. It is the law of the'
land and of course is accepted ns sucb
ami loyully obeyed by nil good citizens
Nevertheless the hesitation evidentlj
felt by the court ns a whole In coming
to n conclusion, wlicn considered to?
gether with previous decisions on the
subject, may perhaps Indicate the pos?
sibility of devising u constitutional In?
come, lax law which shall substantially
accomplish the results aimed at The
difficulty of amending the constitution
Is so great that only real necessity can
justify a resort thereto. Kvery effort
should be made In denting 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 which without such action shall
attain the desired end. but if this falls
there will ultimately be no alternativ?!
to a constitutional amendment.
lnrtnalrl.il Trnlninac
Our Industrial development depend!'
largely upon technical education, in
I
vIv.OiiiLr In Urs term nil Industrial edu
( ration frblii (lint which Itts a ninu to
. be .1 good mechanic, a good cnrpeutcr
or blacksmith to that which nts n mnn
to do the greatest engineering font.
The skilled mechanic, the skilled work?
man, can best become such by tech
til' ii industrial education. The fur
rpIichlir.; uscfnlnt'SH of Institutes of
technology and schools of mines or of
engineering Is now universally nc- |
knowi,'d::ed. nnd no less fur reaching
Is the effect of a good building or me
chiiiilcitl trades .school, a textile or .
watchmaking or engraving school. I
lu every possible way we should help
the wngeworker who tolls with his
l\muls and who must (we hope In a
constantly Increasing measure) also.
toll with bis brain I'mler the constitu?
tion the national legislature can do hut |
little of direct Importance for Ids Wei- '
fare save where he Is engaged In work
which permits It to net under the In
iorslnte < ommereo clause of tho constl
tiitloii ami (his is one reason why I I
so earnestly hone that both the legis?
lative it till i alb ill Hunches or the gov- j
eminent will construe this clause of
I In- co'isiiir.lloii la the broadest possi?
ble imtnnci I
1 he I nt-en r.
The only other persons whoso wel-1
fan- Is n?, vital :o ih? welfare of tho
whole rn'.tiilry ns is the welfare of tho
waycworker' tiro the tillers of the soli,
the fanners I
Several factors ninsi co-operate, In
tin improvement of ibe farmer's con?
dition ||i must have- Ilm chance to
be e.lucaletl in the . widest possible
sense in the sense which keeps ever in
view ibe intimate relationship between
the theory of education and the facts
Of life. I
<?rginiznt >n has become necessary
'n lite business world, nnd It has nc
eon,pushed much for good In the world
of la Ivor. It Is no less necessary for
farmers su< ii a movement as tho j
grange movement Is good lu Itself nnd j
Is capable of a well nigh Indulte fur- I
ther extension for good so long as It Is
kept (o its own legitimate business. 1
The benelit t ( i he derived by tho ns- j
social Ion of farmers for mutual ad?
vantage are partly economic and part?
ly sociological.
Irrigation aiitl Pnrcil l'rcarr vntlnn.
Much Is now being done for tho
states of the lim-ky mountains and
great plains through the development
of the national policy of Irrigation and
fore t preservation, No government j
policy for the hcHcriiicut tif our Inter?
nal conditions: h i > been more fruitful
of good than tliis.
Divorce l.cr.lMntIon.
I am well aware of how djlilcult It Is
to pas--, a constitutional amendment.
Nevertheless. In my judgment, the
whole question of nmrrlage 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 he
good because It would confer on the
congress the power at once to denl
radically and elllcienjly willi polygamy, I
and this should be dope whether or
not ninrriage ami divorce are dealt
with. It Is neither safe nor proper to
leave the question of polygamy to be
dealt with by the several state's.
Mcrclinnt 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 n law embody?
ing In substance the views or a major
port of the views expressed In the re?
port oil Ibis subject laid before the
house at its last session will he passed.
It seems to me that Ibe proposed meas?
ure Is us nearly unobjectionable as uuy
can be.
The Currency.
I especially call your attention to the
second subject, the condition of our
currency laws. The nntlonal bank act
has ably served a groat 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
SQH.08. I-'or severnl years evidence has
been accumulating that additional leg?
islation is needed. Tho recurrence of
each crop season emphasizes the de?
fects of tho 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
fled nation In the Interest on call
money from 2 per cent to 30 per cent,
and the fluctuation wns even greater
during the preceding six months. The
secretury 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
Hons plans have recently been pro?
posed by expert committees of bank?
ers. Among the plans which are possi?
bly feasible and which certainly should
receive your consideration is that re?
peatedly brought to your attention by
the present secretary of the trensnry.
the essential features of which have
been approved by many ' prominent
hankers and business men. According
to this plan, national hanks should be
permitted to issue a specified propor?
tion of their capital In notes of n given
kind, the Issue to be taxed at so high
n rate as to drive the notes back when
not wanted in Jegitimnte trade. This
plon would not permit the Issue of
currency to give banks additional prof
Its, but to meet the emergency preseut
ed by times of stringency.
I do not say that this Is the right sys?
tem. I only advance It to emphasize
my belief that there Is need for the
adoption of some system which shall
bo automatic and open to nil sound
bank3 so ns to avoid all possibility of
discrimination and favoritism.
? The law should be amended so as
specifically. to provide that the funds
derived from customs duties miy be
treated by the secretary of the Irons
:-vy litifi^iiMfiiiaiiiiiiii
! itrjF ns ho treats funds obtained under j
; the Internal revenue laws. There:
; should bo u considerable Increase In
hills of small denomination*. Tennis
siou should be given banks, If necessa?
ry under settled restrictions, to rotlro
I noli' circulation to a larger amount
than three millions a mouth.
Our OlltlyllllZ I'.iiwmIiiik.
I mutt earnestly hope that the bill to
provide n lower tariff for or else nb.?o- j
lute free trade In Philippine products
will become a law. No harm will come
to ftuy American Industry, and, wllllo
there will be some small but real unite
rial benetlt to the Filipinos, the main I
benefit will come by the showing, made J
as to our purpose to do all lu our power
for their welfare.
1'orlu HI, nn Aflnlra.
American citizenship should bo con?
ferred on the citizens of I'orto Itlco.
The harbor of Snn.luan. In I'orto Itlco,
should be dredged and Improved, The
expenses of the federal court of Porto ,
Itlco should be met from the fcdcrul ,
treasury.
The needs of Muwall ore pccullnr.
I3VCT.V nld should be given the Islands,
and our efforts should be unceasing to
develop them along the Hues of n com?
munity of small freeholders, nut of
grent planters with cooly tilled es?
tates.
Alnaku.
Alaska's needs have been partially
met. but there must be a complete re?
organization of tin; governmental sys?
tem, as I have before Indicated to yon.
I ask your especial attention to thin.
Our fellow citizens who dwell on the I
shores of Piiget Bound with character?
istic energy are arranging to hold lu
Seattle the Alnskn-Yuknu-l'nclflc 'ex?
position. This exposition In Its pur
poses ami scope should appeal not only
to the people of the Tactile slope, but
to the people of the Tutted Slates ut
Inrge. I
Not only must we treat all nations
fairly, but we must treat with Justice
ami good will all Immigrants who come
hero under the law. Whether they are
Catholic or Protestant, Jew or gontllo,
whether they come from Kugland or
Qormnny, Kussln, Japan or Italy, mat?
ters nothing. All we have a right to
question Is the man's conduct. If ho
Is honest and upright In his dealings
with tils neighbor and with the state,
then he Is entitled to respect and good
treatment. (especially do wo need to
remember our duty to the stranger
wlthlu our gates. It Is the sure mark
of a low civilization, a low morality, to
abuse or discriminate against or lu any
way humiliate hucIi stranger who has
come hero lawfully and who Is con?
ducting himself properly. To remem?
ber thin Is Incumbent on every Amer?
ican citizen, and It Is of course pecul- (
Inrly Incumbent on every government
Official, whether of the nation or of
the several states.
I inn prompted to nay this by the
attitude of hostility here nnd there as?
sumed toward (lie Japanese In thin
country. This hostility Is sporadic and
Is limited to a very few places. Never?
theless it is most discreditable to us
ns a people, and It may be frnught
with the gravest consequences to the
nation.
I ask fair treatment for the Japanese
I as I would ask fair treatment for Ger?
mans or Englishmen, Frenchmen. Hus?
sions or Italians. ( nsk It ns due to
humanity and civilization. I nsk It ns
due to ourselves, beciiuse we must act
uprightly toward nil men. I recom-|
moud to the congress that an act be,
passed specifically providing for the
naturalization of Japanese who come
hore Intending to bocomo American cit?
izens. One of the grant embarrass?
ments attending (he performance of
our International obligations Is the
fact that the statutes of the United
States nre entirely Inadequate. They
fall to give to the national government
snfllclnntly ample power, through Unit?
ed States courts and by the use of the
urmy und uavy, to protect aliens In the
rights secured to (bom undor solemn
treaties which sie the law of (he land,
f therefore earnestly rcoomnioiid thai:
the criminal and civil statutes of the
United States be so amended and add
I ed to as to enablo the president, acting
I for the United Stalos government,
I which Is responsible in our Interna?
tional rotations, to enforce the rights
I of aliens under treaties.
I.ant August on Insurrection broke
out in Cuba which it speedily grow evi?
dent (hat the existing Cuban govern?
ment was powerless to quell. Thank*
to Ihn preparedness of our navy, I
wns able Immediately to send enough
ships to Cuba to prevent I lie situation
from becoming hopeless, and I fur?
thermore dispatched to Cuba the sec?
retary of war and the assistant secre?
tary of stale In order tllllt they might
grapple with tin; Situation on the
ground
In accordance with the so called
I'latt amendment, which wns embod?
ied in the constitution of Cuba. I there
upon proclaimed a provisional govern?
ment for the island, the secretary ol
war acting as provisional governor un
Iii be could be replaced by Mr. Mogoon.
the late minister to Tnnama ami gov?
ernor of the canal zone on the isthmus
Troops were sent to support them ami
to relieve the navy, the expedition be
big handled with most satisfactory
speed and efllclency. Pence has conn
in tint island, rind the harvesting of tht
sugar cane crop, the great crop of th<
Island. Is about to proceed. When tlx
election hnn been held ami the now
government inaugurated In peaeefu
and orderly fashion the piovlslnnn
government will come to an end.
The United States wishes nothing o.
Cuba except that it shall prosper mor
ally nnd materially nnd wishes nothhu
of the Cubans save that they shull hi
able to preserve order among them
selves untl therefore to preserve tbel.
111. null.
The Ctihun Matter.
Independence. If the oloctl?ns'too?lhe
ii ram? nmi If the lii?uiroctlo?nry habit,
becomes continued on the .island It I*
absolutely out or the ipiestlon tbat.the
Island should continue s Independent;
ami iho United Status. wHlch-dins ,ns
siuncil the n|ioiisurslilp before the civ?
ilized world for Culm's tmrccrNnft a ..na?
tion, would ana in liavo to h.lcrvene
?ml to see Hint the government was
Managed In euch orderly fashion u?\lo
secure the safety of life and proporty.Xj
The Hlo Conference. ? .
The second International conference^
of American republics, held In Me.il
?-0 In the years 1U01-02, provided fei'
the holding of the third conform,))*
within live years and committed tlu?\
Using or the time and place mid the
arrangements for the conference to..th6
govern I iig board of the bureau or
American republics, composed of tho
representatives of all the American
nations lu Washington. That shoard
discharged the duly Imposed \upqn
It with marked fidelity and prMrts
taking care, ami upon the courteiHjB
Invitation of the United States of Bru<*i
zll the conference was hold at Rio ds
Jliiielro, continuing from the 28d of
July to the 20 th of Auifust last. Mariy
subjects of common Interest to nil tho
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 dual report of the Amcrlcuu.dele?
gates, v I
1'annntn Trip. . '
I have Just returned from a trip to
Panama nud shall report to you nt
length Inter $\\ the whole subject of tilfe
Panama cauiil. fy
Tlir AlitPclrnn Convention. '?
The AlgeclrnH convention, which wan
signed by the lulled states as well ns
by moat of the powers of Europe, au
perr.cdes the previous convention of "
issii, which was also signed both by
the United stales nnd a majority of
the European powers. This treaty
confers upon us equal commercial
rights with all European countries nnd
does not entail a single obligation of
any kind upon us, nnd I earnestly.hone
It may be speedily ratified, j
Scalln*. ^?b.
The destruction of tho Prlbllof Is?
land fur seals by pelnglc sealing still
continues. The herd, which, according
to the Hiirve y made In 1874 by direc?
tion or the congress, numbered 4,700,
<hh>, and which, according to the itir
vey or both American and Can ad I sit
commissioners in ism, amounted..to
i inki.imo. has now bean reduced to
about 180,000. This result tins boon,
brought about by Canadian and some
other scaling vessels killing the female
seals while In the water during; their
annual pilgrimage to: and from .the
south or In search of food.
The process of deBtriu.'tlon!4?a?_bMn^,a
accelerated during recent years bj/Slp?
appearance or a number of .Tnpni'ieso
vessels engaged In pelagic seal lug. ffl <?'.
Hultnble t ('presentations regarding
the Incident have been inndo to 1hs
govortunent m* .Inpnu, nnd we tiro m
mired that all practicable measures Will
be taken by Unit country to prevent
any recurrence of the outrage.
We have not relaxed our efforts to
seerre an agreement with Orcnt Brit?
ain for adequate protection of the seal
herd, and .filiations with .lapao for
the km tie purpose, are lu progress. , -
The I.i utor the protection of the
seals with ii the JurlHilicllon of .the
('ailed States need ' revision and
nmeiidiiietil. . ' i
Second llnitiie Conference. *,t
In r.iy l ist message I advised yon
that ih> emperor of Busala bad taken
the Initiative in bringing about a sec?
ond peice conference nt The Hague,
ruder ibe guidance of Bussla 'the er
rnuToiiietit <>r Iho preliminaries> for
such a conference has been processing
during the past year. Progress has
ii ?cessaril.v been slow, owing to the
great number of countries to be con?
sulted upon every question that has
arisen. Ii Is a matter of satisfaction
that all of the American republics have
ihhv. Tn- the llrst time, beeu Invited, to
|oiu in the proposed conference.
Array nn?l Xarr.
It must ever be kept tu mind that
war l< not met ely lust i tin hie. but im
peuitlve upon hnuorablu men, Upon an
honorable nation, where peaco can
only be obtained by the sacrifice of
conscientious conviction or of national
welfare. ? - .1
The United Slates navy Is the surest
guarantor of pence which this country
possesses. 1 do not ask that we con?
tinue to increase our navy. I isk ?
merely (tint it be maintained at its
present strength, nnd this cap be done
only ir we replace the obsolete and out?
worn ships by new nnd good ones, the
equals or any afloat In euy navy,, To
stop building ships for one year means
that for (hat year the navy goes back
Instead of forward.
lu both the at my and the navy there
Is urgent need that everything possible
should be done lo maintain the highest
standard for the personnel alike as re?
gards the officers and the enlisted men.
1 do not believe that hi any serylce
there Is a Quer body of enlisted men .
nnd of Junior officers than we have lu
bolh the army and the navy. Including '
f!ie marine corps.
West Point nud Annapolis already
turn out excellent officers. We do not
need to have these schools made-mere
scholastic. On the contrary, we should
never lose sight or the fact that the
aim of each school is to turn out a
man who shall bo above everything
else a fighting man. '
There should soon be an Increase (a
the number of men for our coast de?
fenses. These men should be of tho
right type and properly trained, end
there should therefore be an increase
of pay for certain skilled grades, espe?
cially In the const artillery. Money
should be appropriated to permit troops
to be mnssort in body and exercised ~lo
maneuvers, particularly In marching),