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About The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1902-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1914)
PKESiDEN Pa Chief Executive Deplores ifia Lack of Ships, Declares That the GoverRaisnt Must Open the Gates of Trade and ! Urges Passage of tha Pentf ! tog Shipping Bill Rura' Credits and Safety at Sea. Self Government For Filipinos Again Recommended. FOLLOWING la President Wil son's animal mi'SNngc, deliver ed at the l-giuuiug of lite ahort twin of tin Sixty ihinl sMiugreas: Gentlemen of tbe t'ongrews Tin- sc too umiii which you are how cii erln. vlll be the closing session of ill.-ty-third congress. H cull ;rs. I v n ture to say, which will I m;: I f n tiered for tbe grout bitdy nf i . .z'n and constructive work ivV !i '; I, done Itl lo.vul response t III'' I' "I. ' and metis of t In country. I mi ; like In thin address In ri'' l in- 1 1 t de record and try to muki' .n' pi;!. assessment of It. !lil im i! o.'ii wc land too near ti e work tlini Iks i . don and are ourselves tMi n 1 1 ! i or of it to play the port of hiin. Inns 10 ward it. Moreover, onr thoughts are ihw more of the future thnn of Hi.- hmi. While we have worked nt our task of ienee the circumstance of Ihe whole age tiave been altered by war. What wehave done for onr own land and our own ieople we did with the tet that was In ia, whether of character or of lutein genre, with wilier enthusiasm and a confidence In the principle upon which we were acting which sustained ua at every step of the difficult undertak ing. But It U done. It luia passed from our hands. It In now an established art of the legislation of the country. Its Usefulness, Its effects will disclose themselves In exierlence. What chief ly striken uk now. lis we look ahout us luring these dosing days of a year which will In- forever memorable In the itlstory of the world. Is that we face new tasks, hnve been facing them these alt months, must face thcui In the months to come face them without partl.su n feeling, like men who hiive forgotten everything but a common duty and the fact that we are re pre- "WE NEED SHIPS: WE HAVE NOT GOT THEM." The United States, thia great people for whom we apeak and aot, should be ready aa newer before to serve itself and te serve mankind; ready with its resources, its snsrgies, its foroee of production and its means of distribution. We are not ready te mobilise our re source! at onco. We are not prepared to use them imme diately and at their best, with out delay and without waste. To ' speak plainly, ws have Grossly erred in the way in which we have stunted and hin dered the development of our merchant merino, end new, when we need ships, we have net got them. tent t Ires of a great people whose thought is Dot of ua, but of what Ainer tea owe to herself and to all mankind aln such circumstance aa these umki whi h we look amazed and auxloua. War bus Interrupted the uieaus of trade not only, but also the processes of production. In Kurope It Is destroy lug ineu and resources wholesale aud npnn a scale unprccedeuted aud ap palling. There la reason to fear IhHt the time I near. If it be uot already at band, wheu acveral of the couutrlea of Kurope will fiml it difficult to do for their people wlwt they hate hitherto been always easily able to do many essential and fundamental things. At any rate, they will need our help and our manifold services as they have never needed them before, aud we should tie ready, more St aud ready than we have ever been. AMERICA FACES NEW MARKETS FOR TRADE. Merchent Marine Must Be BuM Up to Meet Opportunity. It is of equal vouaequeuce that the nations whom Europe has usually sup plied with innumerable artklea of man ufacture and commerce of which they are In constant need aud without which their economic development halts aud stands allll 4-au uow get oui a small part of what they formerly lniorted end eagerly loflk to ua to supply their all but empty market. Thla U pa r tic nlarly true of our uwi neighbor, the states, great and small, of Central and Rootb Amoficji. . Their Um of trade have hitherto rtm chiefly athwart the scan, not to our port, but tu the ports of t.reat Hrltaln and of the uhler con t incut of KnroM I d iot stop to in in1re why or to make any comment on tirohahle causes. What Interest! us wt now Is got the t'Splausthui. but the fr'ef arol t"" ,'IM- ;,, orvnut l milt X in the pretence of it. He e are tiisr SON'S P Aw - . if if ni Photo copyright, int. by American Prss Araoclsllon. kets which we must supply, and we must find the means of action. The Unites! Stiitcs. this jtrent people for Whom we siieak and act. should be rendy as uever before to serve Itself and to serve mankind, rendy with its resources. Its enenclea, Its forces of production and Its means of distribu tion. It Is a very practical matter, a mat ter of ways and nienns. We have the resources, but are we fully ready to use them? And. If we can make ready what we haw, have we the menus at hand to distribute ItT We are not fully rendy: neither have we the means of distribution. We are wllllnir. but we are not fully able. We hare the wish to serve and to serve greatly, nen eronsly. But we are not prepared aa we should m. We are not ready to mobilize our resources nt once. We are not prepared to use them Immediately and at their liest. without delay ami without waste. To apeak plainly, we have grossly erred In the way in which we have stuntel and hindered the development of our merchant murine. And now. when we need ships, we hiive not KOt them. We have year after year delta t ed, without end or conclusion, the lieaf policy to pursue with regard to the use of the ores and forests and water J iowers of our national domain In the ) rich atatee of the west, w hen we j should have acted, and they are still ' locked up. The key la still turned umn them, the door abut fast at which thousands of vigorous men. fnll of Initiative, knock clamorously for ad mlUair e. The water wcrof our Da v liable btreama outside the national domain also, even in the eastern states, where we have worked aud planned for generations, la still not used aa It might 1k, because we will and wo won't: because the laws we have ansde do not Intelligently balance en couragement ai;ftlnst restraint. We withhold by regulation. I have come to ask you to remedy si! correct these mistakes and omla- alona, even at thla short session of a congress which would certainly seem to have done all the work that could reasonably be espected of It. The time and the clrcumstani-ea are ex traordinary, and so must our effort a lie also. Fortunately two great measures, flne ly conceived, the one to unlock, with proper safeguard, the resource of the national domain, the other to eneonr age the use of the navigable water outside that domain for the genera tion of lower, have already passed the Itoutte of reprem-ntatlvea aud are ready for Immediate consideration and ac tion by the senate. With the decpet earnest neea I urge their prompt pas sage. In them both we lurn our barks GATES OF TRADE MUST BE OPENED. The government muet open these gstss of trade, and open them wide, open them before it is altogether profitable to open them or aUuaet.!ier reasonable to ask private capital to open them at a venture. It is not a question of the government mo nopolising the field. It should take action to make it oertain that transportation at reason able rstss will be promptly pro vided, even where the osrrisge ie not at first profitable, and then, when the carriage has bs come sufficiently profitable te at tract and ongsge privets capital and engage it in abundance, the government ought te withdraw. uimii lit'sitatlou and makeshift am formulate a genuine jMillcy of use a conservation In the beat sense of thom words. We owe the one measure ti only to the people of that great west ern country for whose free and ays tern stlc development, aw It seems me. our legislation baa due so little bet a lac to the pcoj.U at tS nation ESSAGE No Standing Army, but a Trained Citizenry For War. "We Have Not Been Negll gent of National Defense." A Powerful Navy Needed, "But W'o Sliull Tail Us WhalSor. of r.avytj Bu!Id?vf To Learn and Profit by the Lesson of Every Experience. as a whole, and we as clearly owe the other in fulfillment of our repeated promisee that the water power of the country should la fact aa well as la name be put at the dlapoaal of great Industries which can make economical and profitable use of It. the rights of the public being adequately guarded the while and monopoly In the use pre vented. To have begun snch measure and not completed them would Indeed mar the record of thla great congress very seriously. I hope and confidently believe thst they will be completed. SELF GOVERNMENT FOR FILIPINOS IS URGED. President 8ys Senate Should Psss Msssure Now Before Senate. Aud there la another great piece of legislation which awaits and should re ceive the sanction of the senate, I mean the bill which gives a larger measure of self government to the peo ple of the Philippines. How better in this time of anxious questioning and perplMc'' policy could we show our coulldence In the principle of liberty as the source as well as the expression of life; how better could we demon strate our own self possession and steadfastness in the cottrset of justice and disinterestedness than by thus go ing calmly forward to fill fill our prom ise to a deiendcnt people, who will now look more anxiously than ever to see whether we have ludeed the mor ality, the iiiiselflHliness. the courage, the faith we haxe Isiasted and profess ed? I cannot believe that the senate will let this great measure of construc tive Justice awslt the action of another congress. Its passage would nobly crown the record of these two yeai memorable latior. lint 1 think that you will agree with me that this docs not complete tbe toll of our duty. How are we to carry our goods to the empty markets of which 1 have sMtken If we have not the ship? How are we to build up a great trade If we hare not the eertnln and oustant means of transportation umii which all profitable and useful coin merce depends? And how are we te get the ships if we wait for the trade develop without them? To correct the many mistakes by which we have discouraged and all but destroyed the merchant marine of the country, to re-1 trace the steps by which we have. It seems almost deliberately, withdrawn imr lag from the seas, except where. here and there, a ship of war la bidden carry It ar enme wandering jacht dis plays It. would lake a long time and Involve many detailed Hems of legis lation, and the trade which we ought immediately to handle would disap pear or Snd other chsnnela while we debated the Items. The case la not unlike that which nnfronted tie when our own continent was to be oiened up to settlement and industry, and we needed long lines of railway, extended means of transpor tation prepared beforehand, if develop ment was not to In -r intolerably and wait Interminably. We lavishly sub sidized the hnildlug of transconti nental railroads. We look bark upon hat with regret now. because the sub sidies led to many scandals of which we are ashamed, but we know that the rallro.ids bad to be built, and If we had It to do over again we should f ourse UiilM them, but In another way. Thorcrore i propose anotner way of providing the means of trans- IMirtatWm. which must precede, not tardily follow, the development of onr trade with iur neighbor atatea of America. It may seem a reversal of the natural order of things, but it la true, th-it tbe routes of trade must lie tictna'ly ois'iuil-by many lim &uti regubir sailings and mo, Ie rate charges before at renin of merchandise will; flow freely and profitably through t hem SAYS SHIPPING BILL IS VERY IMPORTANT. It Should Bs Passed to Profit by Open ed Gatee of Trsde. Hence the s'iutlug shipping bill, dis cussed at the last session, but as yet passed by neither house. In my Judg ment such legi-iUllou is imperatively needed and cannot wisely be position ed. Tbe government must open these gates of trade, and open them wide. open them before It Is altogether protit- able to open them or altogether rea- aonahle to ask private capital to osn them si a venture, ft Is not a qnettn of ibe srovernmi'iit neejopollxlng the flel.1 It -l"ii!(T ake aetion to make It Certain th.it tianspi rtntioti at rea sonable rates will be plump. lj pn vided. cvnu where the carri.ue Is not it lii-.t roiit.ililc, cud then, when the rfnn'g.' has Im'coiiii' sinlicicutly proiii li it- to iitlruct aud tiiiMgc ptix.tte ciip it.il snil engine It a iiliuiiilnuce. the -.'overiiiLftit oiikIii o withdraw, i ier earnestly hope th.it the congress will In- of this (((iiiiuu and UjhI b;i liotises will udopt this exceedingly im pul l.'int b II. The gr'at subject of rural cnsllt -till rem Ins to Is- dealt with, and it is a matter of deep regn-l Hint the dif ficulties of the subject have scemnl to render it lUtrMisslble to complete a bill for passage at this Kessloa. Hut It enn not be perfected yet. und therefore there are no other constructive incus ores the necessity for which I will at this tfiui' cnM your nttentlon to. but I WtoiM be icv.' l: '"it of ,1 Vcl in. in, fist 'lutv wi-iv I not to cali 1'ic : tiit, lion nf the sciritc to tin' fact that I1-' f ll l " ,-! cutiM'lllioll loi -il.it.. i.l -i i awiii it inntirniatiou m;k llmt t!i limit llxi'd In t lie con vent ion llclt' f its .acceptance s tlic hist day o: !l preeent month The conicrciiic in which this convention ortgiiiiiicd w;t called by the I'lilti-d States. The rep resentatives of the I'ulted States -iiay cd a very Influential part Imleeil in framing the provisions of the pmiosiMl convention, und those provisions arc In themselves for the most part iidinirti Me. It would hardly be consist, ut with the part we have played In the whole matter to let it drop and go by the board as If forgotten and neglect ed. It was ratified In May last by the terms n government and In August by the parliament of Oreat Krifalit. It marks a most hoeful and decided nd vanee In International civilizntlou We Fhould show onr earnest gosl faith In a great matter by adding our own ac ceptance of It. COASTS OF ALASKA SHOULD BE SURVEYED. Present Dangs to Navigation Ought to Bo Removed by Charts. There Is another mutter of which i I must make special mention, if 1 nm to discharge my conscience, lest it should i eseaie your attention. It tuny seeui a I very small thing. It affects only a ! single Item of appropriation. Kut in iitiy human lives and many treat en terprises liaim upon it. It is the mat ter of making adeiuate provision for the survey and chartim; of our coasts. I It is Immediately pressing and exigent in connection with the immense coast line of Alaska, a i-oat line greater than that of the I'liitel States them selves, though It Is also very impor tant Indeed with rc'ttrd to the older coasts of the continent. We cannot use onr irreat Ala--kan domain, ships wilt not ply thither, if those coasts and tln-ir many hi!lcn dangers are not thoroughly surveyed and charted. The work Is Incomplete at almost every point. Ships und lives have been lost In threading what were supposed to be well kiKyn main chan ncls. We have not provided adequate vessels or adettnnte machinery for the survey ami chart Ing. Wo have use I old vessels) that were not bis emmih or strong enough and which were so nearly unseaworthy that our inspect'irs would not have allowed private own er, to send them to sea. This is a matter whlclv. as I have said, seeim wTi' t T!. but N lo reality very gn-t. Importance bus only in be looked into to be appmiatif. GOVERNMENT ECONOMY IS VERY IMPERATIVE. Urges Systematic Reorganization to Gain Greater Efficiency. Refore I chase may I say a few word Hion two topics much discussed out of doors tt)sn which It is highly important that our judgmeuts should he clear, definite and steadfast? One- tf these U economy In govern ment exjiendUures. Tbe duty of econ omy Is not debatable. It is manifest aud imperative. In th approprlationr we ss we are spending the money of the great people whose servants we nre- not our own. We are trustees ami resKMislble stewards In the spending. The only thing debatable . and iisni which we should be careful to make Mir thought and iiirsse clear N the kind of economy demanded of us. I assert with the greatest confidence that the people of the I'nited Stales are not Jealous of the amount tln-'r government costs If they are sure lli .t they get what they need and desire for tbe outlay, thut the money Is being sielit for objects of which tlic.v : p prove and that It is lielng applied wi.'i good business sense and management- ijoveriuneiils g:ov piecemeal In. Mi lu their taks and in the incni m' i which those tasks sre lo lie Mirforti I an, ,-ery few governments are orn. jyp,j venture to say. as wise and e .ri..,,..,.,! i.hsIuhms oien would oii:.uie them if they had a clean sheet oi iaper . to write uimn. I'ertalnly the govci n 1 ment of the l ulled States Is not I think that l is generally agreed tint there should be systematic reorgani sation and reassembling of its pa ts mo as to sis u re greater efficiency su l effect considerable savings In expense. Rut tie amount of money saved In ?hit way would. I laiieve. though no doubt considerable In Itself, running. It may be. Into the millions, be relatively small -aniall. I mean. In proportion to the total necessary outlays of the gov emment. It wonld he thoroughly worth effecting, as every saving would. j treat or small. i Our duty l not altered by the scale ,,f f. s..l.jg. f.rt i: y ilnt I tlitt (ue j .e.-e of tbe Tnlted States do not wvtn ,., cuifa;: lb - acivi Us i.f Pit ..., ., , Tm ul.li uihw. !., I large them, and w,.o e..i.. iiiuv ment. with the mere unUli. indeed, of the country itsHf. there must untie, of course, the inevitable Increase .f t j penso. The sort of i-conotiiy hi'MhI, to practice may be effected, and ntiulit to lie effected, by a careful study and assessment of the tusks to be er formed, and the money spent ouulit to Ik- made to yield the best sillc re turns In efficiency and achievement. And. like goisl stewards, we should so account for every dollar of our appro priations as to make It perfectly evi dent what it was ss'tit for and iu what way it was sstit. It Is not c.endit wte but extrava gnnce that we should feur la iug critl clsed for. not paying for I he legiti mate enterprises and undertakings of a gn-at government whose is-ople inni manl what it should do. but addinu what will benefit only a few or (snir ing money out for what need not have been undertaken nt all or might have been postioued or better and more ecowimlcally conceived and carried out. The nation is not niggardly: t Is very generous. It will chide us only If we forget for whom we pay mnncv out and whose money It is we pay. TbeJe are large and general standards, but they are not very difficult of nppll cation to particular cases. PRESIDENT OPPOSED TO BIG STANDING ARMY. Speaks Plainly and Directly on Ques tion of National Defenses. The other tuple I shall take leave to mention goes deeper luto ihe prin ciples of our national life und isilicy. It ia the subject of national dcfciise It cannot be dUcuosod without first answering some very searching qttea lions. It la said iu some quarters that we are not prepared for war. What N meant by being prepared? Is it meant that we are not ready upon brief no tice to put a nation iu the field, a ua Won of men trained to arms? of course we are not ready to do that. aud we shall never bo Iu lime of ieacc so long as we retain our present pollt leal principles and institutions. And what is It that It is suggested wc al'ould lie prepared to do-to defend ourselves agnlnst attack? We have al ways found means to do that and shall find tbcui whenever It Is neces sary without calling our people away from their necessary tasks to render compulsory military service tu times of pence. Allow me to speak with great plain ness and directness upon this great matter and to avow my convictions with deep earuestness. 1 have triisl to know what America la, what her IKsiple think, what they are. what they most cherish aud hold dear. I hope that some of their finer passions are iu my own heart sonic of the great con reptions and desires which gave birth to this government and which have made the voice of this people n voice of jieace and hope and Ula-rly among the people of the world, and that, speaking my own thoughts. 1 shall, at least In part., sieak theirs also, how ever faititlv and Inadequately, upon thia vital matter. We are at peace with all the wotij. No one who speaks counsel based on fact or drawn from a just and candid Interpretation of realities csn say that there is reason to fear that from any quarter our iudeiendeiice or the inleg rlty of our territory la threatened Dread of the jsiwer of any other na tion we are Incaiaible of. We are not jealous of rivalry in the fields of com merce or of any other peaceful achieve ment. We mean to live onr own lives as we will, but we mean also to let live. We are. Indeed, a true friend to all the nations of the world, because we threaten none, covet the posses slona of none, desire the overthrow of none. Onr friendship can be accepted and ia accepted without reservation, lie cause It la offered in a spirit and' for a puniose which no one need ever question or susiect. Therein lies our greatness. We are the champions of peace aud of concord. And we should tie very Jealous of this distinction which we have sought to earn. Just now we should he particularly Jealous of it. because It la our dearest present hope that this character aud reputation may presently, iu tiod' providence bring ua an opfiortuuiry such as has seldom liecn vouchsafed any uation the opisirfunlty to counsel and obtain ieaev in the world and reconciliation and a healing settlement of many a matter that has cooled and Interrupt ed tbe friendship of nations. This is the time above all others when we should wish attd resolve to keep onr strength by aelf ptacslon. our Influ ence by preserving our ancient princi ples of action. From Uie first we have had a clear and settled policy with regard to mill tary establishments. We never have had. and while we retain our present principles aud ideals we uever shall have, a large standing army. If asked. Are yon ready to defend yourselves? we reply. Moat asauredly: to the ut most. And yet we shall not turu America into a military camp. We will not ask our young men to spend the beat years of their Uvea making soldiers of themselves. There ia an other sort of energy In ua. It will know how to dis-lare itself and make itself effeelve should occasion arise. And rieclally when half tJie world la on Are we shall be careful to make our moral Insurance acalust the spread of the conflagration very definite and cer tain and adequate Indeed. Let us remind ourselves, therefore, of the only thing we can do or will do. We niui deiMMid in every time of na-'l-insl peril. In the future a In the oust, not utui i standing army nor yet iiism a reserve army, but Um a clti--iiry u Trued and aeenstoaieil ti anus. It will be rifcbt enough, right American Isilicy, bused itiiii our acciHtonied principle aud practice, to ptovkie a system by which every cKI.en who will volunteer for the training may ! made familiar with the use of modem amis, the rudiments of drill and ma neuver uud Ihe nialntenam-e and seal tation of camps. We nbould eucoerago such traiuiug and make It a Ljcubm ef discipline which our young men wlli learn to value. It Is right that we should prevkle It not only, but that we should make it as attractive as possible, and so lodace our young men to undergo it at mvb times aa they can command a Mttle fteedom and can seek the physical de velopment they need, for mere hearth's sake, if for nothing more. Bvery mians by which such things can he Htlmulated is legitimate, and each a method smacks of true Amerleaa Ideas It la right, too, that the natioml gaard of tbe states should be developed and strengthened by every aneaaa which Im not inconsistent with our oblteatiouf to our own people or with the estab lished policy of our government. aa this also not because tbe time or occa sion siasially calls for such meaaarca, but because it should be onr constant policy to make these provisions for our national peace and safety. More than this carries with It a re versal of the whole history and char acfer of eur polity. More than thia, proposed at this time, armit me to say. would mean merely that we had lost onr self posHesslon. that we had been thrown off hit balance by a war with which we have nothing to do. whose causes cannot touch ns, whew very existence affords tin opportunities of friendship and disinterested service) which should n.aUe ns ashamed of any thought of hostility or fearful pre per a TRAINED CITIZENRY FOR DEFENSE. We must depend in every time of national peril upon a citiienry trained and aeeoe tomed to arms. We should encourage such training and mske it a means of disci pline which our young men will learn to value. It ia right, too, that the national guard of the states should be developed end strengthened by every means which is not in consistent with our obligations to our own people or with the established policy of our gov ernment. tiou for trouble. This la assuredly the opportunity for which a people and a government like oura were ruined up, the opportunity not only to speak, but actually to emtssly and exemplify the counsels of Hace and amity and the lasting concord which is hnsed on Jaa-tl'-e and fair and generous dealing. POWERFUL NAVY IS AMERICAN POLICY. United States Will Continue to Remain Strong on the Seas. A iwwerful navy we have alwaya regarded as our proper and natural means of defense, and It has always been of defense that we have thought, never of aggression or of conquest. But who shall toll us now what sort of navy to build? We shall take leave to be strong upon the seas In the fa ture as in tbe past, and there will bo no thought of offense or of provoeitttoa in that. Onr ships are onr uatocwl bulwarks. When will the experts telt ua just what kind w e should construct, and when will they be right for ten years together, if the relative efficiency of craft of different kinds and ases cciu tin ui tu fc-haiigH' u uu have acoa It cbunge under our very eyes In theao last few months?- Uut I turn away from the subject. It Is not new There Is no new aeed to discuss it. We shall not alter ear attitude toward it because someamoag ua are nervous and excited. We shall easily and sensibly agree upon a policy of defense. The question haa not changed Its aspects because the tint en are not normal. Our policy will net be for an occaslou. It will be conceiv ed as a permanent and settled thing whi' h we will pursue at all seasons without haste and after a fashion per fectly consistent with the peiwe of tho world, the abiding friendship of atatea and, the unhampered freedom of all with whom we deal. It there be ao luiscouceptlou. The country bus laen misinformed. We have not been aeg ligent of national defense. We are net unmindful of the great responsibility resting npou us. We shall leara and protit by the lesson of every ex peri ence and every new circumstance, aad what is needed will Ite adequately done. I cUise, aa 1 Is-gan. by reminding ou of the great tasks and duties ef lieace which challenge our best powers and invite us to build what will last, the tasks ! w htcb we can address our selves now and at all time with free i t.t nrtcd kcsi and with all tbe thteut gifts of constructive wisdom we pos j seas. To develop our life and our re : sources, to supply our own people and j the people of the world as their need i rises from the abundant plenty ef : our fields and our marts of trade, to ' enrich the commerce of our own states and of the world with the products ef uur mines, our furni and our facte ; rles. with the creations of eur thought and the fruits of onr ebaracter-tbi is what will hold our attention aad our enthusiasm steadily now and at I the years to come as we strive ta i show In our life as a notion what Mb erty and the Inspirations of an eiaaa 1 ciliated spirit muy do far atca aad for i societies, for luojvldnaVi. for state nd for mankind.