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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 1902)
i -.-, Aart, wu.p,y I ... Has i 1 -1 iri'iti ii ,V- tfr-tV ft J liA4t) J1 Jl-w TV " '1 T ' 4 - - " ', t it THE PRES IDENT'S M Executive Begins It With Prosperity as a Topic. DEALS WITH SUBJECT OF TRUSTS In Favor of National Rathor than State Pegulation-Would Not Do Atfay With Them, but Would Eliminate the Evil in Them. In his message to Congress Presi dent Roosevelt has this to Bay: THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGE. We stilt continue In n period of un bounded prospoilty. This prosperity 1h not the creature of law, but un doubtedly the laws under which we work Imvo been Instrumental In de aling the conditions which made It ossible. ntul by unwise legislation it would bu easy enough to dusltoy It. There will undoubtedly be petluris of depression. The wove will recede, hut the tide will advance. Thin nation Is eutcd on u continent Hanked by two great oceans. It is comto!cd of men the descendant of pioneers, or. In ti wmse, plonoera thenuelveu; of men winnowed out from iiiiioiik the nutlons of the old world by the oneigy. bold ness, and love of adventure found In their own eager hearts. Kueh a nation, so placed, will sutely wrest succosu from fortune. Ah a people we have played a large part In the world, and we aie bent upon inukliiK our future even larger than the past. In particular, the events of the last four yens have rietl nltely decided that, for woe or for weal, our place must be great iiinoiiR the natloiiH. We may either fall gteutly or Hucceed greatly; but we can not avoid the endeavor from which either groat falluie or groat success must tome, fvuii If we would, we can not play a small part. If we should try, all that would follow would be that we should play a huge part Ignobly and shamefully. Uut our people, the sons of the men f the Civil war, the sons of the men who had Iron In their blood, rejoice in Hie present and face the futuic hlgu of heurt and resolute of will. Ours Is not the creed of the weakling and the coward; ours Is the gospel of hope nnd of triumphant endeavor. We do not Bin Ink ft mil the struggle before us. There are many problems for us to face nt the outset of the twentieth century Brave problems nbroad nnd still graver at home: not we know that we can solve them and solve them well, provided only that wo bring to the solution the qualities of head and heart which weie shown by the men who, In the days of WashlnBton, founded this Bovernment, nnd, In the days of Lincoln, preserved It. THE EVIDENCES OF WEALTH. No country has ever occupied a hlsher plane of material well-belnB than ours at the ptesent moment. This well-being Is due to no sudden or ac cidental causes, but to the play of the economic forces In this country for over n century: to our laws, our Hustnined and cnntluuons policies; above all. to the high Individual aver age of our citizenship. Great fortunes have been won by those who have tnken the lead In this phenomenal In dustrial development, nnd most of these fortunes have been won not by doing evil, but us an Incident to nctlon which hns benefited the community as a whole. Never before has material well being been no widely diffused among our people. (Treat fortunes have been Accumulated, raid yet In the ag gregate these fortunes are small In deed when compared to the wealth of the people as n whole. The plain peo ple nro better ofT than they have ever been before. The Insurance compan ies, which are practically mutual benefit societies especially helpful to men of moderate means repiesent ne cumulatloiin of capital which are among the largest In this country. There are more deposits In the sav ings banks, more owners of farms, more well-paid wage-workers In this country now than ever before In our history. Of course, when the condi tions have favored the growth of so much that was good, they have also favored somewhat the growth of what was evil. It Is eminently necessnrv that we should endenvor to cut out thin evil, but let us keep a due sense of proportion: let us not In fixing our gaze upon the lesser ovll forget the greater good. The evils are real and some of them are menacing, hut they nre the outgrowth, not of misery or decadence, but of prosperity of the progress of onr gigantic Industrial de velopment. Tills Industrial develop ment must not be checked, hut side by Mo with It should go such progressive regulation as will diminish the evils. We should fall In our duty If we did not try to remedy the evils, but we shall succeed only If we proceed pa tiently, with prnctlcnl common sense n well as resolution, separating the good from the had nnd holding on to 1' the former while endeavoring to get rid of the latter. THE REGULATION OF TRUSTS. In my messago to tlu; present Con gress at Its first session I discussed nt length the question of the regulation of those big corporations commonly doing an Interstate business, often with some tendency to monopoly, which nre popularly known as trusts. Tin- experience of the past year has emphasized In my opinion the desira bility of the steps I then proposed. A fundamental requisite of social efll oleney is n high standard of Individual enotgy ami excellence, but this Is In no wise Inconsistent with power to met In combination for nlms which can not so well be achieved by the Indi vidual acting alone. A fundamental base of civilization Is tho Inviolability of property; but this Is In no wise in ccpslstent with tho right of socetey to regulate the exercise of the artificial cowers which It confers upon the own ers of property, under the name of cor- .porute rrancnises. in sucn a way us Jtp prevent the misuse of these powers. fefcCorporatlons, and especially combi nations of corporation!, should be man (aged under public regulation. Expe ir&nco has shown that under our sys- tiro of government the necessary su- rvislon cannot be obtained ay state (tlun. ii must inareiuio uo uuiiibvcu national action. Our aim is not to i awav with coroorations: on the con- trary, these big aggregations are an in javitablo development of modern Indus rlnlism. and the effort to destroy luthcm would be futile unless accom- fclMtthed in ways that would work the vKntic tVWo can do nothing of good In tho t,Wy of regulating and supervising .w-fo corporations until we llx clonrly Bin our minds that we are not attacking L3t)je corporations, but endeavoring to nwuy Willi any evil in wirni. v re not Hostile to litem: we are merely ptermlned that they shall be so hnn- lWtd as to subserve the public good iwe Vv draw the line against mluconduut, ESSAGE. not ngaltut wealth. The capitalist who, alone or In conjunction with his fellows, pet-forms some great Industrial feat by which ho wins money Is a welldoer, not n wrongdoer, provided onl he works In proper nnd legitimate lints. We wish to tnvor such n man whon he does well. We wish to su lioi vise and conttol his actions only to pnvent tiliti from doing 111. Publicity can do no haim to the honest corpora tion: nnd we need not be ovcrtender about sparl ig the dishonest corpora tion. In curbing nnd regulating the com hit ntlons of onpltul which nre or may Ix'come Injurious to the public we must h careful not to stop the great enter prises which have leBltlmately le duced the cost of production not to nhandnn the place which our country ha won In the leadership of the in ternational Industrial world, not to strike down wealth with the icsult of closing factories and mines, of turn ing tho wage-worker Idle In the streets and leaving the farmer without a mar ket for what ho grows. Insistence upon th Impossible means delay in neinev Ing the possible, exactly as, on the other hand, the stubborn defense alike of what Is good and what Is bad In tin existing- system, the. resolute ef fort to obstruct any attempt at better ment, betrays blindness to the historic tiuth that wise evolution Is the sure safeguard against revolution. INTERSTATE COMMERCE. No more Important subject can (Pint before the Congies.i than this of the regulation of Interstate business. This country can not afford to sit supine on the plea that under our pc cullar system of government we are helpless In the presence of new condi tions, ntul tlliniile to grapple wmi mem or to cut out whatever of evil has arisen In connection with them. The power of Congress to regulate Interstate commerce is an absoluto nnd unqualified grant, and without limita tions other than those prescribed by the Constitution. The Congress has constitutional authority to make all laws necessary and proper for execut ing this power, nnd I am satisfied that this power has not boen exhausted by any legislation now on the statute books. It is evident therefore, that evils restrictive of commercial free dom and entailing restraint upon na tional commerce fall within the reg ulative power of Congress, ana max wise and reasonable law would be a necessary and proper exerciso of con gressional authority to the end that cuch evils should be eradicated. I believe that monopolies, unjust dlrerhnlnatlons. which prevent oroilp ple competition, fraudulent overcapi talization, and other evils In trust or ganizations and practices which In juriously affect Interstate trade can be p-evented under the power of Con gresii to "regulate commerce with for eign nations and among the several states" through regulations nnd re quirements operating directly upon nuch commerce, uie insiiunit.-iiiiMii.iirn thereof, and those engaged therein. I earnestly recommend this subject to the consideration or the Congress w.th n view to the passage or a law reasonable In Us provisions and ef fective In its operations, upon which the questions can be lliuillv adjudi cated that now raise doubts as to the necessity of constitutional nmeiiumeiii. If It prove Impossible to accomplish n.u niiriiriMi.a nhnvp set forth bv such a law, then, nssuredly, we tilmuhl not shrink from amending nn- consumiiun so ns to secure beyond pornriveliture the power sought. The Congress has not heretofore made nny appropriation for the bet ter enforcement of the nntl-trust law ns It now stands. Very much has been done by the department of Justice In nt curing the enforcement of this law, but much more could be done If Con gtess would make a special appropria tion for this purpose, to be expended under the direction of the attorney general. TRUSTS AMD TARIFF SEPARATE. One proposition advocated has been the reduction or the tariff as a means of reaching the evils or the trusts which fall within the category I have described. Not merely would thM be wholv Ineffective, hut the diversion or our efforts In such u dlieetlon would menu the abandonment or nil Intelligent attempt to do away with these evils. Many of the laigest corporations, many or those which should certainly b In cluded In anv proper wheni" r rogit lstlon, would not he affected In Mi slightest degree by a eh.nq'e In the tnrlff, save as nuch change in'eriercd with the general prosperity of the country. The only relation of the tar iff to big corporations ni n whole Is that the tariff makes nmniir.ictures profitable, and the tariff unvrtv Im posed would he In effect simplv Ui make manufactures unprofitable. To remov" the tariff iih ii punitive measure di rected ngalnst trusts would inevitably result In ruin to the we.iker competi tor who nre struggling against them. Our aim should be not by unwise tariff chnnges to give foielgn produetu the advantage over domestic products, but by proper regulation to glvo domestic competition u fair chance, and this end cannot le reached by any tariff chnnges which would affect unfavora bly all domestic competitors, good nnd bad alike. The question of regulation of the trusts stands apart from the question of tnrlff revision. Stability or enonomle policy must al ways be the prime economic need of this country. This stability should not be fosslllzatlon. The country has acquiesced In the wisdom of the pro tective tnrlfT ptlnclple. It Is exceed ingly undesirable that this system should be destroyed or that there should be violent ami iiullcal changes therein. Our past experience shows that great prosperity In this country has nlwnys come under u protective tarlfr; nnd that the country cannot prosper under lit fill tariff changes at short Intervals. Moreover, If the tariff laws a n whole work well, and IT busl nes has prospered under them ami Is prospering, It Is better to eiuluie rr u time slight Inconveniences and Inequal ities in some schedules than to upset business bv too quick it ml too ladlcal change. It Is most earnestly to be wished that we could treat the tariff from the standpoint solely of our busi ness needs. It Is, perhaps, too much to hope that patllsaushlp may be en tltely excluded ftom consideration of the subject, but at least It can be made secondnry to the business Interests or the country that Is. to the Interests or our people as a whole. Unquestion ably these business Interests wl I best be served ir together with fixity or principle us regards the tariff we com bine n system which will penult un ftom tlmo to time to make the neces sary reappllcntlon of the principle to the shifting national needs. We must take scrupulous care that tho reap pllcntlon shall be made In such a way thnt It will not amount to a dislocation of our system, the mere threat of which (not to speak of the petrormance) would produce paralysis In the busi ness energies or the community. Tho first consideration lu making these changes would, or course, bo to pre serve the principle which underlies our whole tariff system that Is, tho princi ple of putting Amerlonti business In terests at least on n fully equality with Ititet ests nbroad, and of always nlowing a suillcleut rate of duty to more than cover the difference between the Inbor cost hcte and abroad. The we'l-bclng of the wage-worker, like the well-being of the tiller of the soil, should be tieated as nn essential In shaping our whole economic policy. There must never be nny change which will Jeopardize the standard of com rort, the Ptnndard or wages of the American wage-worker. THE RECIPROCITY TREATIES. One way In which the readjustment sought can be reached Is by reciprocity trtutls, It Is grently to be desired that such treaties may be adopted. They can be used to widen our markets and to give , greater field for the activities of our producers on the one hand, mid on the other hand to secure In practical shape the lowering of duties when they are no longer lurri ed for protection among our own peo ple, or when the minimum of dnmnge done tuny be disregarded for the sako of the maximum of good accomplished. If It prove Impossible to ratify the pending treaties, nnd If there seem to be no wnrrant for the endeavor to exe cute otheis, or to amend the pending treaties so thnt they can be ratified, then the some nnd to secure reciproc ityshould be met by direct legisla tion. Wherever the tariff condition nre mrii thnt a needed change ctut not with advantage be made by the application of the reciprocity Idea, then It enn be made outright by n lowering of dti tlet on n given product. If possible, Mich change should be tnnrie only after the fullest consideration by practical c.perts. who should approach the sub ject from u business standpoint, hav ing lu view both the particular Inter ests affected nnd the commercial well- being of the people as n whole. The machinery for providing such careful Investigation can readily be sup tilled. The executive department has nhcady tit Its disposal methods of collecting Tacts and figures, and ir the Congress cKMu'H additional consldeiatlon to that which will be given the subject by Its own committees, then a commission or b'islness experts can be nppolnted whose duty It should be to recommend action by the Congress after n deliber ate and scientific examination of the various schedules as they are afTected by the ihanged and changing condi tions. The unhurried and unbiased re port or this commission would nhow what changes should be made lu the vat Ions schedules, and how far these changes could go without nlso changing the Bieat prosperity which this country Is now enjoying, or upsetting Its fixed economic policy. The cases lu which the tariff can produce a monopoly nre so few nn to constitute an Inconsldetable factor In the question: hut of course ir In nny use It be found that a given rate of dt.tv does promote it monopoly which woiks 111. no protectionist would ob ject to such reduction of the duty as would equalize competition. In my judgment, the tariff on anlhra--it cnal should be removed, and an thracite put actually, where It now is nnrr.inally. on the free list.. This would have no effect at all save in crises; but in crises it micht be of service to the people. NO FINANCIAL RECONSTRUCTION. Intetcst rates ate u potent factor In business ucllvity, and In order that these rates may be equalized to meet the variug needs of the seasons and of widely separated communities, and to prevent the recurrence of financial stringencies which Injuriously uffect legitimate business, It Is necessary that thcie should be an element of elustlclty lu our monetary system. Hanks are the nnturut ervnnts of commerce, nnd upon them should be placed, as rur an practicable, the bur den of furnishing and maintaining n circulation adeqltato lo supply the needN or our diversified Industries nnd of our domestic und foreign commerce; and the Issue or this should bu so reg ulated thnt a Hurflclent supply should be always available for tho business Interests of the country. It would be. both unwise and unnen essuiy at this time lo attempt to recon struct our financial nyntem, which bun been the growth of a century; but some additional legislation Is, 1 think, desir able. Tho mere outline of any plan suf llclently comprehensive to meet these tequlieiucnts would tinnsgress the ap propriate limits of this communica tion. It Is suggested, however, that ull ruture legislation on the subject should be with the view or encouraging the use or such Instrumentalities as -will automatically supply every legitimate demand of productive Industries and of commerce, not only In. the amount, but In the character of circulation: nnd or making all kinds of money Inter changeable, and, nt the will of the holder, convertible Into the established gold standard. FAIR TREATMENT FOR LABOR. How to secure fair treatment alike ror labor nnd for cnpltnl, how to hold In check the unscrupulous man, whether employer or employe, without weakening Individual Initiative, with out hamerlng und cramping the In dustrial development of tho country, Is a problem fraught with great dif ficulties und one which It I of the highest importaiico to solve on lines of sanity and far-slghtcd common sense as well as of devotion to the right. This Is nn era of federation nnd combination. Kxnctly us business men Hud they must often work through cor porations, and as It I n constant tend ency of these corporations to grow larger, so It Is often necessary for la boring men to work In federations, and these have beconio Important factot of modern Industrial life. Until kinds or federation, capitalistic and labor, can do much good, and as a necessary corollary they can both do evil. Opposition to each kind or organization should take the fotm of opposition to whatever Is bad In the conduct of any given corporation or union not of attacks upon corpora tion as such nor upon unions as such; for some of the. most far-reaching beneficent work for our people hns been accomplished through both cor porations and unions. Kach must re frain rrom arbitrary or tyrannous In tel ferencu with the rights or others. Organized capital and organized la bor aliko should remember that in the long run the interest of each must be brought into harmony with the interest of the general public; and the conduct of each must conform to the funda mental rules of obedience to the law, of individual freedom, and of justice and fair dealing townrd ell. Each should remember that In addition to power it must strive after the realiza tion of healthy, lofty, and generous ideale. ISvory employer, every wage-worker, must be guaranteed his llbertv und his right to do as he likes with his prop erty or his labor so long uh he does not Infringe upon the rlchts of others. It is of the highest Importance thnt employer and employe nllko should en deavor to appreciate each the view point or the other nnd the suie dis aster that will come upon both In tho long run K either grows to take ns habitual an attitude or sour hostility and distrust toward the other. Kew people deserve better of tho country than those representatives both of cnpltnl nnd labor nnd there nre many such who work continually to bring about u good understanding of this kind, based upon wisdom and upon bioad and kindly sympathy be tween employers und employed. Above all, we need to lenicinber that any kind of class animosity tit the political world Is, If possible, even more wicked, even more rictructlve to national wel fate, than sectional, race or religious nnlmo;1ty. We can get good govern ment only upon condition that we keep true to the principles upon which this nation vvn founded, and Judge each man not ns a part of u class, but upon his Individual merits. All that we have a right to ask or any man, rich or poor, whatever his creed, his occupation, hli birthplace, or his residence, Is that he shnll act well ntul honorably by IiIm neighbor ntul by his country. We are neither for the rich man as such nor for the poor man ns such: we nre for the upright man, rich or poor. Ho far as the constitu tional powers of the national govern ment touch these matter of general nnd vltnl moment to the nation, they should be exercised In conformity with the principles nbove net forth, ADOPTION OF CUDAN TREATY. I hope soon to submit to the Kenate n reciprocity treaty with Cuba. On May 1!0 last the I'nlteri Ktoten kept its promise to the Island by formally va cating Cuban soil nnd turning Cuba over to those whom her own people ini'l chosen as the tlrst ofllcluls of the revv republic. Cuba lie at our doors, nnd whatever nfTects her for good or for III utTects us also. Ho much have our people relt this that In the Piatt amendment we definitely took the ground that Cuba must hereafter have closer political re lations with m tiinn with nny other power. Thus In a sense Cuba has become a part of our international politioat svstem. .This makes it necessary that in return she should be given some of the benefits of becoming part of our economlo system.. It is. from our own standpoint, n short-sighted and m s chievous policy to fail to recognize this need. Moreover. It Is unworthy of a tummy nnd genet ous nation. Itself the gtcatest and most successful republic In his tory, to refuse to stretch out n helping hand to a young und weak sister le publlc Just entering upon Its cateer of Independence. We should nlwnys fenr lessly Insist upon our lights In the face of the strong, and we should with un giuriglng liaiiri do our generous duty bv the weak. 1 urge the adoption of reciprocity with Cuba not only because It Is eminently for our own Interests to control the Cuban market und by every mentis to roster our supremacy in Hie ironical lands and waters south or us. but also becatiMe we. or the giant republic or the north, should make all our sister nations or the American con tinent feel that whenever they will peimlt It we d sire to show ourselves tlMntoresterily and effectively their friend. THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL. A civilization glows warfare he roines less and less the normal condi tion of foreign relations. The last cen tury has seen ii niaiked diminution of vvnr between civilized powers: wars with uncivilized powers nre largely mere matters of International policy rititv, essential for the welfare or the woi'lri. Wherever possible, arbitration or some similar method should be cm ployed In lieu or war to settle dllllcul tles between civilized natlotiM, nlthough ns yet the world has not progressed mifJlclently to render It possible, or nt-cessarlly desirable, to Invoke urbl trntinn in ovnrv ease. The formation of the International tribunal which sits at The Hague Is an event or goon omen from whleh irreat conseiiuences for the welfare of nil mankind may flow. It Is far bettT. where possime, to invoite iich n permanent tribunal than to create special nrbltrntor for n given purpose. It is a matter of sincere congratula tion to our country thnt the United States and Mexico should have been the first to use the good ofllces of The Hague Court. This was done last sum mer with most satisfactory results In the case of a claim at Issue between us nnd our sister republic. It Is earn eatly to be hoped thnt this first case will serve as a precedent for others. In which not only the United States but foreign nations may take advant age of the machinery already In exist ence at Tho Hague. THE ISTHMIAN CANAL. The Congress ban wisely provided that we shall build at once an Isthmian canal, If possible at Panama. The nttoniey-geiiemi reporta that we can undoubtedly acquire good title from the Krench I'anamn canal company. Ne gotiations are now pending with Co lombia to secure her asbcnt to our building the canal. This canal will be one of the greatest onglneeiliiB feats of the twentieth century; a gt eater engineering feat than has yet been accomplished during the history of mankind. The work should be cur ried out ns a continuing policy with out tegard to change of ndmlnlstm tlon; nnd It should 1m begun under cir cumstances which will iitHke It a mat ter of pride for ull iidinliilHtnitlnns to continue the policy. The canal will b of great benefit to Amerlcu. and of Importance to all the world. It will be of advantage to us Industrially and nlso ns Improving our military position. It will be of nd vantuge to the countries of tropical America. It Is earnestly to be hoped that nil of these countries will do ns some of them have already done with slgnnl success, and will Invito to their shores commerce and Improve their material conditions by recognizing inai stability and order aie the prerequisite! of Bticeessful development. No Inde pendent nation In America need have the slightest fear or aggression rrom the United States. It behooves each one to maintain order within Its own borders and to discharge Its Just obli gations to rorelgnets. When this Is done, they can rest assiiied that, be they Htrong or weak, thoy have noth ing to dreail from outside Interference. Moro nnd more the Increasing luferdo penrieni'u und complexity of Interna tional political and economic relations render It Incumbent on ull civilized und orderly powers to Insist on the proper policing of the world. WAR RECORD IN ORIENT. On July 4 last, on the one hundred and twenty-sixth anniversary of the declaration or our Independence, pence and nmnesty were promulgated In the Philippine Islands. Some tinubln has since from time to time threatened with the Mohammedan Moros, but with the late Insurrectionary Filipinos the war has entirely ceased. Civil gov ernment has now been Introduced. Not only does, each Filipino enjoy such tights to life, liberty nnd the pursuit of happiness as he has never before, known during tho iccorded history of tho Islands, hut the people taken nn u whole now enjoy a measure of seir government greater than Hint granted to nny other oriental!) by uny foreign power and greater than that enjoyed by any other orientals under their own governments, s'ivo the Japanese alone. Wo have not gone too fur lu granting these rights of liberty nnd Heir-government: but we hnve cettulnly gotto to the limit that lu the Interests or the Philippine people thiiinselveH It was wise or Just to go. To hurry mutteia, to go faster than we are now going, would entail calamity on the people of the Islands. No policy ever entered Into bv the American ueonle has vindicated Itself In more signal tnvnncr than it o policy of holding the Pl.lllpplnes. The triumph of our i in, nbovo n the triumph or our laws uiri prim tww has come sootier than w- had any ' n,'tt to expect. Too much pr ilse ciinixt l. given to the'irniy for Wi at It ha done lu the Philippine both 1 1 wnrfan and ftom nn administrative tnndpoltt in ptepailng the wuy fot civil gowni. ment; ami similar credit belong t Un civil authorities ror the way In vihuh they have planted the set J of self kv eminent In the groun I thus "ile ready for lliein. The c.i irnge, the o tllniiilng endurance, fin high BOlil..ty efllcleiicy, and the y .Micrnl kind hearteiltiess und hum nlty o" our troops have been strlklm ly manifested Their now remain onlv some llfieeu thousand troops lu the ll.tmi. aii ioiu, over one hunched thouiilnd hnve been sent there. Of emnse. tliere have been Individual Instances of wrongdoing among them. , ,,, UI They warred under fearful difficulties of climate and surroundings! and under tno strain of the terriblt provocations which they continually received from tholr foes, occasional instances of cruel retaliation occurred. Every effort has boen made to prevent such cruelties, and finally these efforts hava been com. pletely successful. Every effort has also been made to detect and punish the wrongdoers. After making ull allowance for these misdeeds, It remains tine thnt few In deed have been the Instance In which war has been waged by u civilized Iiower against Homl-iivlllzed or bar baron force where there ha been so little wrongdoing by the victor as In the Philippine Islands. On the other had, the amount of dllllcult, Impoitutii. and beneflclent work which has b i done In wcll-tilgh incalculable. THE NAVY AND ITS NEEDS. For the first lime In our hlstoty na val maneuver on u large calc aie be ing held under the linmedluto com manri of the admiral of tho navy, t'on hlantly Inci easing attention Is being pain to the gunnery of thu navj but It Is yet far ftom what it Hhoulri be. 1 earnestly urge that the increase asked for by the secretary of tho navy lu the iiniiriinrlutlon for ImtiroV'ing tilt iitai-ksmauslilp bo granted. In battle the only shot thut count nro the shots that hit. It Is necessary to piovlde ample funds for practice with the gie.it guns In time of peace. TIichc funds must provide not only for the put chase of projectiles, but ror allowances ror prizes to encourage the gun crews, ami cipeclully the gun pointer, und for perfecting nn Intelligent ystent under which alone It la possible to get good practice. . . Thero should bo no halt in the work of building up the navy, providing ev cry year additional fighting craft. We are a very rich country, vast in extent of territory and groat in population; a country, moreover, which hao an army diminutive indoed when compared with that of nny other firstclass power. We nave deimeratoiy maao our own cur- tain foreign policies which demand tne nnticmilltn of a first-claSS nOVV The Isthmlnii cuinil vill greatly In crease the etllclency of our navy If the navy Is of sutllclent iilze; but ir we have un Inadequate navy, then Un building of the citnnl would be ninety Klvlng a hostage to any power or su perior strength. Tho Monroe I for tune should bo treuted uh tho cardinal fciituto or American rorolgn policy, lint 11 would be worse than Idle to us- sert It unless we Intendittl to back It up. und It win be bnekei.1 up only by u thoiouglily good navy. (A good navy Is not n provocutlvo or vVnr. It Is the surest guaranty of peac'. Kiich individual ututi or oinvinvj- uIwmiIiI ),.. Hit. immt fJtllfUY'nt (inf It kind ns regards both miterlal nnd peV sonnel that Is to bo fottjri In the worhnLJ l ran your special aieuiiun m me neid of providing for lie mantling of the ships. Serious trjuble tltrcnteiiH us ir we can not do ketter than wo are now doing as regitillH Hectirlng the set vices or u suillcleut number of the highest type of hiiIIoiiimi, or sea me chanics. The veteran kcumuu or our war ships are or as hlgp u type as can bo round In any navy tvhlch tides ttie waters or the world, limy art unstir panied In during. In iciolutlon.ln read iness, lu thorough knowledge or their profession. They deserve ev.'iy con stat ration that can be shovn them. Pj: there are not ciioiikIi of hem. It Is no more possible to lui)i'ovlsc a new than It Is possible to Improvise n war ship. To build the fliest ship, with the deadliest battery, ami to semi It nlloiit with it raw crew, no matter how brave they were Isillvlriually. would be to Insure ilisaster'ir it foe of overage capacity weie encountered. ?wlther ships nor men run be liupro vised when war has begun. Wo need a thousand additional olll cen In order to properly mini the ships now provided ror nnd utiricrirnnsti fic tion. The classes ut the naral school at Annapolis should be gfcnlly en larged. At the same time that we thus aril' the officers vvhrie wo ne;ri lliein. we should facilitate the rctlitictit of those nt the head of the Hit whose iihcrulness hail become Impaired. Pro motion must he fostered If th hoi vice Is to lie kept eftlclent. Tho lamentable scarcity of olllcers. nnd the large number of roarults and or unskilled men necessarily put aboard the new vensols a they have ben cotn mlfsloneil, hn thrown upon',, our olll rcrs, ntul especially on the lUHitonaiits and Junior gradi's, unusual Ubor and fiillgun and ha gravely Htrahed their povet-M or endurance. Nor Is there sign or any Immediate lot-up lu this sliiiin. It must continue for gome time longer, until moro ofllcers pre gi.nl ua.eri from Annapolis, anil until tln re cruits become trained nnd skillful In ti'cir (littles, in tneso dlfllcultles bul lion! upon tne development of oin win u ft tne conduct or nil our o lft the conduct or all our officers has leen creditable to the servlei mni the i II. ...,..., ...,,.. .....1 I. ...I .. , ' . ii'-iiiiiiMiin hum junior KrailtIS m p.ll - titular havo displayed an ahjlltv and n steadfast cheerfulness vvhlilh entitles them to tho ungrudging tlumk of all who realize the dlsheartenlngltrlali ml fatigues to which they are 'or w ea sily subjected. Thero Is not u cloud on the Imil zon nt preHont. There seems not th" sllRlilcst chance or trouble with a for eign power. We most earnestly hope that this stale or things may conllniie i ml the way to insure Uh contliiii.ui'e la to provide for n thoroughly etllileiit navy. The refusal to maintain mu. Ii a tmvv would Invite trouble, nnd If t'ai bio came would Insure disaster I'"' uius self-coinplncon'cy or vanm " slnrt-slghtodnesn In lefuslng to pie pi re for danger, 1 both fooliMi "id vvirked In Hiich a nation a onis and past experience ha shown thai u fatuity lu refusing to recognize or pte pan for any crisis In advance u umi.i1 y succeeded by a mad panlo of h terlcal rear once the cilsls lias ti niiiliy anlved. RURAL ROUTE APPROPRIATIONS. The striking Increime In the jevnaies or the postofflec department " clenily tho prosperity of oui peopi nnrt the Increasing activity or tin- isi nesH of the eountry. The receipts of tho postofflec .le.mt ment for the fiscal year enri i.g j.i .e lust amounted to $121,848,047 & ..n ' creaso of $10,210,853.87 over l.e l" cedlng year, the largest Increase l.m- In the history of the nosini ,ervhe The magnitude of hKX"r . " ,il lies nnnnnn ..... . .. ..""- V1 . tire postal recelniH tn .v. .""' ..... i. Ire postal receipts for the v.lr ISiO ! monnlod to but J8 M8.0C7 y ' lluial ftee-dellvery service Ii no J n.er lu the experimental stage; It !'" heroine a fixed policy. The resulta t"H"Wlng It Introduction have fully Justified the Congress In the Inrge ap t"i'ilnlloim made for Its establish ment and extension. The average; je.uiy lucieasi! In postofflec rerelpts In the i lit al dlstiletn of the country in "bout 2 tier cent. We nre now able, bv actual testtlts. to show thnt whero tin it free delivery ncrviee ha been eit iMiiiiixl to such an extent as to eiiniiie us fo make comparisons tho veiniy IneteiiHe haH been upward of 10 per cent. Oil November 1, 1002. ll.tfEO rural flee dullveiy route had been estnb IMied and were lu operation, covers lag ibntit one-third of thn terrltnrv "f the United Stntes available for rural tree dellveiy service. Thero are now, awaiting the action of the department petitions nnd application for the es tablishment of 10.71H additional route. Thli shows conclusively the want whirh the establishment of the servlco has met and the need of further ex tending It us rapidly as possible. It I Juxtltleri both by the flnnnclal result and by the practical benefit to our ruiiil population; It brings tho men who live on the soil Into close rela tloiiM with the active bttslnes vvoild; It keeps the fanner In dally touch with the matkets; It Is a potential educa tional force; It enhances the value of fat in pioperty, makes farm llfo far plensanter and less Isolated, and will do much to check the undesirable cur rent ft mu country to city. It Is to he hoped that the Congress will make liberal appropriations ror tho cohttiitiatice or the service already es tablished and ror Its further extension. FOR IRRIGATION IN THE WEST. I'ew subjects of more Importance have been taken up by the Congress) In recent yems than the Iniumuratlon of the system of nutlnnally-nlricri Irri gation ror the arid regions or the far west. A good beginning therein hail been inurie. Now that this policy of national litigation has been adopted, the need of thoioilgh and sclentlllc for est ptotectlon will grow more rapidly than ever throughout the public land Males. So far as they are available ror ng ili'ttlttire, and to whatever extent thev in, iy lie icclalmed under the national IrilBiitlon law, the remaining publto lauds photilri be held rigidly ror tho hoitie builder, the settler who liven on his laud, and for no one elite. In their actual use the desert-land law, the timber and stone law, and tho eouumitatloii clause or the homesteail law have been so perverted rrom tho Intention with which thj'y were enacted 'as to penult the acquisition of largo areas of the public domain for other th. hi initial settlers mid the consequent prevention of settlement. Moreover, the nppt caching exhaustion of the pub lic ranees has of lute led to much ills- I etitsion as to the best milliner or using these public lands In the west which are suitable chiefly or only ror lita, lug. The round and steady develop ment or the west depends upon thn building up or hollies theieln. Much nt out- prospetlty as a nation bus been duo to the operation or the home stead law. on the other hand, wo should rrcogiil.e the fact that In tho Bra.tng region the man who corres ootids to the homesteader may be un able to settle permanently If only al lowed to u;;' the name amount of pas ture land unit tils brother, the home steader. In allowed to use of arable land. One hundred and sixty acre of fairly ilch and well-watered soil, or n much smaller amount of Irrigated land, uy l",eP ll fntly Plenty, ..TiUrens ln one could get a living from OIIO hUllifjrt(1 """ 1!"y '"res in tu pasture li nil capiinte u supporting no. o only one head of enttle' to. ttie nutsli every tot acres, in trie past grent tracts or fenced In public domain havebeeiv, cmlic .. ...ipunnu iniviinff nn firm. thereto. In iv iHini'ni' ,...,.rH " ,- - a- A1' vet dellance of thenv,.?i forbidding th in,,.".. ...." .i ron- - structlon or a SUch,.Vnwfnl Inrlfw- urc or public M' For vnrlous rea- soiih thoie has been tittle Interference, with mirh liuiosures lu the past, but maple notice Iiiih now been given tho liHpnsiM. and all the resources at the command of the government wilP bet carter lit; used to put a stop to suiii trospasln;;. THE CARE OF INDIANS", In dealing with the Indian our aim should be their ultimate absorption In. to the body or our people. Hut In ninny c.ims this absorption must and should bo very slow. In portions or the Inri I'tn Territory the mixture or blood has g.,no on nt the same time with prog ti ss In wealth and education, so thnt (here ate plenty or men with vnrylnjc degrees r purity or Indian blood who ate absolutely Indistinguishable In point or social, political, and economla ability rrom their while associates. There are other tribe which have an ye i made no perceptible advance to ward such equality. To try to forco such tribes too fast Is to prevent their going forward nt all. Moreover, the tribes live under wide l different conditions. Where n trlbo bit made considerable advance and lives on fertile farming soil It Is possi ble to allot the members laud In sev eralty much as In the case with vvhltn settlers. There nre other tribe whero t-iuii a course Is not desirable. On tho hi hi prairie lauds the effort nhould bo to Induce the Indians to lead pastoral i.ither than agricultural llves,-nnd to )-! mlt them to settle In village rather U-.un to force litem Into Isolation. The large Indian school situated re unite from any Indian reservation do n spetial and peculiar work of great Im portance. Hut, excellent though theso ie an Immense amount or additional work must be done on the reservations themielves among the old, nnd nbovo ll among the young, Indian. The ilrst and most Important step toward the nhsarptlon or the Indian I io te.Kii him to earn his living; yet It i-t not necessarily to he assumed that n e.n-li coniimmlty nil Indian must iieioiiie either tiller or tho soil or slock ralsera. Their Industries mny piopetly be ill versified, nnd those who xlinw special desire or adaptability for ii'ilustiiul or even commercial pur i Its should be encouraged so far a wuetlruhlo to follow out each hi own Ik lit. livery effort should be made to de velop the Indian along the lines of t.ilural aptitude, and to encourage tho .lstlng native Industries pecutlnr to .-eitaln tribes, such ns the vnrlotm k.mls nf basket weaving, canoe build ing, smith work, nnd blanket work. Move all. the Indian boy nnd girls should In given confident commnnil of olicquMI Knglish, nnd should ordi nal 11 v be prepared for it vlgorou struggle with the conditions under flihh their people live, rather than for iiKineill.ite absorption into some moro lm hly developed community. 'I he nlllcl.il who represent the gov . iiiient In dealing with the Indian v.oik under haul conditions, and also miller condition .vhlch render It easy h do wiling and very dllllcult to detect wrung. Consequently they should bo ineiiis paid on thu one hand, nnd on tho . iiiniii a iiaitlcularly high stand- .ml of conduct should be demanded from them, and where misconduct can i,e proved the punishment should be i,i..i-' " i'y IW - ft ; :, I i-jF?Twrw'- ! -.--acstsaiiMCTB-rMiM riifftitailgT-if-tc:r -i-"-'t-"tJt"h-witol'itS.Mw vuivv fjTd