Governmental Problems Dwelt On at Length in the Document. URGES EXCLUSION OF THE fiNflRGHISIS Czolgosz and His Ilk Enemies of the Human Race. THE MERITS OF RECIPROCITY. President Defends the Workings of the Protective Tariff Construction of the Nicaraguan Canal Urged, and the Lay ing of a Cable to Hawaii and the Philippines—Changes In the Present Militia l aws Recommended Tho Navy. A comprehensive synopsis of President Roosevelt's message to Congress is given bo low: To tho Senate and House of Representatives: "The Congress assembles this year under the shadow of a great ralamlty. On the sixth of September. President McKinley was shot by an anarchist while attending the Pan American Exposition at Buffalo, and died in that city on the fourteenth of that month. "Of the last seven elected Presidents, he is the third who has been murdered, and the bare recital of this fact is sufficient to Jus tify grave alarm among all loyal American citizens Moreover, the circumstances of this, tho third assassination of an American Presi dent, have a peeuliariy sinister significance. Both President Lincoln and President Car field were killed by assassins of types unfor tunately not uncommon In hlBtory, President Lincoln falling a victim to the terrible pas sions aroused by four years of civil war, and President Garfield to the revengeful van ity of a disappointed office-seeker. President McKinley was killed by an utterly depraved criminal belonging to that body of criminals who object to all governments, good and had alike, who aru against any form of popular liberty If it is guaranteed by even the most Just and liberal laws, and who aro as hostile to the upright exponent of a free people's sober will as to the tyrannical and Irresponsi ble despot "It Is not too much to say that at the time of President McKinley a death he was the most widely loved man in all the United States; while we have never had any public man of his position who has been so wholly free from the bitter animosities Incident to public life. There could be no personal hatred of him. for hs never acted with aught but consideration for the welfare of others. No oue could fail to respect him who knew him in public or private life. The defenders of those murdererous criminals who seek to excuse their criminality by asserting that It Is exercised for political ends, inveigh against wealth and irresponsible power. But for tills assassination even this base apology can not be urged." The President speaks in the highest terms of the personal and public virtues of Mr. Mc Kinley. Describing the nature of the assas sination and the motive that Inspired it, the message continues: .'■olive or the Assassin, “The blow was aimed not at this Presi dent, but at ail Presidents at every symbol of government The anarchist, and especially the anarchist In the United States, is merely one type of criminal, more dangerous than any other because he represents the same depravity in a greater degree. The man who advocates anarchy directly or indirectly, in any shape or fashion, or the man who apolo gizes for anarchists and their deeds, makes bimsejf morally accessory to murder before the fart. Tb« anarchist is a criminal whose perverted instincts lead him to prefer confu sion and chaos to the most beneficent form of scciul order. His protest of concern for workingmen is outrageous in its Impudent falsity; for if the political institutions of this country do not afford opportunity to every honest and Intelligent sou of toil, then the door of hope is forever dosed against him, The anarchist Is everywhere not merely tho enemy of system and progress, but the dead ly foe of liberty. If ever anarchy is triumph ant its triumph will last for but one red moment, to be succeeded for ages by the gloomy night of despotism. Would Kxelude Anarchists. “T earnestly recommend to the Congress that In the exercise of its wise discretion it should take into consideration the coming to this country of anarchists or persons pro fessing principles hostile to all government and justifying the murder of those placed In authority No matter calls more urgently for the Wisest thought of the Congress •'The Federal courts should be given juris diction over any man who kills or attempts to kill the President or any man who bv the Constitution or by law is In line of succes sion for the Presidency, while the punish ment for an unsuccessful attempt should he proportioned to the enormity of the offense against our institutions. "Anarchy is a crime against the whole human rate; and all mankind should hand against the anarchist. His crime should be made an offense against the law of nations like piracy and that form of manBteallng known as the slave trade for it is of far blacker infamy than either. It should be so declared by treaties among all civilized pow ers. The Trust Problem. “The tremendous and highly complex Industrial development which went on with ever accelerated rapidity during the latter half of the nineteenth century brings us face to face, at the beginning of the twentieth, with very serious social problems. The old laws, and the old customs which had almost the binding force of law, were once quite sufficient to regulate the accumulation and distribution of wealth. Since the industrial changes which have so enormously Increased the productive power of mankind, they are no longer sufficient. “The creation of great corporate fortunes has not been due to the tariff nor to anv other governmental action, but to natural causes in the business world, operating in other countries as they operate in our own. "It is not true that as the rich have grown richer the poor have grown poorer On the contrary, never before has the average man, the wage-worker, the farmer, the small tral er, been so well off as in this country ami at the present time. There have been abuses (ionneetc.d with the accumulation of wealth; yet It remains true that a fortune accumu lated only on condition of conferring Im mense Incidental benefits upon others. Suc cessful enterprise, of the type which benefits all mankind, can only exist If the conditions are such as to offer great prizes as the re wards of success. “The captains of industry who have driven the railway systems across this continent, who have built up our commerce, who have developed our manufactures, have on the Whole done great good to our people With out them the material development of which we are so justly proud could never have taken place. Moreover, we should recognize the immense importance to this material development of leaving as unhampered as Js compatible with the public good the strong and forceful men upon whom the success of business operations inevitably rests. Caution Is Urged, “An additional reason for caution in deal ing with corporations is to be found in the International commercial conditions of to day. The same business conditions which have produced the great aggregations of cor porate and individual wealth have made them very potent factors in international commer cial competition. America has only just begun to assume that commanding position in the international business world which we believe will more and more be hers. It is of the utmost Importance that this position be not Jeoparded, especially at a time when the overflowing abundance of our own natu ral resources and the skill, business energy, and mechanical aptitude of our people make foreign markets essential. Under such con ditions It would be most unwise to cramp or to fetter the youthful strength of our Nation, , . •THsaster to great business enterprises can never have its effects limited to the men at the top. It spreads throughout, and while it Is bad for everybody, it Is worst for those farthest down. The capitalist may be shorn of his luxuries; but the wage-worker may ba deprived of even bate necessities. ••In facing new industrial conditions, the whole history of tha world shows that legis latino will generally be both unwli* and In eflect v« unless undertaken after atm tuqatry and with sober self restraint Much of the legislation direrted at the trusts would have been rx erdingly m erhlevou* had It not also keen entirely ineffective In dealing with business interests. for the government to tin - dor-a Id by crude and ill-considered Icgisln tion to do what may turn out to h« had, would be to Incur th» ns!- such f»r reach ing national disaster that It would l>« prefer able to undertake nothing at all. "All this Is true, and yet it is also true that there are real and grave evils, one of the Chief being over-capltallxatiou because of Its many baleful consequences; and a reso lute and practical effort must be made to correct these evils. (ioTcrnmeut Supervision. "It Is no limitation upon property rights or freedom of contract to require that when men receive from government the privilege of doing business under corporate form, which frees them from Individual responsibility, and enables them to call Into thdr enterprises the capital of the public, they shall do so upon absolutely truthful representations as to the value of the property In which the capi ta! Is to be Invested Corporations engaged In Interstate commerce should be regulated If they are found to exerelse a license work in* to the public injury It should he as much th» aim of those who seek for social betterment to rid the business world of crimes of cunning as 10 rid the entire body politic of crimes of violence. Great corpora tions exist only because they are created and safeguarded by our Institutions and it Is therefore our right and our duty to see that they work in harmony with these Insti tutions. Publicity Keniedy for Trust*. "The first essential In determining how to deal with the great industrial combinations is knowledge of the facts—publicity. In the Interest of the public, the government should have the right to Inspect and examine the workings of the great corporations engaged in interstate business. Publicity is the only sure remedy whlrh we can now invoke. What further remedies are needed in the way of governmental regulation, or taxation, can only be determined after publicity has been obtained, by process of law, and in the course of administration. The first requisite Is knowledge, full and complete—knowledge which may be made public to the world. Artificial bodies, such as corporations and Joint stock or other associations, depending upon anv statutory law for their existence or privileges, should be subject to proper gov ernmental supervision, and full and accurate Information as to their operations should be made public regularly at riasonahle Intervals. "The large corporations, commonly called trusts, though organiied In one state, always do business in many states, often doing very little business in the state where they are incorporated There Is utter lack of uniform ity in the stale laws about them; and as no state has any exclusive Interest In or power over their acts, it has in practice proved Im possible to get adequate regulation through state action. Therefore, In the interest of the whole people, the Nation should, without In terfering with the powt r of the states In the matter itself, also assume power of super vision and regulation over all corporations doing an interstate business Tills Is espe cially true where the corporation derives a portion of its wealth from the existence of some monopolistic clement or tendency in its business. There would be no hardship In such supervision banks are subject to It, and in their < aso it Is now accepted as a simple matter of course. Indeed, It is probable that supervision of corporations by the National government need not go so far as is now the case with the supervision exercised over them by so conservative a state as Massachusetts, In order to produce excellent results. I believe that a law can bo framed which will enable the National government to exer cise control along the lines above indicated; profiting by the experience gained througu the pastagf and administration of the Inter state-Commerce Act. If, however, the judg ment of the Congress Is that it lacks the constitutional power to pass such an act. then a constitutional amendment should be submitted to confer the power. "There should be rreated a Cabinet officer, to be known as Secretary of Commerce nnd Industries, as provided in the Mil Introduced at the last session of the Congress. It should he his province to deal with commerce in its broadest sense including among many other things whatever concerns labor and all mat ters affecting the great business corporations and our merchant marine. Restriction on Immigration. “With the sole exception of the farming interest, no one matter is of such vital mo ment to our whole people as the welfare of the wage-workers. If the farmer and the wage-worker are well off. it is absolutely certain that all others will be well off, too. It is therefore a matter for hearty congratu lation that on the whole wages are higher to-day in the United States than ever before in our history, and far higher than in any otimr country The standard of living is also higher than ever before. Every effort of leg islator and administrator should be bent to secure the permanency of this condition of things and its improvement wherever possi ble. Not only must our labor be protected by the tariff, but it should also be protected so far as it is possible from the presence in this country of uqy laborers brought over by contract, or of those who. coming freely, >et represent a standard of living ao de pressed that they can undersell our men in the labor market and drag them to a lower level. I regard it as necessary, with this end in view, to re-enact immediately the law excluding Chinese laborers and to strength en it wherever necessary in order to make Its enforcement entirely effective. “So far as practicable under the conditions of government work, provision should be made to render the enforcement of the eight hour law easy and certain. In all indus tries carried on directly or indirectly for the United States government women and chil dren should be protected from excessive hours of labor, from night work, and from work under unsanitary conditions. “The most vital problem with which this country, and for that matter the whole civ ilized world, has to d‘»al. is the problem which has for one side the betterment of so cial conditions, moral and physical, in large cities, and for another side the effort to deal with the tangle of fat-reaching questions which we group together when we speak of “labor.’ Very great good has been and will be accomplished by associations or unions of wage-workers, when managed with fore thought, and when they combine insistence upon their own rights with law-abiding re spect for the rights of others. The display of these qualities in such bodies is a duty to the Nation no less than to the associations them selves. Finally, there must also in many cases be action by the government in order to safeguard the rights and interests of ail. Under our Constitution there is much more scope for such action by the state and the municipality than by the Nation. Hut on points such as those touched on above tho National government con act. “Our present immigration laws are unsat isfactory. We need every honest and effi cient immigrant fitted to become an Ameri can citizen, every immigrant who comes here to stay, who brings here a strong body, a stout heart, a good head, and a resolute pur pose to do his duty well in every way and to bring up bis children as law abiding and God-fearing members of the community. Hut there should be a comprehensive law enact ed with the object of working a threefold im provement over our present system. First, we should aim to exclude absolutely not only all persons who are known to be believers in anarchistic principles or members of an archistic societies, but also all persons who are of a low moral tendency or of unsavory reputation. This means that we should re quire a irioro thorough system of Inspection abroad and a more rigid system of examina tion at our immigration ports, the former be ing especially necessary. “The second object of a proper immigra tion law ought to be to secure by a careful and not merely perfunctory educational test some intelligent capacity to appreciate Amer ican institutions and act sanely as Ameri can citizens This would not keep out all anarchists, for many of them belong to tho Intelligent criminal class, liut it would do wnat is also In point, that is, tend to de crease the sum of ignorance, so potent In producing the envy, suspicion, malignant passion, and hatred of order, out of which anarchistic sentiment inevitably springs. Finally, all persons should be excluded who are below a certain standard of economic fit ness to enter our industrial field as com petitora with American labor. There should bo proper proof of personal rapacity to earn an American living and enough money to in sure a decent start under American condi tions. This would stop the influx of cheap labor, nnd the resulting competition which gives rise to so much of bitterness in Ameri can industrial life. and it would dry up the sorings of the pestilential social conditions in our great lities, where anarchistic organ izations have their greatest possibility of growth. Question of Reciprocity. “There is general acquiesence in our pres ent tariff system us a national policy. The first requisite to our prosperity is the con tinuity and stability of this economic policy. .\othing could be more unwise than to dis turb the business interests of the country by any general tariff change at this tinu* Iambi, apprehension, uncertainty are exactly what we wish to avoid in the interest of our com mercial and material well-being. Our expert I enr« in the past has shown that sweeping revisions of the tariff are apt to prodo conditions closely approaching panic In the business world Yet it is not only possible, but eminently desirable, to combine with the stability of our economic system a supple mentary system of reciprocal benefit and obli gation with other nations. Such reciprocity is an Incident and result of the firm estab lishment and preservation of our present economic polity It was specially provided for in the present tariff law “Our first duty is to see that the protection granted by the tariff in every case where it is needed so maintained, and tha reciprocity be sought for so far as It can safely be done without injury to our home Industries. Just bow far this is must be determined accord ing to the individual case, remembering al ways that every application of our tariff pol icy to inset our shifting national needs must be conditioned upon the cardinal fact that the duties must never be reduced below the point that will cover the difference between the labor cost here and abroad The well-being of the wage-worker is a prime consideration of our entire policy of economic legislation. “Subject to this proviso of the proper pro tection necessary to our industrial well-being at home, the principle o? reciprocity must command our hearty support. The pheno menal growth of our export trade emphasizes the urgency of the need for wider markets and for a liberal policy in dealing with for eign nations. Whatever Is merely petty and vexatious in the way of trade restrictions should be avoided The customers to whom we dispose of our surplus products in the long run. directly or indirectly, purchase those surplus products by giving us some thing in return. Their ability to purchase our products should as far as possible be secured by so arranging our tariff as to en able us to take from them those products which we can use without harm to our own industries nnd labor, or the use of which will be of marked benefit to us. “We have now reached the point in the development of our interests where we are not only able to supply our own markets but to produce a constantly growing surplus for which we must find markets abroad. To secure these markets we can utilize existing duties in any case where they are no longer needed for the purpose of protection, or In any rasa where the article is not produced hero and the duty Is no longer necessary for revenue, as giving us something to offer in exchange for what we ask. The cordial re lations with other nations which are so de sirable will naturally be promoted by the course thus required by our own Interests. The natural line of development for a policy of reciprocity will be In connection with those of our productions which no long er require all of the support once needed to establish them upon a sound basis, and with those others where either because of natural or of economic causes we are beyond the teach of successful competition. “I ask the attention of the Senate to the reciprocity treaties laid before it by my pre decessor. Our Merchant Marine. “The condition of the American merchant marine is such as to call for Immediate remedial action by the Congress. It is dis creditable to us as a Nation that our mer chant marine should be utterly insignificant in comparison to that of other nations which we overtop *n other forms of business. “American shipping is under certain great disadvantages when put in competition with the shipping of foreign countries. Many of the fast foreign steamships, at a speed of fourteen knots or above, an* subsidized; and all our ships, sailing vessels and steamers alike, cargo earners of slow speed and mail carriers of high speed, have to meet the fact that the original cost of building Ameri can ships is greater than is the case abroad that the wages paid American officers and seamen are very much higher than those paid the officers and seamen of foreign competing countries, and that the standard of living on our ships Is far superior to the standard of living on the ships of our commercial rivals “Our government should take such action as will remedy these inequalities. The Amet - b an merchant marine should be restored to the ocean. “Tho Act of March 14, 1900, intended un equivocally to establish gold ns the standard money and to maintain at a parity therewith all forms of money medium in use with us. has been shown to be timely and judicious. The price of our government bonds in the world's market, when compared with the price of similar obligations issued by other nauons, is a flattering tribute to our public credit. This condition it is eminently desir able to maintain. “In many respects the National Hanking Law furnishes sufficient liberty for the proper exercise of the banking function but there seems to be need of better safeguards against the deranging Influence of commercial crises and financial panics Moreover, the currency of the country should be made responsive to the demands of our domestic trade and commerce. Reduction of Revenues. “The collections from duties on imports and internal taxes continue to exceed the ordi nary expenditures The utmost care should be taken not to reduce the revenues so that thre will be any possibility of a deficit, but, after providing against any such contingency, meaus should be adopted which will bring the revenues more nearly within the limit of our actual needs. “I call special attention to the need of strict economy in expenditures. The fact that our national needs forbid us to be niggardly In providing whatever is actually necessary to our well-being, should make us doubly care ful to husband our national resources, as each of us husbands his private resources, by scrupulous avoidance of anything like waste ful or reckless expenditure. Regulation of Railroads. In 1887 a measure was enacted for the reg ulation of interstate railways, commonly known as the Interstate Commerce Act. Th»* cardinal provisions of that act were that railway rates should be just and reasonable and that ail shippers, localities, and commo dities should be acc orded equal treatment. A commission was created and endowed with what were supposed to be* the necessary pow - ers to execute the provisions of this ac t "That law was largely an experiment. Ex perience has shown the wisdom of its pur poses, but has also shown, possibly that son)'* of its requirements are wrong, certainly that the means devised for the enforcement of its provisions are defective. • The ac t should be amended. The railway is a public servant. Its rates should be just to and open to all shippers alike* The gov ernment should see to It that within its juris diction this Is so and should provide a speedy, inexpensive, and t ffectlve remedy to that end. At the same time it must not be forgotten that our railways ar»* the arteries through which the commercial lifeblood of this nation flows. Nothing could be more foolish than the en actment of legislation w-hich would unneces sarily interfere with the development and operation of these commercial agencies. The subject is one of great importance and ealls for tho earnest attention of the Congress. The message points out the value of the American forests and the necessity for their conservation, and urges the construction and maintenance of reservoirs and irrigating systems for the reclamation of the arid lands of the West. Of the water rights it says: Tn the arid states the only right to water which should be recognized is that of use. In irrigation this right should attach to the land reclaimed and be inseparable therefrom. Granting perpetual water rights to others than users, without compensation to the public*, is open to all the objections which apply to giving away perpetual franchises to the* public utilities of cities. A few of the Western states have already recognized this and have incorporated in their constitutions the do< trine of perpetual state ownership of water. Development of Hawaii. “Our aim should be not simply to reclaim ihe largest area of land and provide homes for the largest number of people, but to create for this new industry the best possible social and Industrial conditions and this re quires that we not only understand the ex isting situation, but avail ourselves of the best experience of the time In the solution oi its problems. A careful study should be* made, both by the nation and the states, of tho irigation laws and conditions here and abroad lltimately It will probably be neces sary for the nation to co-operate with the several arid states in proportion as these states by their legislation and administration show themselves fit to receive It. ‘Tn Hawaii our aim must be to develop the territory on the traditional American lines. Wo do not wish a region of large cities tilled by cheap labor, we wish a healthy American community of men who themselves till the farms they own. All our legislation for the islands should h» shaped with this end In view; the well-being of the; average home maker must afford the true test of tin healthy development of tho islands. Tilt land policy should as nearly ns possible be modeled on our homestead system. “It Is a pleasure to say that it is hardlj more necessary to r*?port as to Porto Rich than as to any state or territory within oui continental limits The Island is thriving a; never before, and it is being administer*^ efficiently and honestly. Its people are nov enjoying liberty and order under the pro feetinn of the I'nitcd Si.it- nod upon th I fact wc c ongratulate them and ourselves Their material welfare must be as carefull: and Jealously considered as the welfare o any other portion of our country. We have given them the great gift of free acceaa for their products to the markets of the United States 1 ask the attention of the Congress to the need of legislation concerning the pub lic lands of Porto Rico. Progress In Cuba. “In Cuba such progress has been made to ward putting the Independent government of the Island upon a firm footing that before the present sesslen of the Congress closes this will be an accomplished fact. Cuba will then start as her own mistress; and to tha beauti ful Queen of the Antilles, as she unfolds this new page of her destiny, we extend our heartiest greetings and good wishes. Else where I have discussed the question of reci procity. In the case of Cuba, however, there are weighty reasons of morality and of na tional Interest why the policy should be held to have a peculiar application, and I most earnestly ask your attention to the wisdom, Indeed to the vital need, of providing for a substantial reduction in the tariff duties on Cuban Imports Into the United States Cuba has in her constitution affirmed what we de sired, that sho should staud. In International matters, in closer and more friendly relations with us than with any other power; and we are bound by every consideration of honor and expediency to pass commercial measures In the Interest of her material well-being. The Philippine Problem. “In the Philippines our problem Is larger. They are very rich tropical Islands. Inhabi ted by many varying tribes, representing widely different stages of progress toward civilization. Our earnest effort is to help these people upward along the stony and dif ficult path that leads to self-government. We hope to make our administration of the Is lands honorable to our nation by making It of the highest benefit to the Filipinos them selves; and as an earnest of what we Intend to do, wo point to what we have done. Al ready a greater measure of material prosper ity and of governmental honesty and effici ency has been attained in the Philippines than ever before in their history. “Ill dealing with tbo Philippine people we must show both patience and strength, for bearance and steadfast resolution. Our aim Is high. We do not desire to do for the Is landers merely what has elsewhere been done for tropic peoples by even the best foreign governments. W hope to do for them what lias never before been done for any people of the tropics—to make them fit for self government after the fashion of the really free uattons. “To leave the islands at this time would mean that they would fall Into a welter of murderous anarchy. Such desertion of duty on our part would be a crime against hu manity. The character of Governor Taft and of his associates and subordinates is a proof. If sueh bo needed, of the sincerity of our ef fort to give the islanders a constantly in creasing measure of self-government, exactly as fast as they show themselves fit to exer cise it. Since the civil government was es tablished not an appointment has been made In the islands with any reference to consider ations of political Influence, or to aught else save the fitness of the man and the needs of the service. "There are still troubles ahead In the Is lands The Insurrection has become an affair of local banditti and marauders, who deserve no higher regard than the brigands of por tions of the old world. Encouragement, di rect or indirect, to these iusurreetos stands on the same footing as encouragement to hos tile Indians in the days when we still had In dian wars. As we will do everything in our power for the Filipino who is peaceful, we will take the sternest measures with the Filipinos who follow the path of the Insur recto and the ladrooe. “The time has come when there should be additional legislation for the Philippine*. Nothing better can be done for the islands than to introduce industrial enterprises. Nothing would benefit them so much as throwing them open to industrial develop ment. It Is therefore necessary that the Congress should pass laws by which the re sources of the islands can be developed; so that franchises (for limited terms of years) can be granted to companies doing business ( fn them, and every encouragement be given to the Incoming of business men of every i kind. “I call your attention most earnestly to the crying need of a cable to Hawaii and the Philippines, to be continued from the Phil ippines to points in Asia. We should not defer a day longer than necessary the con struction of such a cable. It Is demanded not merely for commercial but for political and military considerations. “Either the Congress should Immediately provide for the construction of a govern ment i able, or else an arrangement sboutd be made by which like advantages to those accruing from a government cable may be Secured to the government by contract with a private cable company. Recommends Nicaraguan «. anai. “No single great material work which re mains to be undertaken on this continent is of such consequence to the American people as the building of a < anai across the Isthmus connecting North and South America While its beneficial effects would perhaps be most marked upon the Pacific coast and the gulf and South Atlantic slates, it would also greatly benefit other sections. It is em phatically a work which it is for the interest of the entire country to begin and complete as soon as possible; it is one of those great works which only a great nation ran under take with prospects of success, and which when done are rot only permanent assets in the nation s material interests, but stand ing monuments to Its constructive ability “I am glad to be able to announce to you that our negotiations on this subject witli Great Britain, conducted on both sides In a spirit of friendliness and mutual good will and respect, have resulted in my being able to lay before tbe Senate a treaty which if ratified will enable us to begin preparations for an Isthmian canal at any time, and which guarantees to this nation every right that It has ever asked in connection with the canal In this treaty, the old Clayton Bul wer treaty, so long recognized ns inadequate to supply the base for the construction and maintenance of a necessarily American ship ■ anal, is abrogated It specifically provides that the United States alone shall do the work of building and assume the responsi bility of safeguarding the canal and shall regulate its neutral use by all nations on terms of equality without the guaranty or interference of any outside nation from any quarter The signed treaty will at once be laid before the Senate, and If approved the Congress can then proceed to give effect to the advantages it secures us by providing for the building of tbe canal. “The true end of every great and free peo ple should be self-respecting peace; and this nation most earnestly desires sincere and cordial friendship with all others. Over the entire world, of recent years, wars between the great civilized powers have become less and less frequent. Wars with barbarous or smi-barbarous peoples come in an entirely different category, being merely a most re grettable but necessary interiiHtionsl police duty which must be performed for the sake of the welfare of mankind I'eace can only be kept with certainty where both sides wish to keep it; but more and more the civilized peoples are realizing the wicked folly of war and are attaining that condition of Just and intelligent regard for the rights of others which will in the end, as we hope and be lieve, make world-wide peace possible. The peace conference at The Hague gave definite expression to this hope and belief and mark ed a stride toward their attainment. The Monroe Doctrine. “This same peace conference acquiesced In our statement of the Monroe doctrine as compatible with the purposes and aims of the conference. “The Monroe doctrine should be the car dinal feature of the foreign policy of all the nations of the two Americas, us It is of the United States. The doctrine is a declara tion that there must be no territorial ag grandizement by any non-American power at the expense of any American power on Amer ican soil. It Is In no wise intended as hostile to any nation in the old world. Still less is it intended to give cover to any aggression by one new world power at the expense of any other. It Is simply a step, and a long step, toward assuring the universal peace of the 'world by securing the possibility of per manent peace on this hemisphere. “This doctrine has nothing to do with the commercial relations of any American power, save that It in truth allows each of them to form such as it desires. In other words, it Is really a guaranty of the commercial in dependence of the Americas. We do not ask under this doctrine for any exclusive com mercial dealings with any other American state We do not guarantee any state against punishment If it misconducts Itself, pro vided that punishment does not take the form of the acquisition of territory by any non-American power. “Our attitude iu Cuba Is a sufficient guar ■ anty of our own good faith. We have not i the slightest desire to secure any territory at the expense of anv of our neighbors. We • wish to work with them hand In hand, so that all Of US may be uplifted together, and we rejoice over the good fortune of any of Uicm wo gladly bail their material prosper ; ity and political stability, and are concerned t and alarmed If any of them fall into Indus trial or political chaos Wo do not wish t® see any old world military power grow up ou this continent, or to be compelled to become a military power ourselves The peoples of tbe Americas can prosper best If left to work our their owu salvation In their owu way. Powerful Nary Trge«l. “The work of upbuilding the navy tnnat be steadily continued. Whether we desire it or not. we must henceforth recognize that we have International duties no less than Inter national rights. Even tf our Hag were haul ed down In the Philippines and Porto Rico, even If we decided not to build the Isthmian canal, we should need e thoroughly trained navy of adequate else, or else he prepared definitely and for all time to abandon the Idea that our nation Is among those whose sons go down to the sea In ships. Unless our commerce Is always to be carried In for eign bottoms, we must have war craft to protect It. "So far from being In any way a provoca tion to war, an adequato and highly trained navy Is the best guaranty agolnst war. the cheapest and most ellectlvo peace Insurance. The cost of building and maintaining such a navy represents the very lightest premium for Insuring paece which this nation can possibly pay. "Probably no other great nation In the world Is so anxious for peace as we nre. There Is not a single civilized power which has anything whatever to fear from ag gressiveness on our part. All wo wunt Is peace: and toward this end we wish to be able to secure the same respect for our lights In return, to Insure fair treatment to us commercially, and to guarantee thu safety of the American people, "Our people intend to abide by the Mon roe doctrine and to Insist upon It as the one sure mean a of securing the ponce of the Western hemisphere The navy offers us the only means of making our Insistence upon the Monroe doctrine anything but a sub ject of derision to whatever nation chooses to disregard It We desire the peace which comes as of right to the just, man armed, not the peace granted on terms of Ignominy to the craven and the weakling. "It is not posslblo to Improvise a navy after war breaks out. The ships must bo built and the men trained long In advance. In thn late war with Spain the ships that dealt the decisive blows at Manila and San tiago had been launched from two to four teen years, and they were able to do as they did because the men In the conning towers, the gun turrets and the engine-rooms had through long years of practice at Bea learned how- to do their duty "It was forethought and preparation which secured us the overwhelming triumph of 1898. If wo fall to show forethought and prepara tion now, there may come a time when dis aster will befall us instead of triumph: and should this time come, the fault will rest primarily, not upon those whom the acci dent of events puts In supreme command at the moment, but upon those who have failed to prepare In advance. "There should be no cessation In the work of completing our navy. It Is unsufe and unwise not to provide this year for severnl additional battleships and heavy armored crutserg, with auxiliary and lighter craft In proportion: for the exact numbers and char acter I refer you to the report of the Secre tary of the Navy. Hut there is something we need even more than additional ships, and this Is additional officers and men. To pro vide battleships and cruisers and then lay them up. with the expectation of leaving them uumauned until they aro needed In 1 actual war, would be worse than folly; It would be a crime against the uatlon. "To send any warship against a competent enemy unless those uboard It have been trained by years of actual sea service. In cluding Incessant gunnery praettre, would be to Invito not merely disaster, but the bitter est shame and humiliation. Four thousand additional seamen and one thousand addi tional marines should bo provided; and an increase in the officers should be provided by making a large addition to the classes at Annapolis. Our I’resent Naval Force. "We now have seventeen battleships ap propriated for. of which nine are completed and have been commissioned for actual serv ice. The remaining eight will be ready in from two to four years, but It will take at least that time to recruit and train the men to fight them. It Is of vast concern that we have traiued crews ready for the vessels by the time they aro commissioned, (iood ships and good guns are simply good weapons, and the best weapons are useless save In the hands of men who know how to fight with them. The men must be trained and drilled under a thorough and well-planned system of progressive Instruction, while the recruit ing must be carried ou with still greater vigor. "The naval militia forces are state organl atlons, and are trained for coast service, and In event of war they will constitute the inner line of defense. They should receive hearty encouragement from the general government. Hut In addition we should at once pro vide for a National Naval Reserve, organized and trained under the direction of the Navy Department, and subject to the call of the t’hief Executive whenever war becomes immi nent. It should be a real auxiliary to the naval seagoing peace establishment, and of fer material to be drawn on at once for manning our ships In time of war It should be composed of graduates of the Naval At ad eiuy, graduates of the Naval Militia, officers and tows ot coast-line steamers, longshore schooners, fishing vessels and steam yachts, together with tbe coast population about such centers as life-saving stations and light houses. Need for Powerful Navy. “The American people must either build and maintain an adequate navy or else make up their minds definitely to accept a sec ondary position in international affairs, not merely In political, but in commercial, mat ters. It has been well said that there Is no surer way of courting national disaster than to be opulent, aggressive, and unarmed. It is not necessary to Increase our army beyond Its present size at this time. Hut tt Is necessary to keep It at the highest point of efficiency. “Kvery effort should be made to bring the army to a constantly increasing state of ef ficiency When on actual service no work save that directly In the line of such service should be required. The paper work in the army, as in the navy, should be greatly re duced. What is needed is proved power of command and c apacity to work well in the field. Constant care Is necessary to prevent dry rot in the transportation and commis sary departments ■ The Congress should provide means where by it will he possible to have field exercises by at least a division of regulars, and If possible also a division of national guards men, once a year. “Only actual handling and providing for men in masses while they are marching, ramping, embarking, and disembarking, will It be possible to train the higher officers to perform their duties wpII and smoothly. •■A great debt is owing from the public to the men of the army and navy. They should ho so treated us to enable them to reach the highest point of efficiency, so that they may be able to respond Instantly to any demand made upon them to sustain the Interests of the nation and the honor of the flag. The individual American enlisted man is prob ably on the whole a more formidable fighting man than the regular of any other army. Kvery consideration should be shown him, and In return the highest standard of use fulness should bo exacted from him. It is well worth while for the Congress to con sider whether the pay of enlisted men upon second and subsequent enlistments should not he Increased to correspond with the in creased value of the veteran soldier. Militia Laws Obsolete. “Action should be taken In reference to the militia and to the raising of volunteer forces. Our militia law is obsolete and worthless. The organization and armament of the Na tional Guard of the several states, which ure treated as militia in the appropriations by the Congress, should be made identical with those provided for the regular forces. The obligations and duties of tho Guard in time of war should be carefully defined, and a system established by law under which the method of procedure of raising volunteer forces should be prescribed in advance. It is utterly Impossible in the excitement and haste of Impending war to do this satisfac torily if the arrangements huve not been made long beforehand. Provision should be made for utilizing in the first volunteer or ganizations called out the training of those citizens who have already had c xperlence un der arms, and especially for the selection In advance of the officers of any force which may be raised; for careful selection of the kind necessary is Impossible after tiro out break of war. “That the army Is not at all a mere In strument of destruction lias been shown dur ing the last three years In the Philippines, Cuba and Porto Kico tt lias proved itself a great constructive force, a most, potent im plement for the upbuilding of a peaceful civ illzatlon. Eulogy of Veterans. “No other citizens deserve so well of the republic us tho veterans, the survivors of tlfon> who saved tho union They did th# one deed which If loft undone would hav# meant that all aloe in our history .went fo» y nothin*. Rut for tizelr steadfast prowean la ' the greatest ertsi* of our history, all our annals would bo mean In glens, ami our great experiment In popular freedom ami self-gov ernment a gloooty failure. Moreover, they not only left uh a united nation, but they left us also as a heritage the memory of the mighty deeds by which the nation waa kept united. Wo are now indeed one nation, one In fact as well a la name; we ar* united In our devotion to tho tlag which In tho sym bol of all national groatnesa and unity; and the very completeness of our union enable* ua all. In every part of the country, to glory In the valor shown alike by the sona of th# North and the eons of tha South la tho times that tried men's souls. Merit System Endorsed. "The mertt system of making appointment* is In Its essence as democratic ana American as the common schools system Itself. It sim ply means that In clerical and other position* where the duties are entirely non-polltlcal, all applicants should have a fair Held and no favor, each standing on bis merits as he Is able to show them by practical test. Writ ten competitive examinations offer the only available means In many i ears for applying this system. In other cases, ns where la borers are employed, a system of registra tion undoubtedly can be widely extended. There are, of course, places where the writ ten competitive examination cannot be ap plied. and others where 11 offers by no means an Ideal solution, but where under existing political conditions It Is. though an imperfect means, yet the best present means of get ting satisfactory results. It Is Important to have this system ob tain at home, but It Is even more Important to havo It applied rigidly til our Insular pos sessions. The administration ot these Islands should be as wholly free from the suspicion of partisan polities as the administration of the army and nary. All that we ask from the public servant In the Philippines or Porto Rico Is that he reflect honor on his country by the way In which he makes that coun try's rule a benefit to the peoples who have come under it. This Is all that, we should ask. and wo cannot afford to be content with Icaa." Treatment of Indian*. Tho mcEsoge points out the defects in our present consular service, and recommends tho passage of bills now before Congress that will Increase ita efficiency. Of the Indian . problem It says "In my Judgment the time has arrived when we should definitely make up our minds to recognize the Indian as an Individual and not as a member of a tribe. The General Allotment Act Is a mighty pulverizing engine to break up the tribal mass. It acts direct ly upon the family of the Individual. Under Its provisions some sixty thousand Indians have already become citizens of tho United States. We should now break up the tribal funds, doing for them what allotment does for the tribal lands; that Is, they should bo divided into Individual holdings. A stop should be put upon tha Indiscriminate per mission to Indians to lease their allotments. The effort should be steadily to make tho Indian work like any other man on his owu ground. The marriage laws of tho Indians should be made the same as those of tho whites. • In dealing with the aboriginal races few things are more Important than to preserve them from the terrible physical and moral degradation resulting from the liquor traf fic Wo are doing all wo can to save our own Indian tribes from this evil. Wherever by international agreement this same end can bo attained as regards races where we do not possess exclusive control, every effort should be made to bring It about. I bespeak the most cordial support from the Congress and the people for the St. Louis Exposition to Commemorato the One Hun dredth Anniversary of the Louisiana Pur chase. This purchase wan the greatest In stance of expansion in our history. It def initely decided that wo were to become » gr. at continental republic, by tar the fore most power In the Western Hemisphere. The national government should be represented at th« exposition by a full and complete set of exhlbtts. _... , _ •The people of Charleston, with great en ergy and civic spirit, aro carrying on an ex position which will continue throughout moat of the present session of the Congress. I heartily commend this exposition to the good will of the people. It deserves all tho en couragement that can be given It. For the sake of good administration, sound economy, and the advancement of acieuoe, tho Census Olfioo as now constituted should bo made a permanent government bureau. Thla would insure better, cheaper and more sat isfactory work, in the Interest not only of our business but of statistic, economic and social science. Growth of Postal Service. "The remarkable growth of tho postal ser vice Is shown In the fact that Its revenue* have doubled and Its expenditures have near ly doubled within twelve years Its progree- y stvr development compels constantly Increas ing outlay, but iu this period of business en ergy and prosperity its receipts grow so much fanler than Its expenses that the annual de ficit has been steadily reduced from $11,411, 779 ill 1897 to $8,923,727 in 1901. Among recent postal advances the success of rural free delivery wherever established has been so marked, and actual experience has made lie benefits so plain, that tho deiuund for Its ex tension is general and urgent. •It is Just that tho great agricultural popu lation should share in the Improvement of tha service. Tho number of rural routes now In operation Is 6.009, practically all established within three years, and there are 6,000 appli cations awaiting action. It is expected that the number In operation at the close of the . urrent fiscal year will roach 8,00o. The mail will then be daily carried to the doors of f>,70n,0