relating to the welfare of the country. Millions of our best citizens came from Germany, and found opportunities for development in every direction. The best way of showing our gratitude and our appreciation of what this beautiful country has offered us is to incorporate into this nation the best that is in us. The German element in America has already, I believe, done much in this direction. We have softened the harsh outlines of sober puritanism by the cultivation of the arts, particularly that of music. We have thoroughly adapted ourselves to the spirit of earnest endeavor and achievement which we found here, but have added to it the measure of gladness and joy which makes life worth living. As regards the Germanic principle of personal liberty, in contrast to the painful surveillance of the individual, we can show progress. In political matters the Germans here have attained great influence, because they look at them from the idealistic standpoint; they seek neither office nor emoluments of office. Their only aim is to have public affairs administered for the public good. In regard to the great parties our position differs from that of the majority of the citizens in that we have arrayed ourselves not under party leadership, but above it. "The Democrat as well as the Republican earnestly strives to serve the country, to improve its institutions, and to enhance its authority. Both must, of course, be properly reined, like a team of spirited horses, and must be so guided that together they draw the triumphal chariot of the republic, even though occasionally one of the lively animals may snap at the other. However much at times a Republican steed wants to take a bite out of a Democratic charger, both are in the service of the commonwealth and must be guided with a firm hand to move in the direction in which we, not they, want to go. In control of such a team we need a man who knows the road before him, who knows the goal, who keeps the steeds under control, however much they may balk or try to run away, and who, without considering side issues or self interest, devotes himself entirely to the great duty before him. Our country needs a President who combines within himself these qualifications. Our country has such a President-Theodore Roosevelt. With remarkable ability he has managed to hold the reins of government firmly in hand. With incomparable tact he subordinated apparently contradictory local interests to the welfare of the whole country. He was aroused to serve measures only when confronted with corruption and dishonesty. To the oppressed and suffering his sympathy has always been extended. I shall never forget the charm of his manner when he met the poor immigrants at Ellis Island. No President before him has ever found it worth his while personally to inspect Ellis Island. As he stood among the newcomers and scanned their faces he invariably found something to please him, and gave expression of kindly thoughts: 'Look at that little blond-haired woman with her child in her arms-what a pretty sight! That boy over there without parents or protection enters the new world-how promising he looks-he will become a good citizen!' 'See those stalwart men-that is the kind we need!' "When the situation created by the trouble in the coal regions because almost intolerable and a solution seemed impossible it was our President who devised means for successfully terminating the conflict. "How vast a power the President wields! He presses a button and thousands and hundreds of thousands are set in motion. For what purpose? For works of peace-as we have seen it today, as we have seen it during the entire period of his incumbency. With the aid of his competent advisers, he successfully avoided conflict of every kind with other nations. Courts of arbitration were set in motion, and where, as in Panama, unskilled action would have engendered inexpressible misery and bloodshed, Theodore Roosevelt, in the face of the severest criticism, brought about a solution by means entirely peaceful, which has been accepted by all parties in interest. He only who knows how to subordinate to the interests of peace great power which is intrusted to him deserves the full confidence of a people. "When the immortal martyr-President, McKinley, fell a vic This tim to the dastardly act of an assassin, and Theodore Roosevelt had to take up the reins of government that fell from his gentle hand, he declared that to the utmost of his ability he would administer the office in the spirit of his great predecessor. promise Theodore Roosevelt has fully kept. I am convinced that before reaching any important decision he invariably asks himself what_President McKinley would have done, and acts accordingly. Fearless and true, Roosevelt stands before us! Able, experienced, kindly and pure of heart! He is not a politician in the ordinary acceptation of the term. He does not seek riches or personal aggrandizement, nor has he ever sought public office. As far as I can recall every public office thus far held by him came to him unsolicited. The fact that he appointed Democrats to public office where he found them more competent than available Republicans, proves that he also stands above party. "It follows that if we want to give this country the best man for President we must and will elect Theodore Roosevelt. He shall be our standard bearer. We will use our utmost endeavors to elect him, and shall then return to our ploughshares confident that public affairs are in the best of hands. I ask you to rise and pledge our new President and our future President-Theodore Roosevelt." Others who spoke were Messrs. F. C. Winkle, Mr. F. J. Kaufmann, L. Markbreit, Representative Bartholdt, and H. C. Kudlich. All of the addresses were in German, except that of Mr. Kudlich. Later in the day the members of the league called on President Roosevelt by appointment at the White House. Mr. von Briesen read to the President the resolutions adopted by the league and assured him of the hearty support of the German Americans. The President listened attentively to the remarks and at their conslusion said in part: I cannot well express "My friends and fellow-Americans: what I feel, not merely at your action, but at the spirit and words. I know I do not deserve what you have said, but the fact of your having said it will make me more and more try to deserve it. I want to express my thanks for the heart you give me when you speak and treat me as you have to-day. "I know you will give me credit for speaking the truth and not vainglorious flattery, because I am addressing you personally, when I say, in all seriousness, that I would a hundred-a thousand-fold rather lose this office and retire from public life than to forfeit the right to the friendship and regard you have shown. "I want to express my feeling of the gratitude this country owes to its citizens of German extraction for raising the level of good citizenship. My greatest pleasure in the support you are giving me comes from the fact that the support is due not be cause of what I have done for you as German citizens, but because when I have lifted my hand in the cause of right you have tried to uphold me," and on this the delegates applauded approvingly. "A nation can go forward upon but one condition," continued the President, "and that is treating each upon his record as a man-desiring equality for all, but separating the good from the bad citizens." The President told of the debt this country owes to its citizens of German parentage, notably in the one great crisis when the Union of the states was at stake. "There was dissension among the people of various sections," he said, "but there was none among the Germans. With them the application for support of the Union was certain of meeting unanimous response." The President referred feelingly to the services of such distinguished German Union soldiers as General Osterhaus, and expressed the happiness it gave him ho meet the general yesterday. Defense against injurious importations is as necessary and justifiable as is an army and navy.-Hon. B. F. Jones. The United States is a continental nation and should adopt a continental policy. Free trade is adapted only to insular nations, and no continental nation has adopted a free-trade policy.-Expresident Hill, of the University of Rochester. United States include deficiency bills for preceding years.] [Prepared by the Bureau of Labor. The data for the United States taken from the Statesman's Year Book. The figures for the States Treasury Department, and for foreign countries they are are taken from Digest of Appropriations, published by the United the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Expenditures made for military and naval purposes in the United States, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and a Not including pensions. 158,397.85. e Not including pensions, retired pay, etc., d Not including pensions, retired pay, etc., amounting to $11, 142,312. c Not including pensions, retired pay, etc., amounting to $18,b Report does not state whether pensions are included or not. 300,709.85. amounting to $29, Budgets of the principal nations of the world, showing relative growth since 1880. [Compiled from tables published in the Congressional Record, by Representative Burton of Ohio.] 407,091,718.30 728,905,490.50 358,576,022.05 1891.. 716.603,147.47 361,321,721.30 1892. 621,040,326.33 343,721,831.09 1893. 646,104,457.18 326,995, 196.40 1894. 663,730,980.24 341,999,537.88 640,588,901.64 261,180,392.23 382,139,999.52 458,376,038.92 170,608,113.60 128,763,125.81 154,118,212.64 162,404,647.76 448,530,427.74 421,387,110.71 187,911,566.17 437,489,697.36 137,451,397.77 145,639,499.94 PROGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES IN FINANCIAL, COM MERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS, 1890 TO 1904. The tables which follow are an extract from the much-quoted table of the Statistical Abstract of the United States, entitled "Progress of the United States in its Material Industries, 1800 to 1903." Obviously it would be impossible, in a volume of this size and character, to give the figures for such a long term of years and for all of the subjects discussed in that table; but a section which shows conditions in 1850, 1860, 1870, 1875, 1880, 1885, and in each year from 1890 to date is reproduced herewhich includes the period from 1890 to 1903 is reproduced herewith. It shows the progress in each of the great industries and financial operations which may be considered a measure of business conditions, and exhibits in plain figures the effect upon these industries and business undertakings of the free-trade experiment of the last Cleveland administration. In studying these it should be remembered that those of the Government, finance, and commerce are usually fiscal years (ending June 30) and that those of production in most cases relate to calendar years. These tables have attracted wide attention at home and abroad as a valuable bird'seye view of the prosperity or otherwise of the country in the long term of years which they cover, and the section which relates to the period from 1890 to 1903 will prove convenient to those who desire to contrast conditions under the three tariffs which have existed during that period. These tables occupy several successive pages following the one upon which these words are printed. They will repay a careful study. It will be seen that they present a bird's-eye view of the progress of the financial and industrial conditions of the country since a period ante-dating that at which the Republican party assumed control of the Government. Necessarily this could only be pictured in outline in a volume of this size, but it is sufficient to show the wonderful progress which the country has made under protection. But an equally important view is that presented by the figures which show conditions in each year since 1890. The downward movement, in everything except national indebtedness during the years of democracy and low tariff, is pictured in the figures of 1893, 1894, 1895, and 1896, and will repay a careful study. National debt and interest charges, government receipts and expenditures, money in circulation, bank clearings, bank deposits, life insurance in force, imports, exports, the commerce with the various parts of the world, the production of coal, iron, steel, tin plates, cotton goods, beet sugar, the value of farm animals, railway building, railway earnings, the business on the great lakes, the business activity of the country as measured by postal receipts, and many other matters are shown at intervals from 1850 to 1890 and in each year from 1890 to date. Another series of tables immediately following these shows conditions in the more important factors of prosperity in each decennial year from 1800 to 1900 and in 1903. These will enable a measurement of the relative growth prior to 1860 and since the beginning of the period of protection which dates from that year, while the first mentioned tables showing figures for each year since 1890 will show the conditions during the low tariff period of a more recent date. Another table of the series shows conditions of the railroads in each year from 1883 to 1902, (the detailed figures for 1903 being not yet available). This table will repay a careful study in the evidence it presents in regard to business activities in the various years of the period and especially those of the period 1893-6 compared with years preceding and following that date. Following these are tables showing financial, commercial, and industrial conditions in the principal countries of the world, including the United States, and enabling a comparison of conditions in this country with those in other countries. All of these tables are from the official publications of the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Commerce and Labor. Years. Population. Interest-bearing Annual interest debt. charge. Interest Treasury Progress of the United States in its material industries, 1850 to 1904. per capita. receipts-net itures-net ordinary. a Money in Circulation. per ordinary. b capita. New York. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. Bank Clearings. 1850. 23,191,876 63,452,774 3.782.393 .16 43,592,889 37,165,990 278,761,982 12.02 5,750,000,000 No data. 1860. 31,443,321 64,640,838 3,443,678 .11 56,054,600 60,056,755 435,407,252 13.85 7,231,143,057 "Net ordinary receipts" include receipts from customs, internal revenue, direct tax, public lands, and "miscellanous," but do not include receipts from loans, premiums, or Treasury notes, or revenues of Post-Office Department. b "Net ordinary expenses" include expenditures for War, Navy, Indians, pensions, and "miscellaneous," but do not include payments for interest, premiums or principa of public debt, or expenditures for postal service. |