The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1901-12-07

against punishment II 1t niscsnducs8
itself, provided that punishment does
not take the form Of the acquisition OF
territory by any nen.AmerieRn power.
Our attitude in Cuba is q SUFFICIENT
guarantee Of eur eva good faith. We
have not the slightest desire to secure
any territory ut the expense Of any OF
our Eslghbors.
(. Ths Navy.
The president devotes considerable
space to the navy, the upbullding Of
which, he says, should be steadily con.
tinusd. The navy offers us, 1t Ia dsclar.
ed, the only means Of insisting on the
Menr8e doctrine, and strong navy Ia
the best guarantee against war. he
recommends that provision be made
not only for more ships, but for more
meA. Four thousand additional sea-
men and 1000 additional marines
should be provided as we'll as an in
crease In officers. After inaorslng the
naval militia forces the president says:
But IN addition we should at once
provide for national naval reserve,
organized and trained under the direc-
ton Of the navy department and sub.
ject to the call of the chief executive
whenever war becomes imminent. II
should be a real auxiliary to the naval
seagoing peace establishment and offer
material to be drawn on at once FOX
manning our ships in time Of war.
The Army.
1t Is mot necessary to increase our
army beyond its present size at this
time, but it is necessary to keep It at
the highest point Of efficiency. The in.
. dividual units who as officers and en-.
listed men compose this army are, we
have good reason to believe, at least az
efficient as those Of any other army In
the entire world. 1t is our duty to see
that their training is Of kind to in.
sure the highest possible expression Of
power to these units when acting In
combination. ,.r rat
A general staR should be created.
Promotions should be made solely
with regard to the good of the service.
Congress ought to provide, the presi.
dent adds. for field exercises. He con.
tinues: tt
Action should be taken in reference
to the militia and to the raising Of vol.
unteer forces. Our militia law is OBJ
solete and worthless. The organization
and armament Of the national guard of
the several states, which are treated
as militia in the appropriations by the
congress, should be made identical with
those provided for the regular forces.
The obligations ana duties Of the guard
In time Of war should be carefully de.
Aned and system established by law
under which the method of procedure
Of raising volunteer forces should be
prescribed in advance.
The Merit System.
The president Endorses the merit sys.
TEN Of making appointments and says:
] recommend the passage of a law
which will extend the classified sery.
ice to the District Of Columbia or will
at least enable the president thus to OK.
tend 1t. In my judgment all laws pro.
viding for the temporary employment
Of clerks should hereafter contain q
provision that they be selected under
the civil service law.
1t is important to have this system
obtain at home, but 1t is even more i'm.
portant to have 1t applied rigidly In our
insular possessions. The importance
of improving the consular service by
the passage Of Few laws lie emphasized
The president then turns to the In.
dian question. He says:
> We should now break up the tribal
funds, doing for them what allot.
ment does for the tribal lands - that
IL, they should be divided into individ.
ual holdings. There will be transi.
ton period during which the funds
will In many cases have to be held in
trust. This IL the ease also with the
lands. A stop should be put upon the
indiscriminate permission to Indians to
lease their allotments. The effort
should be steadily to make the Indian
work like any ether man on his own
ground. The marriage laws Of the In.
dams should be made the same as those
of the whites. In the schools the edu>
cation should be elementary and large.
~ industrial. . .r
Cordial support from congress and
people Is asked for the st. Louis expo
sition. The Charleston exposition is |
commended to the good will Of the |
people. The work of the Pan-AmericaD |
exposition is praised.
1t is recommended that the census |
office as now constituted should be
made q permanent government bureau
The Postal Service.
A tribute Is paid to the postal service,
and the extension Of free rural delivery |
is commended. The postof1ee depart |
ment should be sustained, the president
says, In its efforts to remove the abuses |
In connection with second class mall |!
matter. ,,,,s,.-s
Much attention Is paid to the situa, |
ton In China, and the progress toward
the establishment Of peace there is re |
eapitulated. Stress is laid on the i'm !
Dortance OF our continuing to advocate |
moderation in the dealings with China |
The president concludes bis message as
follows: