Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-12-14

trial or political chaos We DO not wish to
see any old world military power grow up on
a military power ourselves. The peoo os'" az
the americas can prosper best II left to work
our their own salvation in their own way.
Powerful Navy Urged.
THE work Of upbufldfnx the navy must he
steadily continued Whether we desire it or
not. we must henceforth recognize that We
national rights Even If our nag were haul
ed down in the Philippines and Porto Rico
canal. we should need thoroughly trained
navy of adequate size. else be prepared
idea that our nation is among those whose
sons 60 down to the in ships. Unless
eten bottoms, we must have war craft to
ton to war. an adequate and highly trained
navy is the best guaranty against war, the
The cost of building and maintaining such =
navy represents the very lightest premium
for insuring paece which this nation can
Probably no other great nation in the
There is not a single civiiized power which
mas anything whatever to fear from ag-
Peace: and toward this end we wish to be
able to secure the same respect for our
US commercially, and to guarantee the safety
Of the American people
roe doctrine and to insist upon it as the one
sure means OF securing the peace OF the
hemisphere
only means of making our insistence upon
the Monroe doctrine anything but sub
te We dssrs thu a esce e
comes as of right to the just man armed;
not the peace granted on terms of ignominy
1T is not possible to improvise a navy
after after war breaks out The ships must be
In the 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 coming towers.
the gun turrets and the engine-rooms had
through long years of practice at sea learned
how to do their duty.
1T was forethought and preparation which
If we fail to show forethought and prepara-
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 1t is unsafe and
additional battleships and heavy armored
cruisers, with auxiliary and lighter craft in
proportion; for the exact numbers and char
acter refer you to the report of the Secre-
tary of the Navy But there is something we
this is additional oficers and men. To pro
vide battleships and cruisers and then lay
them unnamed until they are needed in
actual war, would be worse than folly; it
TO send any wafship st against .a' Competent
enemy unless those aboard it have been
trained by years of actual sea service, in
GLIDING incessant gunnery practice, would be
to invite not merely disaster. but the bitter
est shame and humiliation Four thousand
additional and thousand addi-
tional marines should be provided; and
increase in the officers should be provided
by making large addition to the classes at
Annapolis
Our Present Naval Force.
I'VE 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
to fight them 1t is of vast concern that we
have trained crews ready for the vessels by
the time they are commissioned. Good ships
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 on with still greater
vigor.
1.-THE naval militia forces state organi-
ations. and are trained for coast service. and
in event of war they will constitute the inner
line of defense They should receive hearty
But in addition 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
Chief Executive whenever war becomes immi-
naval seagoing peace establishment, and Of
fer material to be drawn at once for
be composed of graduates of the Naval Acad-
envy, graduates of the Naval Militia, officers
and crews of coast-line steamers, longshore
schooners, fishing vessels and steam yachts,
together with the coast population about
such centers as lfe-saving stations and light
houses
Need for Powerful Navy.
1.-The American people must either build
and maintain an adequate navy or else make
up their minds definitely to accept sec
ondary position in international affairs not
merely in political, but in commercial, mat
ters- 1t has been well said that there is no
surer way of counting national disaster than
to be -opulent, aggressive, and unarmed
beyond its present size at this time But it
is necessary to keep it at the highest point
of efficiency.
Every effort should be made to bring the
army to constantly increasing state of eff
nciency When on actual service no VOTE
should be required The paper work In the
army, in the navy. should be greatly re-
duced- What is needed is proved power OF
field, Constant care is necessary to prevent
dry rot in the transportation and commits
1.-The Congress should provide means where
by it will be possible to have field exercises
by at least a division of regulars, and IL
possible also a division of national guards
men, once a year.
men in masses while they marching.
camping, embarking, and disembarking, will
it be possible to train the higher officers to
perform their duties well and smoothly
"A great debt is owing from the public to
the men of the army and navy They should
be so treated to enable them to reach the
highest point of eficiency. 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 the whole a more formidable hghtfng
man than the regular of any other army
Every consideration should be shown him,
and in return the highest standard OF use
well worth while for the Congress to con
slider whether the pay of enlisted men upon