The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-12-03

guarantee Ol OFT own "'''N
have u.t the slightest desire TO secure
any territory at thc expense Of any OF
our Loi-lU0rs.
Tie navy.
Tho wrsid,u; deyotcs considerable
space to The uatl. The upbuilding OF
which. be- saws. should be steadily CON
tinr,d The navy o1,r. us, it is declar- :
ed. Tie only means of insisting on the
Monroe doctrine. and q strong navy Is
the hest guarantee against war. lie
recommends that provision De maze
not only FOR more ships. but Tor more
men. -Four thousand additional sea
men and 1000 additional marines
should be pro.ldcd. as well rs an In
cr,rsa in officers. After indorsing the
naval militia forces the president says
BIT in addition we should at once
provide for q rational naval reserve
organized and trained under the dlrcc-
tion " the navy department aud sub
iect 20 the call of the chief executive
whenever war becomes imminent 1t
should be- q real auxiliary TO the naval
sca-oing peace establishment and offer
material TO be drawn on at once for
manning our ships I'm time of war.
The Army.
IL is not necessary TO Increase our
| army beyond ts present size at this
| time. but o. is necessary 90 keep 1t at
/ the highest point Of efficiency. The in
Id.ylduIl units who rs officers and Gu
] listed men compose this army are. we
have good reason TO believe, at least as
efficient a s those Of any other army in
the entire world. II is our duty TO. see
that their training Is Of a kind 20 in-
sure the highest possible expression OF
power Co these units when acting Ia
combination.
\ general stan should bc created.
! Promotions should be made solely
with regard TO tie good of the service.
Congress ought 90 provide the presi-
dent adds. for Geld exercises. lie con-
t.uucs:
Action should bc taken iu reference
90 the militia and 90 the raising Of vol
untegr forces. our militia law is OBJ
s0letc and worthless The organization
aul armament of the national guard Of
the several states. which are treated
as militia ,n the appropriations by the
congress. suou.l Doe made Identical with
those provided for the regular forces
The obi cations aud duties OF the guard
in time Of war should be carefully de-
fined and a system established by law
under which tie method Of procedure
of raising volunteer forces should be
prescribed in advance.
The Merit system.
The president indorses the merit sys-
tenn Of making appointments and says:
! recommend The passage OF a law
which viii extend the classified sery-
ice TO the District Of Columbia or will
at least enable the president thus to ex-
tend 1t. In my judgment all laws pro-
vidins for the Temporary employment
OF clerks should hereafter contain a
provision that they be selected under
the civil service law.
II is important to have this system
obtain at home but Il is even more i'm
portant 60 have &C. applied ricidly in our
iusular possessions. The Importance
OF Improving the consular service by
the passage OfTcw laws is emphasized.
The president then turns to the In
dian question. lie says.
We should now break up the tribal
funds, doing for them what allot-
ment does for the tribal lands - that
is. they should be divided into lndlvid-
ual holdings. There will be a transit
tion period during which the funds
Will in maay cases have TO be held In
trust. This is the case also with the
lands. \ stop should be put upon the
indiscriminate permission 10 Indians 10
lease their allotments. The effort
should be steadily TO make the Indian
work like any other man on his own
ground The marriage laws OF the In.
dians should be made the same as those
Of the whites. In the schools the cdu.
cation should be elementary and large
ly Industrial.
Cordial support from congress and
people is asked for the St. Louis expo
sition. The Charleston exposition is
commended 10 the good will OF the
people. The work OF the Pan.American
exposition Is praised.
II is recommended that the census
office as now constituted should be
made permanent government bureau.
The Postal Service.
\ tribute is paid TO the postal service,
and the extension OF free rural delivery
Is commended. The postofiice depart
ment should De sustained. the president
says In lis efforts TO remove the abuses
IN connection with second class mail
matter.
Much attention is paid 10 the sltua-
tlon In China, and the progress toward
the establishment OF peace there is re-
capitulated. Stress is laid on the i'm
portance OF our continuing to advocate
moderation in the dealings with China.
The president concludes his message as
follows:
The death OF Queen Victoria caused
the people OF the United States deep
ana heartfelt sorrow, TO which the gov
f ftsTl