Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-03

territory Dy any nOn-AInerlcan power.
Our attitude in Cuba is a sufficient
guarantee of our own good faith. We
have not the slightest desire to secure
any territory at the expense of any of
our neighbors.
The Navy.
The president devOtes considerable
space to the navy, the upbuilding of
which, he says, should be steadily con-
tinued. The navy offers us, it is declar-
ed, the only means of insisting on the
Monroe doctrine, and a strong navy is
the best guarantee against war. He
recommends that provision be made
not only for more ships, but for more
men. -Four thousand additional sea-
men and 1000 additional marines
should be provided, as well as AN in
crease in officers. After indorsing the
naval militia forces the president says:
But in addition we should at once
provide for n 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. 1t
should be a real auxiliary to the naval
seagoing peace establishment and offer
material to be drawn on at once for
manning our ships in time of war.
The Army.
1t is not 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 as
efficient as those of any other army in
the entire world. 1t is our duty to see
that their training is of a kind to in
sure the highest possible expression of
power to these units when acting in
combination.
A general staff 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:
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 and duties of the guard
in time of war should be carefully de-
fined and a system established by law
under which the method of procedure
of raising volunteer forces should be
prescribed in advance.
The Merit System.
The president indorses the merit sys-
fem of nnl-iDor annointrpnanfS anH
1 recommend the passage of n law
which will extend the classified serv-
ice to the District of Columbia or will
at least enable the president thus to eX-
tend it. In my judgment all laws pro-
viding for the temporary employment
of clerks should hereafter contain
provision that they be selected under
the civil service law.
1t is important to have this system
obtain at home. but it is even more i'm
portant to have it applied rigidly in our
insular possessions. The Importance
of improving the consular service by
the passage of rev laws is 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
is, they should be divided into individ-
ual holdings. There will be transit
ton period during which the funds
will in many cases have to be held in
trust. This is the case also with the
lands. 4 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 other 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
ly industrial.
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-American
exposition is praised.
1t is recommended that the census
Office as now constituted should be
made a permanent government bureau.
The Postal Service.
A tribute is paid to the postal service,
and the extension of free rural delivery
is commended. The postoffice depart
LuCnl bC tue
says, in its efforts to remove the abuses
in connection with second class mail
matter.
Much attention is paid to the situa-
tion 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
and heartfelt sorrow, to which the gov
eminent gave full expression. When
President Mckinley died, our nation in
turn received from every quarter of the
British empire expressions of grief and
sympathy no less sincere. The death
of the Empress Dowager Frederick of