Hutchinson gazette., 1901-12-05

SEQ any old world military power grow up on
this continent, or 10 be compelled TO become
u military power ourselves, Tho peoples Of
tho Americas can prosper best II left 10 work
our their own salvation In their own way.
Powerful Navy Urged.
"The work OF upbuldlng the navy must be
steadily continued. Whether wO desire II or
not, We must h0nceforth recognize that we
have international duteg no less than Inter-
national rlghta Even II cur hag were haul
cd down In tho Philippines and Porto Rico,
even II We decided not to build the lathmlnll
canal, wa nhoud need thoroughly trained
| navy NJ adequate sg0, or else be prepared
definitely and for all time to abandon the
ldeh that our nation R among those whose
sons 90 down to tho sea In ships, Unless
our commerce IL always to be carried In for
oign bottoms, We must have war craft TO
protect II,
80 far from being In any way proyoca-
tlon TO war, an adequate and highly trained
! navy 10 the best guaranty against war, the
cheapest and most effective peace insurance,
Tho cost of building ana maintaining such q
navy represents the very llghtcat premium
for lnsurng poece which this nation can
| possibly pay,
Probably no other great nation In tho
| world Ia no anxious for peace an we are,
There Ia not q single civilized power which
has anything whatever 10 fear from Rg-
| GreaalyonoHs on our part. All wO want is
penoe and toward this end we wish TO be
able TO secure the same respect for our
rights In return, to Insure fair treatment to
us commercially, and to guarantee the sniety
OF the American people
"Our people Intend to abide by the Mon.
roe doctrine and TO insist upon II aa the one
sure means OF securing the peace OF the
Western hemisphere, Tho navy offers ue the
| only means OF making our usistoucc upon
| the Monroe doctrine anything but sub
| jeot OF derl6l0n TO whatever nation chooses
10 daregard Il; We desire the peace which
comes IN OF right TO the just man armed;
| not the peace granted on terms OF gnOmny
to the craven aud the wcakllng,
| ut IN not possible TO lmprovlHe n navy
| after war breaks out, The ships must bo
| built nnd tho men trained long In advance
In the. late war with Spain tho ships that
| dealt the decisive blows ut Manila and San
| tlago had been launched from two TO four
| teen years, and they were able TO do as they
did because tho men In the coming towers,
| tho gun turrets and the englnc'rooms had
!hrongh long years OF practice at sea learned
how TO do their duty,
1T was forethought aud preparation which
secured uA the overwhelming triumph OF 1898
| II we fail to show forothought and prepara-
| tlon now there may come q time whom dis
| Rster will befall ua instead Of triumph and
should this time come, the fault VIII rest
| primarily, not upon those whom the accl-
| dent OF events puts In supreme command at
the moment, but upon those who have failed
! TO prepare In advance,
| ' lntTo hnoulu Dt no VthhNllOn III l0c MpIh
| Of completing our navy 10 lB unsafe ana
unwlse not to provide this year for several
| additional battleshlps aud heavy nrmored
| crulsers, with auxiliary and lighter craft In
| proportion, for the exact numbers and char
acter ! refer you to the report OF the secre-
| tnry Of the Navy, But there is something we
need even more than additional ships, and
| this In additional ofncerS and men, To pro-
| vide batteBhlps aud cruisers and thon lay
| them up, with the expectation OF leaving
| them unnamed until they are needed In
| actual war would be worse than folly; II
would be a crime against the nation.
ITO send any wnrshp against competent
| enemy unlesa those aboard II have been
trained by years Of actual sea service, IN
| Guiding incessant gunnery practice, would be
TO inyito not merely disaster, but the bitter
est shame and humiliation. -Four thousand
additional Beamen and one thousand nddi-
tlonal marines should be provided; and an
Increase In the oiflcerS should bO provided
by making q large addition to tho classes at
Annapolis.
Our Present Naval Force.
I'VE now have seventeen battleshlps ap-
propratcd for, Of which nine are completed
and have been commissioned for actual sery-
Ice, Tho remaining eight VIII be ready In
from two 10 four years, but II Will take nt
least that time to recruit and train the men
to fight them. II II OF vast concern that wo
have trained crews ready for the vessels by
the time they are commissioned. Good ships
and good guns nre simply good wenpons, and
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 thorough and well.planned system
OF progressive instruction, while the recruit
Ing must bo carried on with stu greater
vgor,
"Tho naval militia forces are state orgaul.
atlonB, and are trained for coast service, and
In event Of war they will constitute the inner
limo OF defense. They should receive hearty
encouragement from tho general government,
"But In addition we should at once pro,
vide for q National Naval Reserve, organized
and trained under the direction OF the Navy
Department, and subject to tho call OF the
Chief Executive whenever war becomes imml-
nent II should be real auxiliary to- the
naval seagolng peace establishment, and OF
fer material to be drawn on at once for
manning our ships IN time Of war, II should
bo composed OF graduates OF the Naval Acnd'
cmy, graduates of the Naval militia, otifors
and crews OF coast-lne steamers, longshoro
schooners, fishing vessels and steam yachts,
together with the coast population about
such centcrs as lfe-saving stations aud light
houses,
Need for Powerful Navy.
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 II has been well said that there is no
surer way OF counting national disaster thnn
to be 'opulent, aggressive, and unnrmca.
ut Ia not necessary to increage our army
beyond It's present size at this time. But II
IN necessary to keep II at the highest point
OF efficiency.
Every EFFORT should be made to bring the
army to o constantly Increasing state OF et.
p"lency. When on actual service no work
q. 10 that directly in the line OF such service
should be required. The paper work In the
army, as In tho navy, should bo greatly re-
duced. What 10 needed Is proved power OF
command and capacity to work well In the
field Constant care is necessary to prevent
dry rot in the transportation and commIs-
sary departments
"The Congress should provide means where
by It will be possible to have Held exercises
BY ut least q division OF regulars, ana II
possible also n division OF national guards
men, once year. ,,,- D.,
men In masses while they are marching,
camping. ombarklng, and dlsembnrklng, VIII
| It be possible to train the higher officers TO
| perform their duties well and smoothly.
IA great debt Is owing from the public to
| the men of the army and navy. They should
| DO 80 treated as to enable them to reach the
| highest point Of efficiency, 80 that they may
be able TO respond instantly to any demand
made upon them to sustain the interests OF
| tho nation and the honor OF the dag the
| individual American enlisted man - PROP
| ably on the whole a more formidable nghtlng
| man than the regular of any other army
| Every consideration should be shown him,
and in return the highest standard OF use
fulness should bo eXacted from him. It is
sidsr whether tho pay of enlisted men upon
second and subsequent enlistments should
| not be increased TO correspond with the In
creased value OF the veteran soldier
Militia Laws Obsolote.