Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-12-10

ssg s.s and T. possible also division OF


regulars. and If possible also a division OF
national guardsmen. once year
Army Reorgarizatiou.
Much good has already come from the act
reorganizins the Army, passed early In the
present year, The three prime reforms ali
Of them of literally inestmable value, are
first, the substitution of four-year details
from The line for permanent appointments
in the sO-called staff divisions: second, the
establishment of a corps of artillery with a
chief at the head: third, the establishment
of maximum and minimum limit for the
Army. Ii would be difficult to overestimate
the improvement in the efficiency of our
Army which these three reforms are making
and have in part already effected.
The reorganization provided for by the act
has been substantially accomplished. The
improved conditions in the Philippines have
enabled the War Department materially to
reduce the military charge upon our revenue
and to arrange the number of soldiers so as
70 bring this number much nearer to the
minimum than 20 the maximum limit estab-
llShed by law. There is, however need of
supplementary legislation. Thorough milf
tary education must be provided. aud In adj
dition to the regulars the advantages of this
education should be given to the officers of
the National Guard and others in civil life
who desire inteiligenty to tit themselves for
possible military duty. The officers should
be given the chance to perfect themselves
by study in the higher branches of this art.
At West Point the education should he of the
Kind most apt to turr gut men who are good
IN actual feld service; too much stress should
not be laid en- mathematics, nor should pro-
hciency therein be held to establish the right
of entry 10 corps d'elte. The typical
American officer of the best kind need not
he good mathematician; but he must be
able to master himself, to control others, and
to show boldness and fertility OF resource
In every emergency.
Action should be taken in reference to the
militia and to the raising of volunteer forces.
our militia law is obsolete and worthless.
Inc organization and armament of the Ma
tional 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.
me obliga ions and duties of the Guard in
time of war should be carefully defined and
a system established by law under which
the method of procedure of raising volunteer
forces should be prescribed in. advance
That the Army is net at all a mere instru-
ment of destruction has been shown during
the last three years. In the Philippines,
Cuba, and Porto Rico IL has proved Itself
great constructive force, a most potent i'm
p!ement for the upbuilding of a peaceful civ
ilization.
republic as the veterans, the survivors Of
those who saved the Union. They did the
one deed which if left undone would have
meant that all else in our history went for
nothing. The men who in the last three
years have done so well in the East and the
West Indies and on the mainland of Asia
have shown that this remembrance is not
lost. In any serious crisis the United States
must rely for the great mass of its fighting
men upon the volunteer soldery who do not
make Il permanent profession of the MILF
tary career; and whe2sver such crisis
arises the deathleSS memories of the Civil
War will give to Americans the lift of lofty
purpose which comes to those whose fathers
have stood valiantly in the forefront of the
battle. -
Our Consular Service.
The consular service is now organized I'M
der the PROVISIONS of law passed in 1856,
which is entirely Inadequate to existing con-
ditions The interest shown by so many
commercial bodies throughout the country in
the reorganization of the service is heartily
commended TO your attention.
The guardianship and fostering of our rap
idly expanding foreign commerce the pro-
lection of American citizens resorting TO
foreign countries in lawful pursuit of their
affairs, and the maintenance Of the dignity
OF the nation abroad combine to make 1t
essential that our consuls should be men of
character, knowledge and enterprise. 1t Is
true that the service is now, in the main,
but a standard of excellence cannot
be permanently maintained until the prin-
ciples set forth in the bills heretofore sub
United TO the Congress on this subject are
enacted INTO law.
| bespeak the most cordiat support from
INT COuSItSS anu the people IoF the 81
Louis Exposition to Commemorate the One
Hundredth Anniversary of the Louisiana
Purchase. We earnestly hope that foreign
nations Will appreciate the deep interest our
country takes in this exposition. and our
view of its Importance from every stand
point and that they will participate in Sc
curing It's success. The national govern
ment should be represented by full and
complete set of exhibits.
For the sake of good administration sound
economy. and the advancement of science.
the Census Office as now constituted should
be made permanent government bureau.
Growth o the Postal ervice.
The remarkable growth CT the postal SER
vice is shown in the fact that its revenues
have doubled and Its expenditures have near
~ doubled within twelve years It's pro-
gressive development compels constantly in
creasing outlay, but in this period of bust
ness energy and prosperity its receipts grow
so much faster than its expenses that the
annual deficit has been steadily reduced
from $11, 411,779 in 1897 to $3,923, I27 in
1901. Among recent postal advances the
success Of rural free delivery wherever es.
has been so marked and actual
experience has made Its benefits plain,
the demand for its extension is general and
urgent.
1t is just that the great agricultural popu-
lation should share in the Improvement of
the service. The number of rural routes now
N operation is 6,O09, practically all estab-
lshed within three years, and there are
),UOU dppllcutlDDS awaiting dCilGH II Is 6A-
pected that the number in operation at the
close of the current fiscal year will reach
5000. The mail will then be daily carried
to the doors of 100000 Of our people who
have heretofore been dependent upon distant
offices, and one-third Of all that portion OF
the country which is adapted TO it VIII he
covered by this kind of service.
The full measure of postal progress which
might be realized has long been hhmpered
and DISTRACTED by the heavy burden i'm
posed on the government through the in
rrenched and MISUNDERSTOOD abuses which
have grown up in connection with second 4
class mail matter. The extent of this bur
den appears when ii Is stated that while
he second-class matter makes nearly three
ifths CT the weight of all the mail, 1t paid
for the last fiscal year only S4,294, 445 Of the
lggregate postal revenue Of Sill. G31. 1913. II
the pound rate of postage, which produces
the large loss thus entai.ed. and which was
fixed by the Congress with the purpose OF
the dissemination of public In
were limited to the legitimate
newspapers and periodicals actually con-
remplatcd by the law, no just exception
could be taken. The Post-Otfice Department
has now undertaken TO remove the abuses
80 far as is possible by a stricter application
IF the law; and it should be sustained in It's
effort.
set ement of the Chinese EmbroGIio
Owing to the rapid growth of our power
and our interests On the Pacific, whatever
happens in China must be of the keenest
national concern to us.
The general terms Of the settlement Of the
growing out of the antifore gn
in China of 1900. having been for
INFLATED in a joint note addressed to China
oy the representatives of the injured pow
ars In December last, were promptly ac-
,epted by the Chinese government. After
1rotracted conferences the plenipotentiaries
II the several powers were able to sign a
inaI protocol with the Chinese pIenipoten-
-aries on the 18th of last September, setting
'orth the measures taken by China in compl-
lnce with the demands Of the joint note. and
expressing their satisfaction Herewith 1t
viii be laid before the Congress, with n re-
port of the plenip0tentiary on behalf of the
United States. Mr.. William Wo0dvile Rock
lill. to whom high praise is due for the tact,
good Judgment, and energy he has displayed
In performing an exceptionally difficult and
delicate task.
Under the provisions Of the joint note OF
December 1900 China has agreed to revise
The treaties of commerce and navigation
and to take such other steps for the purpose
II facilitating foreign trade as the foreign
pcwers may decide to be needed.
During these troubles our government has
advocated moderation and has
aided in bringing about an adjust
neut which tends 10 enhance the welfare
n China and to lead to a more beneficial
between the empire and the
modern world while In the critical period
4 NO Ff,1F chs