The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-26

shall be honorable to our good name and
favorable to our national interests. Any
really great nation must be peculiarly
sensitive to two things; stain on the ma
tional honor at home asd a disgrace tothe
national arms abroad Our honor at
home, our honor in domestic and inter-
national affairs is at all times in our own
keeping and depends simply upon the ma
tiOnal possession OF an awakened pubic
conscience. But the only way to make
our honor as affected, not by our, own
deeds, but by the deeds Of others, is by
readiness in advance.
I'm three great crises in our history
during the nineteenth century-in the
war Of 1912, in the civil war and again in
the Spanish war, the navy rendered to
the nation services Of literally incalcula-
BILE worth. In the civil war we had to
meet antagonists even more prepared at
sea than we were. On both the other oc-
casions we encountered foreign foes and
the fighting was done entirely by ships
built long in advance and by officers and
crews who had been trained during years
OF sea service for the supreme day when
their qualities were put 20 the final test.
1T was this preparedness which was
the true secret Of the enorn us difference
in efficiency between our navy and the
Spanish navy. There was 10 lack of
courage and devotion among the Span
iards, but on our side, in addition t" the
courage and devotion, there was also that
training which comes only as the result of
years of thorough and painstaking prac-
tice.
Annapolis Is, with the sole exception
of its sister academy at West Point the
most typically democratic and American
school Of learning and preparation that
there Is in the entire country.
There each man enters on his merits,
stands on his merits and graduates into
a service where only his merit will enable
him to be Of value.
THE enlisted men are Of fine type, as
they needs must be to do their work well.
and out Of the fine material thus provided
the finished man of wars men is evolved
by years of sea service. 1t Is impossible
after the outbreak of war to imprOVise
either the ships or the men of the navy.
The shipbuilders and gunmakers must
KEEP ever on the alert that no rivals
pass them by, and the officers and en-
listed men on board the ships must In
their turn, by the exercise Of unf1agging
and intelligent ZEAL keep themselves fit
to get the best use out of the weapons of
war intrusted to their care. The instru-
ment Is always important but the man
who uses 1t is more important STILL We
must constantly endeavor to perfect our
navy in all its duties In the time of
| peace, and above all In maneuvering in
| great guns. In battle the only shots that
count are those that hit, and marksman-
| ship is a matter of long practice and OF
| intelligent reasoning. A navy's efficiency
| in a war depends mainly upon it's pre-
! paredness at the outset of that war. We
are not to be excused as a nation if there
| is not such preparedness of our navy. Nc
| nation has a right to undertake a big
task unless it is prepared to do it in mas
| terful and effective style. 1t would be
an intolerable humiliation for us to en-
| bark on such a course Of action as fol-
| lowed our declaration of war with Spain
and not make good our words by deeds
| not be ready to prove our truth by ou1
| endeavor whenever the needs CALL"
THE good work of building up the nav!
must so on without ceasing. The modern
warship cannot with advantage be allowed
| to rust In disuse 1t must be used in &C
tive service even in time Of peace Gu
navy Is now efficient; but we must be con
tent with no ordinary degree of efficiency
| Every effort must be made to bring i
nearer to perfection.