The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-12-21
LION AND THE LAMB
MAYOR JOHNSON AND SENATOR
HANNA SIT AT NEAT.
Fifty-fourth Annual Dinner Of the
Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
Generals Young, Chsffee and
Corbin Speak.

Cleveland, O., Dec. co.-The fifty-fourth
annual dinner Of the Cleveland Chamber
of Commerce tonight was made notable
by the attendance of several men distin-
guished in war and peace. The guests of
honor were Governor Nash. Adjutant
General Corbin: General s. M. B. Young
and General A. r. Chaffee, U. s. A;
John G. Milburn Of Buffalo and Senator
NJ. A. Hanna. These occupied the plat
form table at which also sat Mayor Tom
L. johnson. Colonel Myron T. Herrick.
General George A. Garretson and others.
The decorations Of the hall were in
green and red.
From beneath a canopy at the south
side of the auditorium there looked upon
the assemblage a lifelike portrait of the
lamented Mckinley in characteristic
pose.
There were speeches by Governor Nash.
whose subject was "A Century Since
Statehood" THE Army and Its Needs.
General Corbin: THE Army and Com
merce." General 5. "a. B: Young; con-
mercial Bodies and Their Relations to the
Trust Problem" Hon. John G. Milburn
| of Buffalo, N. Y; THE Chinese Relief
Expedition of 1900 and the Present Realm
| OF the Sultan of Zulu" General Chanee
The first speaker was Governor Nasn
| who referred to the growth Of the State
| Ohio and especially of the city OF Cleve-
| land.
The next speaker was the Adjutant
General Of the army who spoke 10 the
| toast THE Army aud Its Needs
| Major General Corbin SAID in part
1--WE have much that Is satisfactory;
our officers and men are of the BEST
sober, brave and Intelligent. we are
| fortunate in having permanent military
establishment of volunteers. what Is
| known as the regular army Is In the
highest sense a volunteer army. every
| officer and man taking service OF mis- own
motion. But perfection of organization Is
| demanded-a harmonious and intelligent
methods of coordination and direction.
For a century we have nursed the nope
| that radical defects would adjust them
| selves During the past century we nave
had many statutes aiming TO pSomote
| the efficiency of the army, ana enacbeo
| with good intent. But they have as
| rule related to some particular Depart
ment and not always with intelligent re-
lation TO what have gone before. In oth-
| er words, laws for the administration OF
| the army have beendr afted on the stat
ute books in many parts, without con-
tin1lity of legislative thought so that
| starting out with the constitutional pro-
| vision that the President shall command
| the army and navy. you soon overtake
conditions which battle and bother those
charged with responsibilities connected
| Herewith. That these unhappy conditions
obtain, is largely due to the fact that no
one has heretofore offered satisfactory
solution. Secretary Root now presents
| one, recommending that a board OF mill
| tary experts shall be created, at the
head of which there shall be an officer or
| highest rank, who shall be the chief mill
tary officer of the War Department and
| to be known as the chief Of staff-su-
coordinate to the President and Secretary
| of War, yet clothed with authority to
control all the stan corps and depart
ments, and who, through the Adjutant
General, shall make orders in the name
of the Secretary OF War, the constitu-
tional representative and spokesman Of
the President.
Tho bill containing his recommends
tons, now pending in Congress- does not
increase the number OF officers, but con-
tinues the number and rank now provided
for the army. 1t has the Advantage OF
being helpful in every direction and hurt
full in none. In the judgment of Secre-
tary Root, the bill will cure the existing
evils and make harmony, intelligence and
efficiency take the place of confusion and
| apparent contention, the blame for which
cannot rigitfully be charged to men, but
to the conflict of law and regulations
with the most clearly defined provision
OF the Constitution. Just so long as the
Constitution stands, just so long must the
command of the army rest under the
President and his constitutional repre-
sentative and executive ofilosr, the Secre-
tary of War. Upon these conditions, not
only the Secretary Of War. but the Presi-
dent, should have the advice and eoun-
sci OF the best military experts that can
be given them by chief of STAFF, who will
be selected by the President from among
the general officers OF the army and sup
porting the chief OF staR, board Of nail
itary experts. This Is solution entirely
in consonance with our form OF govern
ment 1t gives the President and Secre-
tary Of War the information necessary
for intelligent and efficient administra-
ton. 1t serves to accentuate in q force
full way the subordination Of the military
to civil authority. Mr.. Roots plan IL not
the German or French plan, or that ex-
listing in any foreign army. While he
may have gained valuable suggestions by
a close study Of the organization of for
eign armies, his scheme Is wholly Ameri-
can and conceived on the lines and spirit
of our government; and 10 in close touch
with the Constitution. 1t should be ac-
copied in the spirit 1t is offered, and
there is no qunsstion that It will be. II the
intelligent consideration OF the country
is given to 1t.
After General Corbin the next speaker
was General s. NJ. B. Young. who spoke
to the toast 1.-THE Army and Commerce"
He spoke in part as follows:
"A nation cannot be great and enjoy
prosperity except for a limited time,
without commerce and an efficient mill
tary force. Each Is dependent upon the
other, and as one prospers SO will the
other, or eventually the nation to whom
they pertain will cease to exist. This Is
especially true of our own Republic. I
use the term military force" in its
bro adest sense, including the army and
navy and all that is required to make
them efficient
''If the military force is inadequate to
inspire a feeling of confidence among
commercial men that their interests will
be protected the commerce will not in
crease, and that which may have been
established will disappear.
"People may differ in their views as to
the advisability of either purchasing or
holding the Philippine Islands, but no
reasonable person can doubt that the
predominating reason for buying them
was one Of humanity, and desire to free
them from the yoke they were bearing.
lust as we did in Cuba. I say this, not