The Dolores star., 1902-12-05

prompt attention and action. ~ Is VI
great importance that the relation OF
the national guard to the militia ana
volunteer forces of the United states
should be defined. and that in place Oh
our present obsolete laws pracucai
and efficient system should be adopted.
For the first time in our history
naval maneuvers on large scale are
being held under the immediate com
mand of the admiral of the navy. Con
stantly increasing attention Is being
paid to the gunnery of the navy. but
IL is yet far from what 1t should be.
earnestly urge that the increase asked
for by the secretary of the navy in the
appropriation for improving the
craftsmanship be granted. In battle
the only shots that count are the shots
that hit 1t is necessary to provide
ample funds for practice with the great
guns in time of peace. These funds
must provide not only for the purchase
of projectiles. but for allowances for
prizes to encourage the gun crews. and
especially the gun pointers. ana Tor
perfecting an intelligent system under
which alone 1t is possible to get good
practice.
There should be no halt in the work
of building up the navy, providing
every year additional fighting craft.
We are a very rich country, vast In ex-
tent Of territory and great In popula-
ton; a country. moreover, which mas
an army diminutive indeed when COM
pared with that of any other first class
power. We have deliberately made our
own certain foreign policies which de-
mand the possession OF first class
navy. The Isthmian canal will greatly
lv-- . RrtA nfn nj 1
the navy is of sufficient size; but If we
have an inadequate navy. then the
building of the canal would be merely
giving a hostage to any power of SUI
perior strength The Monroe doctrine
should be treated as the cardinal feat
ure of American foreign policy; but 1t
would be worse than idle to assert 1t
unless we intend to back 1t up. and 1t
can be backed up only by thoroughly
good navy. A good navy is not provoc-
ative of war; 1t is the surest guaranty
of peace.
There is not cloud on the horizon
at present. There seems not the
slightest chance of trouble with for
eign power. We most earnestly hope
that this state of things may continue;
and the way to insure its continuance
is to provide for thoroughly efficient
navy.
Free Rural Mail Delivery.
Rural free delivery service is no
longer in the experimental stage; 1t
has become a fixed policy. The results
following its Introduction have fully
justified the Congress in the large ap-
propriations made for its establish
ment and extension. The average
yearly increase in postofiice receipts
in the rural districts of the country
is about two per cent. We are now
able, by actual results, to show that
where rural free delivery service has
been established to such an extent as
to enable us to make comparisons the
yearly increase has been upward OF
ten per cent.
On November l. 1902. 1850 rural
free delivery routes had been estab
lished and were in operation. covering
about one-third of the territory OF the
United States available for rural free
delivery service. There are now
awaiting the action of the department
petitions and applications for the es-
tablishment of 10.74S additional routes
This shows conclusively the want
which the establishment of the service
has met and the need of further ex-
| tending it as rapidly as possible.
1t is to be hoped that the Congress
will make liberal appropriations for
the continuance of the service already
established and for its further extern
| sion.
Irrigation Law Comm ended.
Few subjects of more importance
have been taken up by the Congress
in recent years than the Inauguration