The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-12-02

IA 0.r u-la.rt obsolete Jews Cd practical
-uI eH ler- tn stn d D. -- Iiei
sol lat.rr Of Uar o. tstp cavalry auu ore
oilers horses worn out in Ions per- iorn-
erre 90 dutr Such horses fttch but a
trire tt.u sold. and rather than urn
wne. trus Cis.lssu II De would Dee better /
io emri0 O. 90 isht w4rN around tne
posts aal when necessary 10 put them
b. Ir.I.ssIF fn death.
Fof tle arst tme in our history naval
rrar. rFtrs Cd OIL large scale are heiuE helu
uuaer tne immediate command % i-i au-
f.Ir.iI Df tnr navy. Constantly Iucre. sing
attention o. being paid 20 the gunucry ot
the navy blt 30 is yea far from what u
crease asked for by the secretary Of the
navy tn the syprgprntion for Improving
the marksmaLNAlp De granted. In battle
the only shots Rat count are the shots
that hit IL 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 u projectiles.
but for allowances for prizes 70 encour-
age the gun crews. and especially the gun
pointers. and for perfeCtimg an Intelligent
system under which alone Il Is possible TO
There should be no halt IN the work of
building up the navy providing every
year additional fighting craft We are a
very rlch GO. nirN, vast IN extent OF terIl-
tory and great in population, country
moreover. which has an army dimiuutive
indeed when compared with that ot any
other FIRST class power We have deliber-
ately made our own certain foreign poll
Cies which demand the possession OF
first class navy. The lsthmian canal Will
greatly increase the efficiency OF our navy
if the navy b. q sufficient size, but n We
have an Inadequate navy then the build
ing Of the canal would be merely giving a
hostage TO any power of superior strength.
The Monroe t-ctrlnc should be treated as
the cardinal feature of American foreign
policy. but 10 would be worse than idle
to assert q unsss We intended 10 back Il
un. and II can be backed up only by
thoroughly good navy. A good navy Is
not provocative Of war. II is the surest
Each Individual unit Of our navy should
be the most efficient Of its kind as regards
both material and PerSonne, that Is TO De oe
attention 20 the need Of providing for the
manning uf the ships Serious trouble
threatens us N we cannot do better than
we are now doing as regards securing the
services uf "A sufficient number Of the high
est type Of sallOrmen. Of sea mechanics.
The veteran seamen OF our warships are
Of as high type as can be found In any
navy which rides the waters Of the world.
They are unsurpassed In daring. In reso-
luton. In readiness. In thorough knowl-
cry confederation that can be shown them.
But there are not enough OF them. Il Is
no more possible 60 improvise "a crew than
II is possible TO impruvise warship. To
build the finest ship. with the deadlicst
battery. and Go send Il ahoat with raw
crew. no matter how brave they were IN
dviduaiiy would Doe 90 insure disaster N
Zoe of average capacity were encountered.
Neither ships nor men can be improvsed
we need a thousand additional officers
in order 90 properly man the ships now
provided for and uudcr construction. The
classes at tha naval school ot Annapolis
should ho greatly enlarged At ,he same
time chat #e thus ada tho officers where
we need thnm. we should facilitate the re-
tremout OF those az the head OF the list
whose usefulness has become impaired
Promotion must Doe fostcred N the service
SIS 60 Poe Kept efficient
Tho lumeutahle scarcity Of officers and
the large number of recruits and of un-
skilled men necessarily put aboard the
new vessels aE they have been commits
stoned has thrown upon our officers, and
especially on the heutcnants and junior
grades. unusual labor and fatigue and has
gravely strained their powers of endur-
letup in this strain. Ii must continue for
some time longer until more officers are
graduated from Annapolis and until the
recruits become trained and skillful in
their duties. In these difficulties incident
upon the development Of our war fleet the
conduct Of all our officers has been cred
table TO the service, and the lieutenauts
and junior grades I'm particular have dis
played an ability and steadfast cheer
fulness which cntitle them 20 the ungrudging
thanks ot all who realize the dishcartening trials
and fatigucs TO which they are Of necessity sub
iccted.
There is not a cloud on the horizon at present.
Thcre seems not the slightest chance Of trouble
with a foreign power We most earnestly hope
that this state Of things may continue, and the
way 20 insure its continuance is 10 provide for a
thoroughly efficient navy. The refusal TO main.
tain such a navy would invite trouble and II
trouble came would insure disaster Fatuous self
complaCency vanity or shOrtsghtcdness in re
fusing 90 prepare Tor danger Is both foolish and
wicked IN such a nation ours, and past expert
ence has shown that such iatuity in refusing 10
recognize or prepare for any crisis in advance is
usually succeeded by a mad panic Of hysterical
fear once the crisis has actually arrived.
The striking increase In the revenues OF the
IL. IL
Of our people and the increasing activity Of the
business of the country.
The receipts Of the postofhee department for
the fiscal year ending June so last amounted to
1921 s4s, ,0i726, increase Of sl02lo,s53.s7 over
the preceding year, the largest increase known in
the history Of the postal service. The magnitude
Of this icrease viii best appear from the fact
that the entire postal receipts for the year ls0,
amounted TO but $s.5lS.O67
Rural fr,e delivery service Is no longer In the
experimental stage. II has become hNed policy
The results following its introduction have fully
Justified the congress Ia the large appropriation
made for its establishment and extension. The
average yearly increase In postofice receipts IN
the rural districts Of the country is about pei
cent. W. are now able, by actual results, e
been established 20 such an extent as TO enable
US 20 make comparisons the yearly increase hai
been upward OF 10 per cent
On Nov. 4, 1902, $50 rural free delivery
routes had been established and were In operation
! covering about one.thrd Of the territory Of IN,
United States available for rural free deliyerl
the department petitions and applications tor th'
| establishment Of l0,7is additional routes Thi
shows conclusively the want which the establish
ment Of the service has met and the need Of fur
| theT extending IL as rapidly as possible. II q
/ justified both by the financial results and by th'
| practical benefits TO our rural population; Il
| brings the men who live on the soil into clos
relations with the active business world; Il keep
| the farmer In daily touch with the markets; IL Il
potential educational force; II enhances TIN
/ value Of farm property makes farm life IA
pleasanter and less isolated, and will do much &
check tNe undesirable current from country &
| city.
II is TO be hoped that the congress will max
liberal appropriations for the continuance of tn
service already established and for SIS further ex
/ tenason.
Few subjects Of more importance have beer
/ taken up by the congress ia recent years than
the Inauguration Of the system Of nationally aide'
| irrigation for the arid regions Of the far west
/ A good beginning therein has been made Nov
/ that this policy Of national irrigation has beet
| adopted the need Of thorough and scientific fores
/ protection will grow more rapidly than eve
/ throughout the public land states.
| Legislation should be provided for the protec
/ tion Of the game and the wild creatures gener
ally on the forest reserves. The senseless slaugh
| ter OF game which can by Judcious protection b
| permanently preserved on our national reserve
/ Tor the people a. a whole should be stopped =
| once Il Is, for instance, a serious count agains
! our national good sense 70 permit the presen