Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-12-06

wrougdocrs. After making all allowances
for these misdeeds. IL remains true that
few indeed have been the instances In
which war has been wagcd by n civilized
power against semi-civilized or barbarous
forces where there has been so little
wrongdoing by the victors as in the Phil
ippine Islands on the other hand. the
amount OF difficult, important and beneh-
cent work which has been done Is well
nigh incalculable.
Taking the work of the army and the
civilized authorities together. 1t may be
questioned whether anywhere else in mod
ern times the world has seen a better ex~
ample of real constructive craftsmanship
than our people have given In the Philip
pine Islands. High praise should also
be given those Filipinos In the aggregate
very numerous. who have accepted the
new conditions and joined with our repre-
| 81 natives to work with hearty good Will
| for the welfare Of the islands.
Our Army Reduced.
The army has been reduced to the mini
| mum allowed by law II Is very small for
the size OF the nation, and most certainly
| should be kept at the highest point OF eff
ficency. The senior officers are given
scant CHARGE under ordinary conditions to
| exercise commands commensurate with
their rank, under circumstances which
would fit them TO do their duty In time Of
actual war. a system Of maneuverng
| our army in bodies of some little size has
been begun and should be steadily con-
tinued. without such maneuvering II Is
| folly to expect that In the event OF hos
| tilitics with any serious foe even a email
army corps could be handled to advan-
tage. Botn our officers and enlisted men
are such that we can take hearty pride
In them. No better material can be found
sodnioibyr. n-liswishym- foioi dedmiPk,.
But they must be thoroughly trained
both rs individuals and In the mass. The
marksma nship of the men must receive
! special attention. In the circumstances
| OF modern warfare the man must act far
more on his own individual efficiency
than ever before. and the high Individual
efficiency OF the unit IL OF the utmost i'm.
portance. Formerly this unit was the
| regiment: Il IL now not the regiment, no!
| even the troop or company; II Ii the indi'
| vidual soldier. Every effort must be made
to develop every workmanlke and sol
dieriy quality in both the officer and thu
| enlisted man.
I urgently call your attention to the
need OF passing n bill providing for gen
cral stan and for the reorganization OF
the supply departments on the lines of tn,
bill proposed by the secretary of gar last
year. When the young officers enter tn,
army from West Point they probab,
stand above their compeers I'm any othei
military service. Every effort should b'
| made, by training. by reward OF merit, by
| scrutiny into their careers and capacity
&c keep them of the same high relatlv,
excellence throughout their careers
The measure prov iding for the reorgani
INation OF the militia system and for Sc
TYuring the highest efficiency In the ma
tional guard. which has already passet
the house. should receive prompt atten
ton and action. IL Is of great Importance
that the relation OF the national guard Il
the militia and volunteer forces OF thu
United States should be defined and tha
In place OF our present obsolete laws {
practical and efficient system should b.
adopted.
Provision should be made to enable thu
secretary OF war to keep cavalry and ar
tillery horses, worn out In long perform
ance OF duty. Such horses fetch but
tribe when sold: and rather than turT
them out to the misery awaiting then
when thus disposed Of, II would be bette
to employ them Mt light work around thu
posts. and when necessary - put then
painlessly to death.
Our Navy.
For the first time In our history nava
nsaneuvers on large scale are being bel'
under the immediate command Of the ad
miral of the navy. Constantly increasing
attention Is being paid To the Eunnery o
the navy. but II II yet far from what
should be. I earnestly urge that the In
} crease asked for by the secretary OF tn
} navy In tho appropriation for improving