Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-03
the relation Of the national guard to the
militia and volunteer forces OF the United
States should be defined and that In place

and efficient system should be adopted.
PROVISION Should be made to enable tbs
secretary OF war to keep cavalry and ar
tilery horses worn out In long perform.
ance Of duty. Such horses fetch but q
trifie when sold, and rather than turr
them out to the misery awaiting them
when thus disposed of it would be- hettei
to employ them at light work around O.
posts and when necessary to pat them
painlessly 10 death,
For the first time in our history naval
maheuVers on large scale are being he4a
under the Immediate command of the adj
miral OF the navy. Constantly incrcdslng
attention is being. paid to the glmue.y o.
the navy, but it is yet far from what /
should be. | earnestly urge That the in
crease asked for BY the secretary of the
navy in the appropriation for improviEs
the marksmans.ip be granted. In battle
the only shots that count are the shots
that MT. 1t is necessary to provide ample
funds for practice with the great guns H.
time of peace. These funds must provide
moi only Tor the purchase of projectiies.
but for allowances for prizes to encour-
age the gun crews, and especially the gun
pointers. and for pcrfectng an intelligent
system under which alone it is possible 10
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 extent of terri
tory and great in population, country.
moreover. which has an army dinlinutive
indeed when compared with that of any
other first class power. We have delibcr,
ately made our own certain foreign poli-
cies which demand the possession Of a
first class navy. The isthmian canal will
greatly increase the efficiency of our navy
II the navy is of sufficient size, but If we
nave an Inadequate navy then the build
Ing OF the canal would be merely giving a
hostage to any power of superior strength
The Monroe doctrine should be treated as
the cardinal feature Of American foreign
policy, but it would be worse than idc
to assert it unless we intended to back il
up, and it can he backed up only ty Il
thoroughly good navy. A good navy is
not provocative Of war. 1t is the sureyt
guaranty of peace.
Each individual unit of our navy should
be the mast efficient of its kind as regards
found in the world | call your special
attention to the need of providing for the
manning of the ships. Serious trouble
threatens us II We cannot do better than
we are now doing as regards securing the
services OF sufficient number of the high
est type of sailormen. OF sea mechanics
The veteran seamen Of our warships are
navy which rides the waters Of the world
They are unsurpassed in daring, in reso-
luton in readiness, in thorough knowl-
edge of their profession. They deserve ev-
But there are not enough Of them. 1t Is
no more possible to improvise a crew than
It 70 possible to improvise a warship To
S Saa the and ne te s ship With . the dedsst
crew, no matter how brave they were in
dividually, would be to insure disaster II a
foe OF average capacity were encountered.
Neither ships nor men can be improyised
when war has begun.
We need thousand additional officers
IN order to properly man the ships now
provided for and under construction. The
classes at the naval school at Annapolis
should be greatly enlarged. At the same
time that we thus add the officers where
we need them, we should facilitate the re-
irn ~
whose usefulness has become impaired
Promotion must be fostered IL the service
is to be kept efficient.
The lamentable scarcity Of officers and
the large number of recruits and of un-
skilled men necessarily put aboard the
new vessels as they have been commits
stoned has thrown upon our officers and
grades, unusual labor and fatigue and has
strained their powers OF endur-
ance. Nor is there sign Of any immediate
letup in this strain. It must continue for
graduated from Annapolis and until the
recruits become trained and skillful in
their duties In these difficulties incident
upon the ddeyelopment Of our war fleet the
table to the service, and the lieutenants
and junior grades In particular have dis
played an ability and a steadfast cheer
thanks Of all who realize the disheartening trials
md fatigues to which they are Of necessity sub
|ected
There is not cloud on the horizon at present
With foreign power. We most earnestly hope
say to insure its continuance is to provide toy
ain such navy would invite trouble, and il |
rouble came would insure disaster. Fatuous self |
or vanity or shortsght edness in re-
wicked in such q nation as ours, and past expert.
nee has shown that such faulty in refusing to |
ecogniEe or prepare for any, crisis in advance is
,sually succeeded by mad panic Of hysterical !
ear once the crisis has actually arrived.
The striking increase in the revenues OF the |
,ostofacs department shows clearly the prosperity
4 our people and the increasing activity Of the |
The The receipts Of sH po.totsee department for
he fiscal year ending June 80 last amounted to
l2l, s4s 04f2e an increase Of s1O2l6 ,s5s 81 over
he preceding year, the largest increase known in
4 this increase will best appear from the fact
hat the entire postal receipts for the year 1860
mounted to but &c, 5lSO67.
experimental stage. 1t has become a fixed policy.
ne results following Its introduction have fully
Justified the congress IN the large appropriations
made for its establishment and extension The
he rural districts Of the country 10 about 2 per
ont. We are now able, by actual results, to
bow that whore rural free delivery service has
Zen established to such an extent a. to enable
% TO make comparisons the yearly increase has
cen upward Of 10 per cent
On Nov. l, 1902, 1880 rural free delivery
outes had been established and were in operation
overing about one-third OF the territory Of the
United States available for rural free delivery
ervice There awaiting the action of
he department petitions and applications for the
Establishment Of l0,74S additional routes This
hows ooncluEvely the want which the establish.
aeAt Of the service has met and the need OF fur.
ksr extending 1t rapidly as possible. 1t is
stihed both by the financial results and by the
tactical benefits to our rural population; il
rings the men who live on the soil into close
slations with the active business world; it keeps
he farmer In, daily touch with the markets; it is
potential educational force; it enhances the
alue Of farm property, makes farm life far
and less isolated, and will do much to
heck the undesirable current from country to
ity.
II . to be hoped that the congress will make
bsral appropriations for the continuance Of the
Dvlce already established and for its further ex.
pnsion.
Few subjects OF mors importance have been
40 Inauguration Of the system Of nationally aided
rigation for the arid regions Of the far west.
good beginning therein has been made Now
aat this policy OF national irrigation has been
aoptsd the need Of Thorough and scientinc forest
rejection will grow more rapidly than ever
,fougAout the pubNe land states.
legislation should Be provided for the protec.
on Of the game and the wild creatures gsner-
ly on the forest reserves. The senselees saugh.
n q game which can by judtoious protection be
preserved on our national reserves
# the people as a whole, should be stopped at
ace. 1t Is for instance, serious count against