The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-05

serve as an example CT al mat Is best
IN insular administration
The Philippines
On July 4 last, on the che hundred
t~wenty-sixth anniversary OF the
declaration Of Independents. peace and
amnesty were promulgated IN the Phil
ipplne Islands. Some trouble has since
from time to time threAIsnd with the
N-oharamedan Moros. but with the late
;nsurrectionary Fflipinos the wal has
entirely ceased Civil Cover nment n
now been introduced NOT only does
each Filipino enjoys such rights to life.
liberty and the pursuit ~ happiness as
he a never before novn during the
recorded history OF the islands. but the
people taken as 4 whole TOW enjoy n
measure OF self-goveTnmerl greater
than that granted to any other Orien-
tails under their owl governments.
save the japanese alone. W. have not
gone too far in granting these rights OF
liberty and Self-gove"Emcnt. but we
have certainly gone TO the limit that
in the interests Of the Philippine people
themselves IL was wise or unjust 10 60
To hurry matters, TO 30 faster than we
are now going. would entail calamity
on the people OF the stands. No policy
ever entered into by the American p o.
pie has indicated itself in more signal
manner than the rolCy Of holding the
philippines. The triumph CT our arms.
aboNS All the triumph y our la~S ana
principles, has come sooner than we
had any right TO expect. Too much
praise cannot be given to tho army for
what IL has done in the Philippines both
lin warfare and from an administrative
standpoint in preparing the way for
government; and similar credit
belongs 10 the civil authorities for the
way in which they have PLANTED the
seeds of self-governman- in the ground
thus made ready for tncc1. The cour-
age, the unfiinChing endurance, the high
soldierly efficiency. and tho general
.kind-heartedness and humanity OF our
troops have been strikingry manifested.
now remain only some fifteen
Thousand troops in the islands. All
told. over one hundred thousand have
beer sent there. OF course there have
been individual instances OF wrongdo-
ing among them. They varied under
difficulties Of climate and sur
and under the strain Of the
terrible provocations which they con-
I~tinually received from Their foes, &C
Icasional instances Of cruel retaliation
occurred. Every efo.t has Decn made
Ito prevent such cruelt'es. and finally
Itnas' efforts have been completely sue
Every effort hes also been
Imade to detect and punish the rong
Idoers. After making "a. allowance for
these misdeeds. il remains true that
few indeed have been The Instances in
(which war has been weE.d 10y IA civil
IiZed power against semi"ivllizCd or bar
|barous forces where there has been
$50 little wrongdoing by the viCtors as in
the Philippine Islands. On the other
hand, the amount OF difficult. impor-
.tant, and beneficent work which has
been done is wellnigh IncoiCuiaoIe.
Taking the work OF the army and the
civil authorities together, il a b.
questioned whether aryv here else in
modern times the world has seen "a bet
ter example of read craftsmanship
than our people have given in
the Philippine Islands. High praise
SHOULD also be given those F1.ipinos. in
the aggregate very numerous. who have
accepted the new conditions n Joined
with our representatives TO work with
hearty good will for the welfare of the
islands.
The army has been reduced To TIE
minimum allowed by Jaw. II is very
small for the size of the Lation. and
certainly should - kept at the
highest point of efficiency. The senior
I~officerS are given scant ChanCn under
ordinary conditions To exercise com
mandS commensurate with their
rank, under circumstance which
would fit them to do their duty in time
Iof actual war. 4 system Of inaneuver-
ling our army III bodies Of some little
IldS DteI DtPul ana SDouiu DC
steadily continued. Without UGH man.
towering i: is folly TO expect that in the
event of hostilities with acy serious foe
leVen a small army coTrs could h.
handled to advantage. Both our OIL
Icers and enlisted men are such that we
can take hearty pride III them. No
better material can be round. But they
must be thoroughly uained. both as
individuals and in the mass. The
craftsmanship Of the men must receive
Especial attention. In the circumstances
OF modern warfare the man must act
far more on his own individual non
lsibility than ever befU-e. ana the kIsh
individual efficiency Of the unit Is of the
utmost Importance. Formerly this unit
was the regiment: IT Is now not the
regiment, not even the troop or COM
pany; it is the individual soldier. Every
effort must be made L ccvelJp every
workmanlike and sold.rrly guilty in
both the officer and tie enlisted man.
l urgently call your attention to the
need Of passing a bill providing for q
general staff and for the reorganization
of the supply departments on the lines
of the bill proposed by the secretary OF
war last year. When the Young oYi-
GERS enter the army from " est Point
they probably stan above their COM
peers in any other military service.
Every effort should be rIaGt. by train
ing. by reward Of melt by scrutiny
into their careers and capacity. TO keep
them Of the same high Tela i've excel
lence throughout their c1rCLIS.
The National Guard.
The measure providing for the reor-
I~ganiZation of the militia system and
for securing the highest efficiency in
the national guard, which has already
passed the house, Shouts receive prompt
attention and action. 1t is of great i'm
Iportance that the relation of the ma
Itional guard TO the militia and volun-
teer forces Of the United States should
be defined. and that n pt1ce Of our
present obsolete laws Z rractical and
deficient system should he ad opted.
The Navy.
Provision hou be made to enable
the secretary of war 10 keer cavalry
and artillery horses, worn out in long
performance Of duty. Such horses
fetch but a trifie when sold: and rather
than turn them out 10 the misery
awaiting them when thus disposed Of.