Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-12-04

Z that hit. II is necessarv 10 ,royiSe a5nyis
funds for practice with the great guns in
time ot peace. These funds must provide
not only for the purchase OF proiecfiles
but for allowances for prizes TO eneouf-
ege the gun crews. and especially the gun
system under which alone Il Is possible 10
get good practice.
There should be no halt in the work of
year additional fighting craft. We are a
very rich country. vast in extent OF terri
tory and great In population a country.
moreover, which has an army diminutlyc
indeed when compared with that OF any
other first class power. We have deliber-
ately made our own certain foreign poll-
eies which demand the possession of a
nrst class navy. The isthman canal will
greatly Increase the efficiency Of our navy
u the navy Is of sufflcient size. but IL we
have an inadequate navy then the build
Ing OF the canal would be merely giving
nTShsssge Tha Ne to any power q superior strength.
the cardinal feature OF American foreign
policy, but II would be worse than idle
up, and 1t can be backed up only by a
thoroughly good navy A good navy Is
not a provocative Of war. II is the surest
Each Individual unit Of our navy should
he ine most eliciene OF its kind as regards
both material and personnel that is TO be
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 a SUFFICIENT number OF the high
est type of sailormen, of sea mechanics
Of as high a type as can be fS found n any ,y
navy which rides the waters OF the world
They are unsurpassed in daring, in reso-
edge Of their profession. They deserve ev-
cry considern ton that can be shown them.
Io But the there e. are S% not enough q them. 4 Is
u is possible TO improvise warship. To
build the finest ship. with the deadlIest
crew. no matter how brave they were in
divldually. would be To insure disaster II n
Zoe of average capacity were encountered.
Nsitner ships nor men can be improvised
We need thousand additional officers
nro,,Tdeg N order to properly man the ships now
classes at the naval school at Annapolis
should be greatly enlarged. AT the same
We need them. we should fociiitate Tie pe.
tirement CT those at the hend OF the list
whose usefulness has become Impaired.
Promotien must be fostered II the service
is to be kept efficient.
The lamentehle scarcity OF officers and
the large number Of recruits and Of un-
skilled men necessarily put aboard the
new vessels as they have been commis- ,
stoned has thrown upon our officers and
grades, unusual labor and fatigue and has
gravely strained their powers of endur-
ance. Nor Is there sign of any immediate
letup IN this strain. II must continue for
some time longer until more officers are
graduated from Annapolis and urtil the
recruits become trained and skillful In
their duties. In these di1icGlties incident
upon the development of our war fleet the
conduct of all our officers has been cred
and junior grades in particular have dis
played an ability and a steadfast cheer
iulness WHICH entitie them TO the ungrudging
thanks cf all who realize the dsheartening triaif
jceted.
There is not a cloud on the horizon at present.
There Mt ba glfN sha ~ d.
thnt this state of things may continue, and the
thoroughly efficient nay,. The refusal 10 main.
tain such navy would invite trouble, and IL
trouble came would innire disaster. Fatuous self
eomrlaeency or vanity or shortsightedness in re-
fusing 10 prepare for danger is both foolish and
wicket in sucl nation as ours, and past expert.
encc ms shown that such faulty in refusing 10
recUgm.Le prepare for any crisis in advance I,
usually succeeded by msd panic Of hysterical 1,
fear once tire crisis has actually arrived.
The strikrE increase in the revenues OF the
postoflce department shows clearly the prospertv
Of our people ard the increasing activity Of the
business OF the country.
The receipts Of the postoficc department for
the fiscal year ending June 80 last amounted 10 /
tl2 an increase OF i021G, ,s5SsI over
The preceding year, the laTges, increase known in
the history OF the postal service. The magnitude
q ms increase will best appear from the fact
mat the entire postal receipts for the year 1860
amounted TO but Ss,5ls,0a.
Rural free delivery service is no longer in the
experimental stage. II has become fixed policy !
justified the congress in the large appropriations
made for It's establishment and extension The
aysragc year.y incres.e in postofice recetpts in
cent. We are able, BY secIsl results, TO !
show that where rurS' free dthresy service has i
been estahlishfd TO such IN extent rs 10 enable (,
us to make comparis0ns the yearly increase has ,
been upward OF 10 Per cent.
routes had been established and were in operation
covering about ons.thrd OF the TERRITORY OF Tho i
United States available for rural free delivery /
the department peiitions and applications for the
establishment of 10. Is additional routes This /
shows conclusiycly the want which the establish !
ment Of the service has met and the nerd Of fur
ther extending 1t as rapidly as possible. Il is |
justified beth hy the financial results and by the I
brings the r,en who live i've on % iie u toiI nto t,o.s
relations with the active business world IL keeps
the farmer In daily touch with the markets; 1t Is {
a potential educational force; 1t enhances the 4
value of farm property. makes farm life fsr |
pleasanter and less isolated, and will do much 10 |
check the undesirable current from country TO
1t is to be hoped that the congress will make |
liberal appropriations Tor the continuance Of the |
service already established and for its further ex.
tension.
Few subjects Of more importance have been I
taken up by the congress in recent years than /
the Inauguration Of the system of nationally aided
irrigation for the arid regions OF the far west. (,
good beginning therein has been made. Now i
that this policy OF national irrigation has been
adopted the need of thorough and scientific forest
protection will grow more rnpidly than ever
Il
Legislation should be provided for the protcc-
uon OF the game and the wild creatures gener-
ally on the forest reserves. The serseess slaugh-
ter Of game which can by judicloUs protection be
permanently preserved on our national reserves 1
for the people as whole, should he stopped at
once. II is, for instance. serious count against
our national good sense TO permit the present |
practice Of huteheriny OF such stately apd |
beautiful creature as the elk for its antlers or
tusks
so far as they are available for agriculture and
% whatever extent they may be reclaimed under
lands should be held rigidiy for The homsbailder.
the settler who lives on his land and for no one
else. In their, actual use the desert land law.
clause Of the homestead law have been 10 per-
verted from the intention with which they were |
areas Of the public domain for other than actual
settlers and the consequent prevention Of settle
rent. Moreover the approaching exhaustion Of
cussion as 20 the best manner Of using these pub
lie lands in the west which are suitable chiefly or
hient Of the west depends upon the building Up
Of homes therein. Much OF our prosperity as 4
nation has been due to the operation Of the home.
read law. On the other hand, we should recog.
uize the fact that in the grazing region the man
who oorrriponds to the homesteader may be IN.
able 70 settle permanently II only allowed TO use
the same amount Of pasture land that his brother
me homesteadcT, is allowed to Of arabic land.
One , hundred and sixty acres Of fairly rich and
well watered soil or much smaller amount of
irrigated land may keep family in plenty where
Is no one could get living from 100 acres Of
Hl pasture Ianu carauie OF supporting at tho
outside only head Of cattle to every ten acres.
Il the past great tracts OF the public domain
tave heen fFnesd in by persons having no title
hercto, In direct defiance OF the law forhlddlng
NE maintenance or construction Of any such un.
lawful Enclosure Of public land. For yarioui
reasons there has been little interference with
tuch Enclosures in the past but ample notice has
now hesn given the trespassers, and all the 70.
sources at the command Of the government will
hereafter be used to put stop TO such trespassng.
In view Of the capital Importance Of these mat
tiers commend them to the earnest confederation
OF the congress. and u the congress finds dihi-
Guilty in dealing with them from lack Of thorough
knowledge Of The subject ! reeomn,end that pro.