The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-12-05

DVNil material ana peESOHnel lilaI is TO ne
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 dong as regards securing the
services Of a sufficient number of the high
est type of Sailormen, 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 know-
edge of their profession. They deserve eV-
cry consdera ton that can be shown them
But there are not enough of them 1t is
no more possible to improvise n crew than
it is possible to imprOVise a warShiD To
build the finest ship. with the deadliest
battery, and to send ii afloat with raw
crew. no matter how brave they were in
dividually, would be to insure disaster if
foe of average capacity We're encountered.
Neither ships nor men can be improvised
when war has begun
We need a 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 lee greatly enlarged. At the same
time that we thus add the officers where
we need them. we should facilitate the re-
tirement Of those at the head of the list
whose usefulness has become impaired.
Promotion must be fostered if the service
is to be kept efficient
The lamentable scarcity of officers and
the large number of recruits and of I'M
skilled men necessarily put aboard the
stoned has thrown upon our officers. and
especially on the lieutenants and Junior
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. 1t must continue for
some time longer until more officers are
graduated from Annapolis and until the
recruits become trained and ski!lfu in
their duties. In these difficulties incident
upon the development of our war fleet the
conduct of all our officers has been cred
Il In lion
and junior grades in particular have dis
played an ability and a steadfast cheer
fulness which enttle them TO the ungrudging
thanks OF all who realize the dSheartening trials
and fatigues TO which they are of necessity sub
jected
There is not a cloud on the horizon at present.
There seems not the slightest chance of trouble
with foreign power We most earnestly hope
that this state OF things may continue and the
way to insure its continuance is to provide for
thoroughly efficient navy. The refusal TO main
tain such navy would invite trouble, and il
trouble came would insure disaster. Fatuous self
complacency or vanity or shorsightedness in re-
fusing to prepare for danger is both foolish and
wicked in such nation as ours, and past expert
ence has shown that such faulty in refusing to
recognize or prepare for any crisis in advance is
usually succeeded by mad panic of hysterical
fear once the crisis has actually arrived.
The striking increase in the revenues of the
postofice department shows clearly the prosperity
of our people and the increasing activity Of the
business OF the country.
The receipts of the postofice department for
the fiscal year ending June 80 last amounted to
S12l, s4s, 0i726 increase of $l0.26 s53.s7 over
The bitor,, ~ Tho postai sor,;oo M rr;tI
OF this increase will best appear from the fact
that the entire postal receipts for the year 1860
amounted to but $s5lS ,067.
Rural free delivery service is no longer in the
experimental stage. 1t has become fixed policy.
The results following its introduction have fully
1mada for Ire esfabIisbn,ent and7 ovtppsidn III
aversga voar1v ;ncraaso ~ Stot;oa ra;r. =;
tbe rural dsty;cts Of tho coi,nfrv is about . nr
cont Wa ara NOV, al h., aya,,Io1 ros,,1ts -
sbnT +bat ,brn r,,rai foo dIar, s;no ao
heen establisbed 70 sucb an went as 70 aroh1S
rs IN make co,onorisons the yearly increase bas
been inward ~ Ia nor cont i"
ON Nov | 1go5 II G50 r,raI fraa deliverv
routes had been established and were in oneration
covering about onc.third of the territory Of tbe
United States available for rural free delivery
service There are now awaiting the action n
the department petitions and applications for the
estabIish ment 81 10 74S additional routes This
shows conclusiycly the want which the establish.
nent of tbe saryice has ,net and Tho nood Of f,,r
finer eytending IL ne ranillv as nossihle II il
justified botb Inv tba financial results and bv tho
nractical benefte 70 our rrral nonulatio1. II
brings the men who live on the soil into close
relations with the active business world: il keens
tbe farmer in daily touch with tho rnarlats. il is
a notcntiaI edur5tionaI force. II onbances tho
value OF farm propertv. makes farm life far
nIeasanter and loss isoIafed and will do much 70
check the undesirahIa current from, conntry 20
citv ~
II is to no boned that tbo conoress will mako
1iboroI onnropr;atiors g. tLo r7 ;n,,,roa 80 a.
sn,.i IT,, LA al t ~, f,t .,
tension "'N 80 ''i -
Few suhiec,s NJ moro inheritance have beep
taifen nm Nv Tho con,ress IN recent rears tben
tba ipaup,r3tion NJ tbe evstpn, NJ natio3aIv ,idd
irriration for Tho arid reginns ~ he 'far west
4 GOOD baminninr therein has been made Now
Thai this policv of national IRRIGATION has been