Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-03

tlon. continuing. in the meantime. to pre-
pare for laying the cable. They have, how
ever, at length acceded to them, and an
all-American line between our Pacific coast
and the Chinese empire, by way OF Honolulu
and the Philippine Islands. is thus provided
for. and is expected within a few months
to be ready for business.
Among the conditions Is one reserving the
power OF the congress TO modify or repeal
any or all Of them. a copy Of the conditions
is herewith transmitted.
Porto Rico IL Prosperous.
OF Porto Rico it IL only necessary to say
that the prosperity Of the island ard the
wisdom with which IT has been governed
have been such as to make It serve as an
example OF all that is best in insular ad-
ministration.
Peace in the Philippines.
On July 4 last, on the one hundred and
twenty-sixth anniversary of the declaration
OF our independence. peace and amnesty
we're promulgated in the Philippine Islands.
Some trouble has since from time to time
threatened with the Mohammedan Moros,
but with the late insurrectlonary Filipinos
the war has entirely ceased. Civil govern
ment has now been introduced. Not only
does each Filipino enjoy such rights to life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness as he
has never known during the recorded his
tory Of the islands, but the people taken as
a whole now enjoy a measure of self-goy-
eminent greater than that granted to any
other Orientals by any foreign power and
greater than that enjoyed by any other
Orientals under their own governments,
save the Japanese alone. We have not gone
too far in granting these rights of liberty
and self-government; but W. have certainly
gone to the limit that in the interests Of
the Philippine people themselves 1t was
wise or just to go. To hurry matters. to go
faster than we are now going. would entail
calamity on the people of the islands. No
policy ever entered into by the American
people has indicated itself in more signal
manner than the policy OF holding the Phil
ippines. The triumph Of our arms. above
all the triumph Of our laws and principles,
has come sooner than we had any right TO
expect.
Praise for the Army.
Too much praise cannot be given to the
army for what 1t has done in the Philip
pines both in warfare and from an admin
AbNAb 'N@heRSAhN a. IANFNAAAo NHS wy
for civil government, and similar credit
belong TO the civil authorities for the way
in which they have planted the seeds OF
self-government in the ground thus made
ready for them. The courage, the un-
ninching endurance, the high soldierly eff
cheney. and the general kind heartedness
and humanity of our troops have been strik-
ingly manifested. There now remain only
some 10 900 troops in the islands. All
told, over 100, 900 have been sent there. OF
course, there have been individual in
stances OF wrongdoing among them. They
warred under fearful difficulties of climate
and surroundings; and under the strair
Of the terrible provocations which they
continually received from their foes, occa'
sional instances of cruel retaliation oc'
Cured. Every effort has been made u
prevent such cruelt.es, and finally these
efforts have been completely successful
Every effort has also been made to detec'
and punish the wrongdoers. After making
all Allowance for these misdeeds, II re-
mains true that few indeed have been th'
instances in which war has been waget
by a civilized power against semi civilized
or barbarous forces where there has beef
so little wrongdoing by the victors as ii
the Philippine Islands. On the other hand
! the amount OF ulHlCullt lmpOl TAM II DS
nehcent work which has been done 4
well-nigh incalculable.
Taking the work OF the army and thu
civil authorities together, 1t may be ques
toned whether anywhere else in moderi
times the world has seen a better exampl
OF real constructive craftsmanship thai
our people nave given in the Philippine
Islands. High praise should also be give
those Filipinos, in the aggregate very nu
merous, who have accepted the new con
ditions n Joined with our representative
to work with hearty good will for the wei
fare of the islands,
Efficiency of Warriors.
The army has been reduced to the mint
mum allowed by law. 1t is very small 70
the size Of the nation, and most c~ertainl
should be kept at the highest point Q
efficiency. The senior officers are give
scant chance under ordinary conditions I
exercise commands commensurate wit
their rank, under circumstances whic
would At them to do their duty in time Q
actual war. A system OF maneuvering ou
army in bodies OF some little size has bee
begun and should be steadily continued
Without such maneuvers 1t is folly to eX
peet that in the event Of hOstilities wit
any serious Zoe even, a small army CUT
could be handled to advantage. Both ou
officers and enlisted men are such that "
can take hearty pride in them. No bette
material can be found. But they must B
! thoroughly trained. both as individuals an
In the mass. The Workmanship OF tn
men must receive special attention. I
the circumstances OF modern warfare tn
! man must act far more on his own ind
yidual responsibility than ever before, an
D the high individual efficiency OF the un
l Is OF the utmost Importance. Formerl
this unit was the regiment; 1t is now NJ
the regiment, not even the troops or con
pany; 1t is the individual soldier. Ever
= effort must be made to develop every worl
: msnlike and soldierly quality in both II
oficer and the enlisted man.
urgently call your attention to u
need OF passing a bill providing for a ger
I eral stan and for the reorganization OF Il
supply departments on the lines OF II
bill proposed by the secretary OF war la
year. When the young officers enter Il
n army from West Point they probably star
above their compeers in any other milital
d service. Every effort should be made,
training, by reward Of merit, by serutii
into the careers and capacity, to keep the
o OF the same high relative exeellen
a throughout their careers.
I. The measure providing for the reorgan
cation of the militia system and for s
q curing the highest efficiency In the N
. ttonal G,tard which has already paRsed q