The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-12-02

4
| trative standpoint in preparing the way
for civil government; and similar
credit belongs to the civil authorities
for the way in whiCl they have plant
ed the seeds of self-government in the
ground thus made ready for them.
The courage, the unflinching endur.
ance, the high soldiery efficiency, and
the general klnd.h eartedness and hu.
manity of our troops have been strik.
ingly manifested. There now remain
only some fifteen thousand troops in
the islands All told, over one hun.
dred thousand people have been sent
there. OF course, there have been in.
dividual instances of wrongdoing
among them. They warred under
fearful difficulties of climate and sur.
roundings; and under the strain Of
the terrible provocations which they
continually received from their foes,
occasional instances of cruel retalia.
tion occurred. Every effort has been
made to prevent such crueties, and
finally these efforts have been com.
pletely successful Every effort has
also been made to detect and punish
the wrongdoers. After making all al.
lowance for these misdeeds, IL remains
true that few indeed have been the
instances in which war has been
waged by a civilized power against
semicivilized or barbarous forces
where there has been so little wrong
doing by the victors as i'm the Philip
pine islands. On the other hand. the
beneficent work which has been done
is well-nigh inCalculable.
Taking the work of the Army and
the civil authorities, together it may
be questioned whether anywhere else
in modern times the world has seen
better example of real constructive
Craftsmanship than our people have
given i'm the Philippine Islands. High
praise should also be given those
Filipinos, in the aggregate very numer-
Gus. who have accepted the new con.
ditions and Joined with our represent.
atives to work with hearty good will
for the welfare of the islands.
Reduction Of Army
The Army has been reduced TO the
minimum allowed by law II is very
small for the size of the Nation, and
most certainly should be kept at the
highest point of efficiency. The SEN
ior officers are given scant chance
under ordinary conditions to exercise
commands commensurate with their
rank, under circumstances which
would fit them to do their duty in time
of actual war. A system of maneuv-
ering our Army in bodies of some little
size has been begun and should be
steadily continued without such
maneuvers IL is folly to expect that
in the event of hostilities with any
serious foe even a small army corps
could be handled TO advantage. Both
our officers and our enlisted men are
such that we can take hearty pride
in them. No better material can be
found But they must be thoroughly
trained, both as individuals and In the
mass. The workmanship Of the men
must receive special attention. In the
circumstances of modern warfare the
man must act far more on his own
individual responsibility than ever be-
fore. and the high individual efficiency
OF the unit is OF the utmost Importance
Formerly this unit was the regiment;
IL is now not the regiment, not even
the troop or company; IL Is the indi'
yidual soldier. Every effort must be
made TO develop every workmanlike
and soldierly quality In both the officer
and the enlisted man.
The measure providing for the re-
organization Of the militia system and
Tor securing the highest efficiency I'm
he National Guard, which has already
passed the House should receive
prompt attention and action. II Is of
great Importance that the relation of
he National Guard to the militia and
volunteer forces OF the United States
should be defined. and that in place
If our present obsolete laws a prac.
ical and efficient system should be
ldopted
Provision should be made 10 enable !
he Secretary OF War TO keep cavalry !
md artillery horses, worn out I'm long !
performance of duty. Such horses |
etch but trlfle when sold; and rather !
han turn them out TO the misery /
waiting them when disposed Of. IL |
would be better 10 employ them at
light work around the posts, and when
necessary put them painlessly 20
eath.
Improvements in the Navy.
For the first time in our history
laval maneuvers on large scale are
icing held under the immediate com
nand of the Admiral OF the Navy. Con.
tantly increasing attention is being
aid TO the gunnery AT the navy. but
t is yet far from what IL should be-
earnestly urge thatN the increase
sked for by the Secretary of the Navy
D the appropriation for improving the
craftsmanship be granted. In battle
hots that count are the shots that I
II, IL is necessary TO provide ample
Inds for practice with the great guns ,
J time OF peace These funds must {
rovide not only for the purchase OF /
rOjectiles, but for allowances for I
rizes 10 encourage the gun crews. 7
nd especially the gun pointers, and '
n perfecting an intelligent system /
lder which alone IL Is possible 20 get I
lOd practice. u
There should be no halt in the work +
building up the navy, providing q
'ery year additional fighting craft d
e are very rich country. vast I'm D
tent Of territory and great In pop "
alton; a country. moreover, which Il
Is an Army diminutiye indeed when d
impaired with that Gf any other first. y
ass power We have deliberately II
ade our own certain foreign policies a
lich demand the possession Of a a
st.class navy. The isthmian canal
II greatly increase the efficiency OF "
n navy II the navy is OF sufficient IN