The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-12-05
which has been done is well-nigh 1ncal-

culable.
Taking the work of the army and the
civil authorities together, 1t may be queS-
toned whether anywhere else in mod
ern times the world has seen a better eX-
ample of real constructive statesman
ship than our people have given in the
also be given those Filipinos, in the ag-
gregate very numerous, who have ac-
cepted the new conditions and joined witt
u representatives to work witt hearty
good will for the welfare of the islands.
General STAFF for Army Recom-
mcndeI.
The army has been reduced to the mini
mum allowed by law. 1t is very small
for the size of the nation, and most GER
tainly should be kept at the highest point
of efficiency. The senior officers are Civ
en- scant chance under ordinary condi-
tons to exercise commands commensu-
rate with their rank, under circumstances
In time of actual war. A system OF man
euvering our army in bodies of some lit
tie size has been begun and should stead
lily continued. Without such maneuVerS
it is folly to expect that in the event of
hostflities with any serious foe even a
small army colps could be handled to ad-
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 cir
cumstances of modern warfare the man
must act far more e,o on a hls q bsfor eho and
the high individual efficiency Oh tne unlt
Is of the utmost Importance. rornerly
this unit was the regiment; IL Is nov moi
the regiment, not even the troop or com
pany; it is the individual soldier. Every
effort must be made to develop every
workmanlike and I'D SCENERY ;be eplIste dun man.
l urgently call your attention TO .he
need Of passing a bill providing for a
general staff and for the ~rsanlza.
- IL, Jann ~ ~ n IN Ine IIltS
of the bill proposed by the secretary OF
war last year. When the young oEicers
enter the army from West Point lhey
probably stand above their eompeers IN
any other military service. Every effort
should be made, by training. by reward
of merit, by scrutiny into their careers
and capacity, to keep them or inc Same
high relative excellence throughout thelr
The measure providing for the reorgan-
ization of the militia system and Tor Sc
curing the highest efficiency in the ma,
tional guard, which has already. passed
the house, should receive prompt atten-
ton and action. 1t is OF great lmpor-
lance that the relation of the national
guard to the militia and volunteer FORCES
Of the United States should be denned,
and that in place Or our opsolesh o inIs b "a
Provision should be made to enable the
secretary of war to keep cavalry and ar
tillery horses, worn out in long perform
ance of duty. Such horses fetch but ?
trihe when sold, and rather than turn
them out to the misery awaiting them
when thus disposed Of, it would be better
to employ them at light work around the
posts, and when necessary to put them
Am Efficient Navy nsures Peace.
For the first time in our history naval
maneuvers on a large. scale are heing
held under the immediate command or
the admiral of the navy. Constantly IN
creasing attention is being paid to the
gunnery of the navy. but it is yet far
from what it should be. l earnestly urge
that the increase asked for by the secre-
tary of the navy in the Appropriation for
improving the craftsmanship be granted.
In battle the only s SHOTS OF mat count ~ ARE are
vide ample funds for practice with the
great guns in time of peace. These fundss
must provide not only for the purchase OF
projectiles, but for allowances for prizes
to encourage the gun crews, and especlal-
iy the gun pointers. and for perfecting an
intelligent system under which alone 1t Is
possible to get good practice.
There should be no halt in the work or
building up the navy, providing every
year additional fighting. craft. We are a
very rich country, vast in extent or terri
tory and great in population; a country,
moreover. which has an army diminutiVe
indeed when compared with that OF any
other nrst-class power. We have delib-
erately made our own certain foreign
policies .ich demand the possession OF
a first-class navy. The isthmian canal
will greatly increase the efficiency of our
navy if the navy Is of sufficient size; but
il we have an Inadequate navy, then the
building of the canal would be merely Civ
ing a hostage to any power of superior
strength. The Monroe doctrine should be-
treated as the cardinal feature Of Amen
lean foreign policy: but it would be worse
than idle to assert it unless we intended
to back it up, and it can be backed up
only by a thoroughly good navy. A good
navy is not a provocative OF war. It's
the surest guaranty CT peace. -.
be the most efficient of it's Kind as re-
CARDS both material ara personnel that
is to he found in the world. ,aH your
special attention to the need Of proviting
tor the manning of the ships. Se:ious
trouble threatens us If we can not co bet
ter than we are now doing as regards Sc
/ curing the services of a sufficient number
of the highest type of sailormen, OF sea
mechanics. The veteran, seamen or our
war ships are of as high a type as can
be found in any navy which rides the
waters of the world: they are unsur-
passed in their profession. In resolution
their profession. They deserve every
consideration that can be shown them
But there are not enough of them. 1t ]!
no more possible to improvise a crew
than it is possible to improvise a wal
ship. To build the finest ship. witt tn
deadliest battery, and to send 1t afoa
they were Individually, would b. to in
sure disaster if g foe Of average capac!t.
were encountered. Neither ships ior me
can be improvised wner war has begun.
!, We need a Thousand additional officer
in order to properly man the ships noN
!, provided for and under construction. TIL
: classes at the naval school at Annapoli
should be greatly enlarged. At the sam
!, time that we thus add the officers wher
we need them, we should facilitate tn
retirement Of those at the head of tn
list whose usefulness has become in
paired. Promotion must be fostered
{ the ser vice is to be kept efficient.
The lamuntahle scarcity of officers, an
: the large number of recruits and of III
: skilled mea necessarily put aboard II
:. new vessels as they nave been commi!
!, stoned, has thrown upon our officers, an
= especially on the lieutenants and Junit
l grades unusual labor anu fatigue an
). has s,avely strained their powers of Ell
: dur&..ce. Nor is there sign of any In
| mediate let-up in this strain. 1T mu
G continue for some time longer, until mol
Z officers are graduated from Annapoli
and until the recruits become tra1ne
: and skillful in their duties. In thes
Z difficulties incident upon the deVelopmel
e Of our war fleet the conduct OF all OF
officers has been creditable to the ser
8 ice. and the lieutenants and Junior grade
r in particular have displayed an abili'
: and a steadfast ch~eerfulness which eI
e titles them to the ungrudging thanks
all who realize the disheartening tria
y and fatigue to which they are of nece
! sity subjected.
8 There is not a cloud on the horizon
e preSent. There seems not the Slighte