Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-12-03
Man,1a Honrkone

a few months to be ready for business.
Among the conditions is one reservng
the power of the congress to modify or re-
peal any or all of them. A copy of the
conditions is herewith transmitted.
OF Porto Rico oi # is only necessary to say
wisdom with which 1t has been governed
have been such as to make 1t serve as an
example of all that is best in insular adj
On July 4 last, on the one hundred and
twenty sixth anniversary of the declara-
nest 81 we e In the
Islands Some trouble has since from
time to time threatened with the Mohan-
ceased ceased ciVi R government has I1 now been
introduced Not only does each Filipino
pursuit of happiness as he has never be-
fore known during the recorded history Of
the Islands. but the people. taken as
whole. now enjoy measure of self gov
eminent greater than that granted to any
other orientals by any foreign power and
srentas man ander a their ay
save the Japanese alone. We have not
gone too far In granting these rights of
certainly gone to the limit that in the In
terests of the Philippine people themselves
i was wise or Just to go. 10 hurry mat
would entail calamity on the people of
the Islands. No policy ever entered into
by the American people has indicated It.
cy of holding the Philippines; The tri-
umph of our arms. above all the triumph |
OF h an
much praise cannot be given to the army |
for what 1t has d2ne in the Philippines,
both in warfare and from an administra- |
tive standpoint in preparing the way for
civil government. and similar credit be-
longs to the civil authorities for the way
self government in the ground thus made
ready. for them. The courage. the I'M
tlInching endurance the high seldierly eff
strikinely manifested. There now remain
course there have been individual in
stances of wrongGoing among them. They
strain Of the terrible. provocations which
they continually received from their foes
occurred. Every effort has been made to
prevent such cruelties. and finally these
Efforts have been completely successful
teet and punish the wroIsdosrs After
Tx in which SaT as Been
civilized or barbarous forces where there
tors MS in the Philippine Islands. On the
other hand. the amount Of difficult, impor-
tant and benefcent work which has been
Taking the work of the army and the
civil authorities together. 1t may be ques-
toned whether anywhere else In modern
times the world has seen better exam
| pie of real constructive craftsmanship
than our people have given In the Philip
pine Islands. High praise should also be
| very numerous-who have accepted the
new conditions and Joined with our repre-;
| sentatives to work with hearty good will
| for the welfare of the islands.
| The army has been reduced to the mini
| mum allowed by law. 1t is very small for
be kep at the highest ign pont
| cheney. The senior officers are given scant
chance under ordinary conditions to ex-
ercise commands commensurate with their
rank under circumstances which would Mt
them to do their duty in time of actual
war. A system Of maneuvering our army
in bodies Of some little size has been be-
gun and should be steadily continued
Without such maneuvers 1t is folly to ex-
\ pect that in the event Of hostilities with
any serious foe even small army corps
could be handled to advantage Both our
4 officers and enlisted men are such that
can take b pride sonn IN saa
must be thoroughly trained. both as indi-
viduals and in the mass. The marksman-
| ship Of the men must receive special at
| tcntion. In the circumstances OF modern
warfare the man must act far more, on
his own Individual responsibility than
cheney Of the unit is OF the utmost i'm
portance. Formerly this unit was the
regiment. 1t is now not the regiment, not
viduai soldier Every effort must be made
to develop every workmanlike and sol
dierly quality in both the officer and the
enlisted man.
urgently call your attention to the
need Of passing bill providing for gen. n,
the supply departments on the lines of the
bill proposed by the secretary of war last
year, When the voting officers enter the
army from West Point. they probably
OF nj their in other
military service. Every effort should be
made by training, by reward Of merit. by
to Keep them Of the same high relative;
excellence throughout their careers
The measure providing for the reorgan-
curing the highest efficiency in the nation
al guard: which has already passed the
house. should receive prompt attention
the relation Of the national guard to the
States should be defined and that In place
Of our present obsolete laws a practical
and efficient system should be adopted
Provision should be made to enable the
secretary Of war to keep cavalry and ar
tillery horses worn out in long perform.
trifle when sold, and rather than turn
them out to the misery awaiting them
when thus disposed OF 1t would be better
to employ them at light work around the
posts and when necessary to put them
painleSsly to death.
For the first time in our history naval
maneyIers on large scale are being hello
under the immediate command of the adj
miral OF the navy. Constantly increasing
attention is being paid to the cunnery q
the navy, but 1t Is yet far from what II
should be | earnestly urge that the in.
In the for mprSoyn1
the only shots that count are the shoti
that hit. II is necessary to provide ampl,
funds for practice with the great guns II
time Of peace. These funds must provid,
! not only for the purchase Of projectiles
, but for allowances for prizes to encour
, | pointers, and for perfecting an intelliGen
, system under which alone it is possible t.
. get good practice.
There should be no halt in the work O.
Year additonal AZ shtissa e 2sat Me s are
: very rich country, vast in extent OF terri
= tory and great in population, country
moreover, which has an army diminutiv'
indeed when compared with that Of an!
: ately made our own certain foreign poll
eies which demand the possession Of .
first class navy. The isthmian canal will
greatly increase the efficiency OF our nav!
II the navy is of sufficient size, but II w
e have an Inadequate navy then the build
> ing of the canal would be merely giving 1
hostage to any power Of superior strength
The Monroe doctrine should be treated a
the cardinal feature OF American foreigl
policy ssal but t 1t would be worse than id
( up, and 1t can be backed up only by
thoroughly good navy. A good navy 1
] not q provocative Of war. 1t Is the sures
r guaranty Of peace.
Each Individual unit of our navy shoul,
i be the most efficient of Its kind as regard
e both material and personnel that is to b
Q found in the world. ] call your specia
4 attention to the need of providing for tn
manning of the ships. Serious troubl
threatens US II we cannot do better thai
: we are now doing as regards securing tn
services of q sufficient number of the high
e est type Of sailormen, of sea mechanics
The veteran seamen of our warships ar
0 of as high n type as can be found in an
j navy which rides the waters Of the world
9 They are unsurpassed in daring, in reso
. luton. in readiness. in thorough knowl
edge of their profession They deserve ev
: cry consideration that can be shown them
i But there are not enough of them 1t l
E no more possible to improyise crew tina
n It is possible to improvise a warshlp; 7
build the finest ship. with the deadies
battery. and to send 1t afioat with ra,
crew. no matter how brave they were in
' dividually. would be to insure disaster II
foe Of average capacity were encountered
Neither ships nor men can be improvise
when war has begun.
n We need q thousand additional officer
4 In order to properly man the ships nov
| provided for and under construction TIL