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

Z ''NN@'N' ~ aAANANAg SAF lllA hbeNhEt W ALL
power CT superior strength The Mon
roe doctrine should be treated as tho
cardinal feature of American foreign
policy but it would be worse than idle
to assert II unless we intended TO back
1t up, and 1t can be backed up only
/ by thoroughly good navy. A good
navy rs not a provocative of war. Il
/ is the surest guaranty of peace.
More Efficient Navy
Each individual unit of our navy
should be the most efficient of its kind
as regards both material and personnel
that Is to be found in the world.
call your special attention to the need
OF providing for the manning of the
I ships. Serious trouble threatens us
II we can not do better than we are
doing as regards securing the services
OF a number of the highest type Of
sailormen, Of sea mechanics The
veteran seamen of 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 unsurpassed in daring
in resolution, in readiness, in thorough
knowledge OF their profession. They
deserve every consideration that can
be shown them. But there are not
enough of them. It is no more DOS.
sible to improvise a crew than IL is
possible to improvise a warship. To
build the finest ship, with the deadliest
battery, and to send It afloat with a
raw crew, no matter how brave they
were Individually. would be to insure
disaster If a foe of average capacity
were encountered Neither ships nor
men can be impovised when war has
begun.
We need thousand additional of.
hcers in order to properly man the
ships now provided for and under con.
struction. The classes at the Naval
School at Annapolis should be greatly
enlarged. At the same time that we
thus add the officers where We need
them, we should facilitate the retire
ment OF those at the head of the list
whose usefulness has become i'm.
paired. Promotion must be fostered
If the service is to be kept efficient.
Great Lack Of Men.
The lamentable scarcity of officers,
and the large number of recruits and
of unsNlled men necessarily put
aboard the new vessels as they have
been commissioned, has thrown upon
our officers, and especially on the
lieutenants and junior grades. unusual
labor and fatigue and has gravely
strained their powers of endurance.
Nor Is there sign of any immediate
let-up in this strain. II must continue
for some time longer, until more ofIic.
ers are graduated from Annapolis.
and until the recruits become trained
and skillful I'm their duties. In these
difficulties incident upon the develop.
ment of our war feet the conduct of
all our officers has been creditable to
the service. and the lieutenants and
junior grades in particular have dis.
played an ability and a steadfast cheer.
funess which entities them to the un.
grudging thanks of all who realize
the disheartening trials and fatigues
20 which they are of necessity sub
jected
There is not a cloud on the horizon
az present. There seems not the
slightenst chance of trouble with a
foreign power We most earnestly
hope that this state OF things may con.
tinue; and the way To insure its con.
tinuance is TO provide for a thoroughly
efficient navy. The refusal 20 main.
tain such a navy would invite trouble.
and If trouble came would insure dis.
aster. Fatuous self-Complacency or
vanity or short-sightedness in refusing
TO prepare for danger. Is both foolish |
and wicked I'm such nation as ours;
and past experience has shown that !
such faulty I'm refusing 10 recognize |
or prepare for any crisis in advance |
is usually succeeded by mad panic |
OF hysterical fear once the crisis has |
actually arrived
The Postal Service.
The striking increase i'm the reye,
nues of the ,-Ost.Omce Department |
shows clearly the prosperity of our |
people and the increasing activity OF |
the business OF the country.
Rural freedelivery service Is no |
Onger In the experimental stage: Il has |
become a fixed policy. The results fol.
owing It's Introduction fully Justified |
he Congress In the large appropria-
Ions made for It's establishment and /
extension. The average yearly In,
'rease In post-ofiice receipts in the
'ura districts Of the country Is about
wo per cent. We are now able, by
lctual results. TO show that where
'ural free-delivery service has been
TO such an extent as to
'nable us to make comparisons the u
early increase has been upward Of II
en- per cent.
Rural Free Delivery.
On November ], 1902, 1860 rural
reedeliyery routes had been estab. Z
.shed and were i'm operation, covering 1
bout onethird OF the territory OF the
jnited States available for rural free
elivery service. There are now {
waiting the action Of the Department I
etitions and applications for the es. /
OF l0.74S additional routes. /
his shows conclusiyely the want !
.hich the establishment OF the service q
as met and the need OF further eX- I
ending IL as rapidly as possible. II I
! justified both by the financial re G
llts and by the practical benefits To 4
lr rural population; IL brings the q
.cn who live ON the soil In closer o
'latiCns with the active business 4
ord; IL keeps the farmer I'm daily O
'uch with the markets; II is a poten. Fl
al educational force; II enhances the
tlue OF farm property, makes farm O
fe far pleasanter and less isolated. 4
nd will do much 10 check the undesir. n
Die current from country to city. v
IL Is To be hoped that the Congress d
nm make liberal appropriations for 81
. continuance OF the service already p
---------------------