New-York tribune., 1902-12-03
system under which alone II Is possible TO set

system under which alone IT is possible to Sc.
COED practice.
There should be no halt in the work Of build
ing up the navy providing every year additional
vast in extent and territory and great in popu-
lation: country moreover which has arry
diminutive indeed when compared with that OF
any other first class power. We have delib-
efateIy made own certain foreign policies
which demand the possession of a first class
navy. The sthman canal viii greatly increase
the efficiency OF our navy if the navy Is ~
sufficient size; but If we have an inadequata
navy, then the building OF the canal would De
merely giving hostage TO any power OF supe-
rior strength. The Monroe Doctrine should De
treated as the cardinal feature of American for
eign policy; but il would ae worse than idle to
assert il unless We intended TO back 1t I'D, and
it can be backed up only by a thoroughly good
navy. good navy is not provocative OF war
1t is the sursst guarantee of peace
Each individual unit OF navy should b.
the most efficient of it's kind regards both
material and personnel that is to be found in
the world. I call your special attention to thu
need of providing for the manning of the ships
Serious trouble threatens US if we cannot do
better than are now doing regards secur-
ing the services of sufficient number OF the
highest type of saiiormen, of mechanics
The veteran seamen OF our warships are OF az
high type can be found in any navy which
rides the waters OF the world; they are unsur-
passed in daring. in resolution. IN readiness In
thorough knowledge Of their profession. Thev
deserve every consideration that can be shown
them. But there are not enough OF them Tt
is more possible to irnprovise a crew thar a.
a WdrShiB h1fId
the finest ship. with the deadliest battery and
TO send it afioat with raw crew. no mater
how brave they were individually. would be TO
insure disaster il a foe of average cauaeitr
were encountered. Neither ships nor men car
be improvised when war has begun
We need a thousand additional officers In Or
der to properly man the ships provided for
and under construction The classes ar the
Naval School at Annapolis should be eresfI,-
enlarged. AT the same time that We thus add
the offcers where We need them, we should
facilitate the retirement of those az the heaS
OF the list whose usefulness has become i'm
paired. Promotion must be fostered {, tbs
service is to be kept efficient
Inc lamehtahle scarcity of officers and the
large number of recruits and OF unskfIled men
necessar1ly put aboard the vessels as thev
nave been commissioned. has thrown upon orr
of1cerS, and especially the Ieutenants .nS
Junior grades. unusuai labor and fatigue ara
mas sravely strained their powers OF endurance
Nor is there sign of any innmediats Ietuu In
this strain. II must continue for some time
longer. until more officers are graduated fror,
Annapolis. and until the recruits became trsfrsS
and shilful in their duties In these 5if7crI+fas
incident upon the development of our war aaer
the conduct Of all officers has been cre6ta
ole 10 the service. and the leutenants and iunfor
grades in particular have displayed an abiIity
and steadfast cheerfulness which entitle them
10 the unsrudging thanks Of all who realize the
dlsheaFtentDg trials and fatigues to which thav
are of necessity subjected
There is not cloud on the horizon at pres
eht There seems not the slightest chance Of
trouble with a foreign power. We most ear
neStiy hope that this state of things may con-
17ro
is 20 provide FOR a thoroughly efficient navy
The refusal to maintain such a navy would IN
yite trouble, and if trouble came would insure
dlsaster. Fatu0us self-cOmplaceney or vanity or
short-sfghtedness in refusing to prepare ror
danger is both foolish and wicked IN sueb =
nation as ours; and past experience has shown
that such fatuity IN refusing to recognizes or
prepare for any crisis in advance is usually sue
ceeded by mad panic OF hystericaI fear once
the crisis has actually arrived.
POSTAL REFENUES INCREASED.
The striking increase in the revenues Of the
Postoftice Department shows clearly the pros
perity of our people and the increasing activity
OF the business OF the country
The receipts of the Pcstofice Department for
the fiscal year ended June 30 last amounted
TO 121,S4S,O4I %. an increase of S10216S53 81
over the preceding year. the largest increase
known in the history of the postal service. The
magnitude of this increase will best appear from
the fact that the entire postal receipts for the
year 1860 amounted TO hut SS,51S.D61-
Rural free delivery service is no longer II the
experimental stage; il has become a fixed policy.
The results following it's introduction have fully
justified the Congress in the large appropria-
tions made for its establishment and extension.
The average yearly increase in postafice
eeipts in the rural districts Of the country is
about per cent. We able. by actual
results, 10 show that where rural free delivery
service has been established to such an extent
as to enable us to make comparisons the yearly
increase has been upward of 10 per cent
On November !. 1902 II $50 ruraI free dsltv-
cry routes had been established and were in
operation. covering about one-third Of the ter
rt0ry of the United States available for rural
free delivery service. There awaiting
the action OF the department petitions and ap-
plteatiOns for the eSta bliShment Of 1O,f4S add
tional routes. This shows eonclusiyely the want
which the esta abiishmeRt of the service has met
and the need of further extending it as rapidly
as possible, II is justified both by the financial
results and by the practical benefits TO our
rural population; it brings the men who live
on the soil into close relations with the active
business world it keeps the farmer in daily
touch with the markets; it is potential educa-
tienal force; il enhances the value OF farm prop
erty. makes farm life far pleasanteF and less
isolated, and will do much 70 check the undesir-
able current from country 70 city
1t is to be hoped that the Congress viii make
liberal appropriations for the continuance OF the
service slready established and for its further
extension.
FOREST PROTECTION.
Few subjects of more Importance have been
taken up by the Congress in recent years than
the inauguration of the system Of nationally
aided irrigation fer the arid regions Of the Far
West 4 good beginning therein has been made
Now that this policy OF national irrigation has
been adopted. the need of thorough and sclen-
tific forest protection will grow more rapidly
than ever throughout the public land States
Legislation should be provided for the prorec-
ton of the game and the wild creatures gen
eralIy on the forest reserves The senseIesS
slaughter of game, which can by judIelous pro-
lection be pc aLently preserved on our ma
tional reserves for the people as a whole, snouId
be stopped at once II is. for instance, serious
,ount against national good sense TO permit
The present practice of butchering on such a
Fr,T rnaVrr