The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-12-04

sn61I1 construct line rrcr7 the Philip
nine Isla1ds to China, there being at pres
snt ns ts we'll known, British unc IRON
Manila to HongkoIiE -..-..,--.,
The representatives Of the cable cHIqpa-
nv kept these conditions long under con-
sideration, continuing In the meantime 10
prepare for laying the cable. Iney nave;
however at length acceded to them, ana
an all American line between our racing
Honolulu and the Philippine Islands, Is
thus provided for and is expected WITHIN
a few months 70 be ready for business.
Among the conditions is one res fsseryins a
peal any or all Of them. copy OF the
conditions is herewith transmitted.
OF Porto Rico it is only neccss2ry to say
that the prosperity Of the island ana the
wisdom with which it has been governed
have been such as to make 1t serve as an
example Of ell that Is best in iESular ad-
ininistratlon.
On July last. on the ous hundred and
twenty sixth ~ ~aanlveTsars OF eoce .ne end u' nni.
nesty were promulgated In the Philippine
Islands Solnc trcubls haS SINCE from
time to time threatened with the Moham.
n1edan Moros, but with the iate lnsuFreSE. IrS;.
ceased. Civil government has nov ~, been
enjoy such rights to life: liberty and the
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 SER gov
eminent greater than that granted tc any
other orientals by any foreign power othsr anI
eaie''u1s save the Japanese ps alone. We have not
gone tc0 Tar II granting these t. rights od OF
liberty and self Is 9S t taat in f ane I'VE
terests Of the Philippine people themselves
it was wise or Just to go. TO hurry mat
ters to go faster than we are now gong:
the ouie Islands. Ii No polisy ever entered into
by the American people has ,yindicated IT.
SELF in moro signal manner than the poll
cy Of holding tho Philippnes The tri,
Of our laws and principles. has como so29n-
er than we had any right to expect. TOO
much praise cannot be given to the army
for what 1t has done in the Philippines
both in warfare and from an ,administra-
civil government; and similar credit be-
longs to the civil authorities for the way
IN which they have planted the seeda 9I
ready for them The courage. the un-
flinching endurance, the high. soldierly eff.
cheney and the general kind hsartedness
and humanity cf our troops have been
only some 1900 troops in the islands Al.
told, over 100, 900 have been sent there. OF
course there have been individual In
stances Of wrongdoing among them. They
Marred under fearful difficulties OF cll-
mate and surroundings. and under the
Strain of the terrible provocations which
they continually received from theft It. foss t
oeeaS EverY eSor hss ade to
prevent such cruelties, and finally these
efforts have been completely successtul.
Every effort has also been made to de-
tect and punish the wro1gBaeers tBaee ,sdasSs sss
it remains true that few indeed have been
the Instances in which war has been
waged by civilized power against semi
civilized or barbarous forces where there
tors as in the Philippine Islands. On the
other hand. the amount Of difficult, impor-
tant and bencfcent work which has been
done is well nigh incalculetle
Taking the work q the arpy and the
civil authorities together, it may be cues
toned whether anywhere else In modern
times the world has seen q better exam
pie of real constructive statesmanShlp
pine Islands. High praise should also be
given those Fil!pincs in the aggregate
very nuInerous-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 Tniiii-
mum allowed by law. 1t is very small 1or
the size Of the nation and most certainly
should be kept at the highest point OF ell.
cheney. The Senior officers are given scant
chance under ordinary conditions to ex-
erc!se commands commensurate with their
rank under circumstances which would MT
them to do their duty in time OF actuai
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 a. sR1all army corps
could be handled to advantage. Both our
officers and enlisted men gre such that
we can take hearty pride IN them. NO
better material can be found. But theV
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 indyid4sl respcinsd1biinity taan nan
cheney Of the unit is Of the utmost I'M
portance Formerly this unit vas the
regiment. It Is now. not the regiment, not
even the troop Or company: It's 1t Is the tn do mo-
to develop every workmanlike and SOL
dierly quality In both the officer and the
enlisted man.
urgently cali your attention to the
need Of passing bill providing for gen,
eral staff and for the reorganization O.. OF
the supply departments OF the lines OF the
bill proposed by the secretary of war last
year. When the young officers enter the
army from West Point. they probably
stand above their eompeers IN any any, H5hes Ss
made by training, by reward Of merit, by
scrutiny into their careers and capacity,
to keep them Of the same high relative
excellence throughout their careers.
The measure providing for the reorgan-
ization Of the militia system and for Sc
curing the highest efficiency in the nation
al guard. which has already passed the
house. should receve prompt attention
and action. 1t is Of great Importance that
of
militia and volunteer forces Of the United
States should be defined and that In Place
of our present obsolete laws a practlcal
and efficient system should be adopted.
secretary Of war to keep cavalry and ar
tillery horses worn out in long perform
ance Of duty. Such horses fetch but
triie when sold, and rather than turn
when thus disposed Of it would be better
to employ them ct light work around the
posts and when necessary to put them
painleSsly to death
For the first time in our history naval
maneuvers on large scale are being held
under the immediate command Of the ad-
miral Of the navy. Constantly increasing
attention is being paid to the gunnery OF
should be- 1 earnestly urge that the in
crease asked for by the secretary Of the
navy In the appropriation for improving
the craftsmanship be granted. In battle
tIS O!1ty SllOlS that COulll are lue StiOSS
that hit. 1t is necessary to provide ample
funds for practice with the great guns in
time Of peace. These funds must provide
not only for the purchase Of projectiles.
but for allowances for prizes to encour-
age the gun crews, and especially the gun
pointers. and for perfecting an intelligent
system under which alone it is possible to
get good practice.
There should be no halt in the work Of
building up the navy, providing every
year additional fighting craft. We are q
very rich country, vast in extent OF terri
tory and great in population. a country,
moreover, which has an army dirninuttve
indeed when compared with that of any
other first class power. We have. deliber-
ately made our own certain foreign poll
cies which demand the possession of a
first class navy. The isthmian canal will
greatly increase the efficiency Of our navy
have an inadequate navy then the build
ing of the canal would be merely giving
hostage to any power Of superior strength.
The Monroe doctrine should be treated as
the cardinal feature Of American foreign
policy, but It would be worse than idle
to assert it unless we intended TO back 1t
up and 1t can be backed up only by
thoroughly sood navy. A good navy is
not a provocative Of war. It IS the sureSt
guaranty of peace.
Each individual unit Of our navy should
be the most efficient Of it's kind as regards
both material and personnel that is to bo
found in the world. I call your special
attention to the need Of providing for the
manning Of The ships. Serious trouble
threatens us If we cannot do better than