Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-07

term or three years, to serve WlLQOuL compensation President Mckinley ap- pointed five men who had been active and prominent in the public charities of Washington, all of whom upon talk ing office July 1, 1900, resigned from the different charities with which they had been connected. The members of the board have been reappointed in sue cessive years. The board serves under the commissioners of the District of Columbia. The board gave its first year to a careful and impartial study of the special problems before it and has continued that study every year in the light of the best practice in pub- lie charities elsewhere. Its recom- mendations in it's annual reports to the congress through the commissioners of the District of Columbia flor the eco nomical and efficient administration of the charities and reformatories of the District of Columbia" as required by the act creating it, have been based upon the principles commended by the joint select committee of the congress in it's report of March, 1898, and ap- proved by the best administra tors of public charities and make for the de- sired systematization and improve ment of the affairs under its super vision. They are worthy of favorable consideration by the congress.
 f THE ARMY.
 The effect of the laws providing a general staff for the army and for the more effective use of the national guard has been excellent. Great improve ment has been made in the efficiency of our army in recent years. Such schools as those erected at Fort Leayen- worth and Fort Riley and the institu- ton of fall maneuver work accomplish satisfactory results. The good effect of these maneuvers upon the national guard is marked, and ample appropria- ton should be made to enable the guardsmen of the several states to share in the benefit. The government should as soon as possible secure suit able permanent camp sites for military maneuvers in the various sections of the country. The service thereby rem dered not only to the regular army, but to the national guard of the sev- eral states, will be so great as to repay many times over the relatively small expense
 We sho11Id not rest satisfied with what has been done, however. The only people who are contented with system of pro- motion by mere seniority are those who are contented with the triumph of me- diocrity over excellence. On the other hand, a system which encouraged the exercise of social or political favorit- ism in promotions would be even worse. But it would surely be easy to devise a method of promotion from grade to grade in which the opinion of the high CT officers of the service upon the can didates should be decisive/ upon the standing and promotion of the latter. Just such a system now obtains at West Point The quality of each years work determines the standing of that years class, the man being dropped or graduated into the next class in the relative position which his military su- periors decide to be warranted by his merit. In other words, ability, energy, fidelity and all other similar qualities determine the rank of a man year aft CT year in West Point and his standing in the army when he graduates from West Point, but from that time on all effort to find which man is best or worst, and reward or punish him ac- cordingly, is abandoned. No brillian- cy, no amount of hard work, no eager ness in the performance of duty, can advance him, and no slackness or in- difference that falls short of court martial Offense can retard him. Until this system is changed we cannot hope that our officers will be of as high grade as we have right to expect, considering the material upon which we draw. Moreover, when a man rem ders such service as Captain Pershing rendered last spring in the Moro cam paign it ought to be possible to reward him without at once jumping him to the grade of brigadier general.
 THE NAVY.
 Shortly after the enunciation of that famous principle of American foreign policy now known as the Monroe doc Urine President Monroe in a special message to congress on Jan. 30, 1924, spoke as follows: 1.-The navy is the arm from which our government will al- ways derive most aid in support of our rights. Every power engaged in war will know the strength of our naval power, the number of our ships of each class, their condition, and the prompdtude with which we may bring them into service, and will pay due consideration to that argument"
 l heartily congratulate the congress upon the steady progress in building up the American navy. We cannot afford let-up in this great work. To stand still means to go back. There should be no cessation in adding to the effective units of the fighting strength of the fleet. Meanwhile the navy de- partment and the officers of the navy are doing well their part by providing constant service at sea under eondi- hons akin to those of actual warfare. Our officers and enlisted men are learning to handle the battleships, cruisers and torpedo boats with high