Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-08
Who are contente.i WITH system OF pro

motion by mere seniority are those who
are scontented with the triumph Of me-
iiioerity over excellence. On The other
hind. Il system which encouraged the
exercise of social or political fayorit-
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
er officers of the service Upon the can
didates should be decisive upon the
standing and promotion of the latter.
Just such Il system now obtains at
West Point. The quality of each years
work determines the standing of that
years clnss. the man being dropped or
graduated into The next class in the
relative position which his military SUI
perinrs decide to he warranted by his
merit. In other words. ability, energy,
fidelity and all other similar qualities
determine Inc rank of a man year aft
or 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
werst, and reward or punish him ac-
e0rdinSly. is abandoned. No brllian-
cy. no amolint of hard work, no eager
i ness iii th,' performance of duty, can
nuInllce him. and no slackness or in
difference TINT falls short of a court
martial ohfensc can retard him. Until
ttliis system is changed we cannot hope
thIt cIr. officers will be of as high
grade as we have right to- expect
considering the material upon which
I. .dra wAi3Moreovcr, when man rau-
8 dars such service as Captain Pershina
rendered, last spring In the Moro cam
paign'it ought to be possible to reward
him without},at once jumping him 10
the grade of brlgadier general
The Navy.
Shortly after the enunciation of that
famous principle of American foreign
policy now Known as the Monroe doc
trine President Monroe in a special
message to congress on Jan. 80, 1924,
spoke as follows: The navy is the arm
1EOm 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
Drpmptitude with which we may bring
them into service, and will pay due
considera ton to that argument"
heartily congratulate the congress
upon the, steady progress in building
up the American navy. We cannot
afford let-np 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 feet, Meanwhile the navy de-
! partnent and the officers of the navy
ai.e doing Well their part by providing
Constant service at sea under condi-
tions akin to those Of actual warfare.
Our officers and enlisted men are
learning to handle the battleshps,
cruisers and torpedo boats with high
ehciency in fleet and squadron forma-
tons, and the Standard OF marksman-
ship is being steadily raised. The best
work ashore is Indispensable, but the
higIest duty of naval officer is to ex-
erc'5e command at sea.
The establishment of naval base in
the Philippines ought not to be longer
postponed. Such base is desirable in
tmeSof pence; In time of war it would
be Indispensable and its lack would be
Fuinous.s Without it our fleet would be
helpless. cur naval experts are agreed
that Subig bay is the proper place for
the purpose, The national interests re-
!. luire that the work of fortificati ton and
I development of naval station at Su-
DIG baylhe begun at an early date, for
.UHaeF cthe best conditions 1t is work
/ which Will consume much time.
Itvis eminently desirable, however,
That there should be provided naval
general staff on lines similar to those
OF the general staff lately created for
the army, Within the navy depart
paent itself the needs Of the service
have brought about system under
which the duties of general staff are
partially performed, for the bureau Of
navigation has under its direction the
/. war college. the Office Of naval intelli-
renee and the board of inspection and
has been in close touch with the gen
eral board of the navy. But though
under the excellent officers at their
head these boards and bureaus do good
work they have not the authority of a
general staff and have not sufficient
scope to insure a proper readiness for
emergencies. We need the establish
/ nept by law Of body of trained Off
GERS who shall exercise systematic
control Of the military affairs of the
navy and be authorized advisers of the
secretary concerning it.
lsthmian Canal.
BY the act of June o. 1902, the con-
gress authorized the president to enter
into treaty with Colombia for the
building of the canal across the 18TH
mus OF Panama. 1t being provided that
in the event of failure to secure such
treaty after. the lapse of reasonable
time recourse should be had to building
canal through Nicaragua. 1t has not
been necessary to consider this alter
native, as am enabled to lay before
the senate a treaty providing for the
building OF the canal across the 18TH