Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-07

VIC dttIlCtlNe III tllt enlisted men IN or
der that they may be kept as long as
possible in II. Reservation public schools
should be provided wherever there are
navy-yardS.
The Army.
Within the last three years the United
States has set an example in disa rnla :
ment where disarmament was nroner
BY law our Army is fixed at A maximum
OF one hundred thousand and a minimum
of sixty thousand men. When there was
instruction IN thu Philippines we kept
in the Philippines. and now our Arm,
has been reduced to the minimum a,
rsesra to il it., hefs6le TO keep it With due
mounted require twenty-eight thousand
men, II the coast fortticatiunS are TO be
adequately manned. Relatively to the
noic force Is of net now SO large as tn"
relatively to the population of either city.
We need more officers; there are no.
enough to perform the regular army
GERS OF the Army should be accustomed
TO handle their mer In masses, as i. is
also important that the National Guard
or lhe several states should be accuS-
TONED to actual field maneuverinS. es-
peciaIE IN connection with the regulars
FOR TINS reason We are to be congrat,,-
lated upon the success of the field ma
in which larger number OF Regulars
ard National Guard took par than was
ever telore assembled together in tim.
Oh ieace: No other civilized nation
dlminutlve AImN as ours: ard while thu.
Army is so small We are not TO be eN-
cisrd II We fail to keep il at a very hig.
irahc of proficiency. 1t must be inccs-
sanity practiced: the standard for the
nliS'ed men should be kept very high
ANTE nj ne same time the service should
tn standard for the officers should he
KEPT even higher-whch. as regards the
PIPER ranks, can best be done by intro
lung some som. system of selection and re-
lecflri into the promotions. We should
" able. IN the event oil some sud.lcr
emergency. TO put into the field one first
lass army corrs. which should lie. a. ;.
whole. al least tn" equal of any body or
troops Of like number belonging to any
other nation. =.
Great progress has been made in pro-
ttcting our coasts Ey adequate fortiica-
lions with sufficient guns, We should,
present to the development of an eNter-
sive system of floating mines for use ir
all our more important harlors. Thes
mines have been proved to be q most for
midahle safeguard against hos die fleets.
Medals Of Honor in the Navy.
l earnestly call the attention of the Cen
sress TO the need OF amending the OK
isting Law relating to the award Of Con
sreSSional medals CT honor il, the Navy
so as to provide that they may b.,
warrant officers as well as to enlisted
mon. These justly priced medals are
given in the Army alike In the officers
ana me enlisted men. and it is most mn
Just that the commissioned officers and
warrant officers OF The Navy Should not i'll
this respect have the same rights as their
brethren in the Army and as the enlisted
men of the Navy.
The Philippines.
In the Philippine Islands there has been
during the past year Il continuation OF
the stcaGy progress which has obtained
ever since our troops definitely got the
upper hand Of the insurgents. The
thliippinc people. OF. to speak more accu
ra;ely. the many tribes and even races.
s!indered from one another more or less
sharply: who go to make UP the people O.
the Philippine Islands. contain many e.-
nlentS of good, and some elements which
We nave right to hope stand Tor prog
ress. AT present they arr utterly in
capable OF existing in Independence a
an or OF building up civilization of tnei
Them to rise higher and higher in tn.
scale of civilization and of capacity 10
SSeli-governnent. and ] most earnestl.
stand. il not entirely alone. YET in SOM.
such relation to the Tinted State. as CUT,
now stands. This cEd is ncj yet in sigh
ana it may he indefinitely postponed i.
our people are foolish enough to turn thc
attention of the Filipinos away from the
problems OF achieving n.oIai ana n.s
terial prosperity. of working for {, stable
orderly. and Just government. ana toward
foolish and dangerous intrigu-s for a
complete independence for which trey ar.
Is yet totally unfit
ON the other hand our people must kecli
steadily before their minds the TACT thai
the justification for our stay in III,
Philippines must ultimately rest chiefly
''pcn the good We are able to do in IL,
islands | do not overlook the fact thu,
IN the development Of our interests in tn,
Pacific Ocean and along its coasts. tn
Philippines have played ard will play All
important part. and that our interests
by the possession of the islands. Blu, our
Grief reason for continuing to hold the.
must he that We ought in good ;ai'f: q
and this particular piece OF WORT ha
been imposed upon us by the results o
the war with Spain. The problem pre-
scented to us in the Philippine Islands i
presented to the other great civilized
powers which hav" possessions in the ORR
emit There are points OF resemblance in
our work to the work which is being DON:
ny the British in India and Egypt, by thu
French in Algiers, by the Dutch III Java,
by the Eusslans in Turkestan. by the
Japanese in FOrmosa: but more distinctly
orirg to develop the natives themselves
80 that they shall take an evcr-increas,
!n= share In their own government. ana
as far as is prudent "" are already ad
hitting their representatives to Il GOV
ornamental equality with our own. Thcre
arc commissioners judges. and governors
in the islands who are F'iiipnoS and
who have exactly the same share in the
government of the islands as have their
colleagues who arc Americans. while in
tho lower ranks, Of course. the great
majority Of the public servants 'arc
!ilipinos. Within two wears We shall b.
trying the experiment of an elective lower
house in the Philippine Legislature. 1t
may be that tho Filiptnos will misuse this
Legislature. and they certainly will mis-
use it if they are misl"d by foolish per
sons heTt. at home INTO starting an aGiia-
ton for their own independence or into
any factious or improper action. In such
ease they will do themselves no good and
will stop for the time being all further
efforts to advance them and Civ" them a
greater share in their own government.
Eut If they act with wisdom and self-re
BILE Of clec,ing a legislature which H. Its
efficient part in the actual work nj GOV
eminent. they can rest assured that a fur
and increasing measure Of recognition
will be given them. Above all they should
remember that their prime needs are
moral and Industrial. not political. II is
IL good thing to try the experiment of
giving them q legislatures: hut il is a far
better thing to give them schools. good
roads. railroads which will enable them
TO get their products to arket. honest
courts an honest and efficient consta
huaIr. and all that tends tn produce or
der, peace. fair dealing as between man |
and man. ana habits of intelligent indus !
try and thrift. If they arc safcguarded