The Elbert County tribune., 1904-12-08


In these and all similar matters - g br
a nero bonstfu] sham we can not nR6U
to abandon our naval programme. -.
voice Is now potent for peace. ana - -
But our protestations upon behalf %
peace would neither receive nor dessrrr
the slightest attention II we were in>-
potent to make them good.
The Army.
Within the last three years the Unite"
States has set an example in dfsarufn-
ment where disarmament wns proper
BY law our army Is fixed at n maximum
OF one hundred thousand and minimum
OF sixty thousand men. When there war
insurrection in the Philippines we kep<
the army at the maximum Peace eama
in the Philippines. and now our army
has been reduced to the minimum nj
which IL II possible to keep II with due
regard to It's efficiency. The guns now
mounted require tweuty-eight thoosSno
men. II the coast fortifcations are to be
adequately manned. Relatively 70 the
nation. II Is not now so large as the p"-
lice force OF New York or Chicago rela-
lively to the population OF either cry
We need more oificers; there are not
enough to perform the regular army
work II IA very important that the om-
GERS Of the army should be accustomea
to handle their men in masses. as IL r
also important that the national Eunro
OF the several states should he accus-
toned to actual field maneuvernng. espe-
ciaily in connection with the rcguiare-
For this reason we are to be conSratu-
lated upon the success OF the field ma
enuvers at Manassas last fall. maneuvers'
in which a larger number of regularly
and ntionai guard took part than was
ever before assembled together In time
OF peace. No other civilized nation has
catively to its population. such n d.
minutIve army Ms ours: and while the
army Is so small We are not to be ex-
cused II we fail to keep II ut very high
grade OF proficiency.
Great progress has been made in pro-
tecting our coasts by adequate foft.a-
cations with sufficient guns. We shoutt-
however. pay much more heed than AK
present to the development of an exten-
sivc system OF floating mines for use In
all our more important harbors These
mines have been proved TO be a most for
mdable safeguard ngatnst hostile nccts-
The Philippines.
In the Philippine islands there has
been during the past year continuation
OF the steady progress which has OBJ
tanned ever since our troops definitely
got the upper hand of the Insurgents
The Philippine people. or. to speak more
accurately the many tribes. and even
races sundcred from ono another moro
less sharply, who go to make up the
people OF the Philippine Islands. contain
many elements OF good. and some eie-
ments which have right to hope
stand for progress. At present they arc
utterly incapable Of existing in indr-
pendence at all or OF building up civ
ilization OF their own. 1 firmly believe
that We can help them to rise higher and
higher In the scale OF civilization ana
OF capacity for selfgovcrnment. and
most earnestly hope that In the end they
will be able TO stand. II not entirely alone
yet In some such relation to the United
States as Cuba now stands. This end
Is not yet in sight. and IL may be In
definitely postponed n our people are
foolish enough to turn the attention ot
the Filpinos away from the problems of
achieving moral and material prosperity
OF working for stable. orderly. and jusf
government and toward foolish and dan
gerous intrigues for complete independ-
ence for which they are as yet totally
unfit.
on the other hand our people must
keep steadily before their minds the facx
that the justification for our stay in thc
Philippines must ultimately rest chiefly
upon the good we are able to do in tfse'
islands. do not overlook the fact that
in the development of our interests ia,
the Pacific ocean and along its coasts
the Philippines have played and will play
an important part. and that our interests
have been served in more than one WHY
by the possession Of the islands. Bua
our chief reason for continuing to hold
them must be that we ought In xood
faith to try to do share of The
worlds work. and this particular picce
OF work has been imposed upon us by
the results of the war With Spain Thsr
problem presented to us in the Phrsp-
pine islands Is akin to. but not exac7 "
like. the problems presented to tile otIV
great civilized powers which hnve po<--
sessions in the Orient More distinctly
than any of the powers we are endeax-
oring to develop the natives themselves
so that they shall take an ever-increas-
ing share in their own government ana
as far as Is PRUDENT we are already ss1-
mitting their representatives to q gov
ernmentnl equality with our own There
are commissioners. Judges and governors
In the islands who are Filipinos and who
nave exactly the same share in the goy-
ernment OF the Islands have their cez-
leagues who are Americans while IN M
lower ranks. Of course. the great major
ity OF the pub ic servants are FiIipkptcs-
within two yefrs we shall be trying TIN.
experiment OF hn elective lower ho,,zf, M
the Philippine legislature.
Meanwhile our own people should rr-
member that tnere Is need for the high
est standard o conduct among the Amer
leans sent 10 the Philippine islands nor
only among fhe public servants bur
among the private individuals who a,
to them. NJ is because / feel mi. -
deeply that % the administration ~ 49,
Islands l hsFe positively refused to per.-
nit any discrimination Whatsoever for
political reasons and have Insisted tf.zr
IN, IN choosing tne =. public servants consis-
worth of men chosen and to ss.@
needs OF Islands. There is no hisis-
err body q men in our public ,,srvier
than we I've In the Philippine ISLANDS
under ooI wright and his associates
80 far as possible these men shouI i ha
given III hand. and their suggSI ti<-~ 4
should Iefve the-tearty backingS bse1s
OF the, Efechaoprsnd of the Con,rree.r
There ls need OF a. vigiiant and dis.nter-
estea import OF our public servants fze'
of.1 rf4f
the United States. Unfortunately hither-
70 those o. % our people here at home who