The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-12-10

vv4tSs.~-< - IL !. - ~ = TILL IN 9Df0dQ |.
49, , rsEsse p thetr creed o. race:
!, 1us ressN = whether they wers
tnrsssh Russian tsrritry. i s
wrens against which We IN .,tt.,.,3 {.
prosest to rsfuse him his r..sno.t
Wlsnsut regard to his conduct nd chsr
scter, merely On ndal ana ro,iS Sils. /
gAs Navy.
- ne strong arm OF the poyernmo., /
~ enforcing respect for its iuat ,,cbts |
- International matters is the navy of /
ene United States, most sornsstIy
Ireeoi'iinend that there be no halt IN the
work OF upbuilding the American navv
We nave undertaken to build the istb
mlsn canal. We have undertaken ~
secure Tor ourselves our just share IL
.ne treoe OF the orient We have mn.
ue''aken TO protect our citizens from
improper treatment in foreign lands
we continue steadily to insist on tho
application OF the Monroe doctrine u
1ns western hemisphere. Unless our
xtutuce In these and all similar mnt.
tsrs IL to be q mere boastfu! sham 10
cknnot afford to abandon our nav.
programme. Our voice Is now potant
Tor peace and Is 30 potent becnvsa ~
are not afraid Of war. But our prot
ertations upon behalf Of peace would
neither receive nor deserve the sI,oht.
est attention II we were impotent To
make them pood
The Army.
Within the last three years the Unit.
cd States has set an example IN dis
armament where disarmament was
proper. BY law our army is fixed at
a maximum of 100000 and a minimum
OF $4,000 mon. When there was insur-
rection in the Philippines we kept the
army at the maximum Peace came in
the Philippines, and now our army
has been reduced to the minimum al
which 1t is possible to keep 1t with due
regard to It's efficiency. We should be
able, In the event Of some sudden
emergency, to put into the field one
first class army corps, which should be.
as whole, at least the equal Of any
body Of troops of like number belong
ing to any other nation.
Great progress has been made In pro
tecting our coasts by adequate fortif-
cations with sufficient guns. We
should, however, pay much more heed
than at present to the development d
an extensive system Of floating mines
for use in all our more important har
born These mines have been proved
to be most formidable safeguart
against hostile fleets
The Philippines.
| In the Philippine Islands there hal
been during the past year continue
ton of the steady progress which hal
obtained ever since our troops definite
Il ly got the upper hand Of the insur
j gents. The Philippine people, or, t
speak more accurately, the man.
tribes and even races sundered iron
one another more or less sharply VIII
go to make up the people Of the PhiliI
: pine Islands, contain many element
Of good, and some elements which W
have right to hope stand for pros
ress. At present they are utterly IL
, capable of existing in independence a
all or of building up civilization o
1 their own. | firmly believe that W
can help them to rise higher and higf
er In the scale of civilization and 0
capacity for self government and
most earnestly hope that in the en-
they will be able to stand, II not Ell
tirely alone, yet in some such relatio
to the United States as Cuba nov
stands. This end is not yet In sigh
and 1t may be indefinitely postpone
.. If our people are foolish enough to tur
the attention of the Filipinos ava
from the problems of achieving morf
and material prosperity, OF workln
for a stable, orderly and just govern
: ment, and toward foolish and danger
: GUS intrigues for complete lndepent
ence for which they are as vet total
: unfit.
On the other hand, our people mus
o keep steadily before their minds Cd
y fact that the justification for our sta
8 in the Philippines must ultimately res
g chiefly upon the good we are able
s do in the islands. I do not overloo
! the fact that in the development OF OF
r interests in the Pacific ocean an
Q along its coasts the Philippines nav
t PLAYED and will play an important pa
It and that our interests have been ser
It cd in more than one way by the pc
e session of the islands. But our emu
l. reason for continuing to hold tnel
!. must be that we ought In good ial'
l. to try TO do our share OF the world
It work. and this particular piece OF wol
n has been imposed upon us by tne :
e sults of the war with Spain. we a.
It endeavoring TO develop the nauV'
b themselves SO that they shall Jake
% ever increasing share In their own 20
,e eminent. and, as far as IL prudent "
d are already admitting their represent
e. tiyes TO a governmental eqnality WI
D. our own. There are commissioner
Judges and governors 10 the is'n r'
!, who are FiIiDinos and who base snn !,
" ~ me same share 10 the goyerpms
40 - she islands as have their colleasu
I" " 49, ..rl,fIo ia The low