Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-12-14

-. - :,
ing an appro5p,riati5h fot a 55hmissIoh
to Study the industrial and CONNER
cial conditions in the Chinese Empire.
and to, report as to the opportunities
for and the OBSTACLES I'd the enlarge.
Ment OF markets in China for the raw
products and manufactures Of the
United States. Action was not taken
thereon during the last session. I
cordially urge that the recommends
tion receive at, your hands tbs con;
sideratieh #hicn. its Importance and
timeiiness merit"
ALASKA:
yhe MESSAGE makes a number Of
suggestions on Alaska, the treat
ment OF the natives and other matters
affecting the welfare of the territor;'.
1t Is also recommended that. Alaska
be given delegate in Congress.
+nk INDIANS.
It is recommended that better treat
ment be accorded these wards of the
nation, and that every encouragement
possible be extended them to become
more industrious ard sslf-a!ipIcrtihg.
CONSULAR SERVICE.
1t is recommended that the consular
service be raised to the highest degrees
OF eficlency b5 Selecting men who are
familiar with trade conditions and
who know something of the language
of the country to which they are ac-
credited.
CITY ee WAsH!NGToh.
The President recommends that. the
city be thoroughly cleaned lp. SO that
it be made IL fact perfect Amer
leah city, free from contagious and
evil influences.
TAE Army.
Within The last three years the
United States has set an example in
disarmament where disarmament was
proper. BY law our Army is. fixed at
a maximum Of nns hatdrsd thousand
shd minimum of sixty thousand men.
When there was insurrection in the
Philippines we kept the army at the
maximum. Peace came in the Philip
pines, and now our Army bas tsen re-
ducea 70 tile minimum at which it is
possible to keep it with due regard to
its efficiency. The guns now mounted
require twenty y-eight thousand men, if
tho coast Notifications arc u be aaG:
quately .iiannsd Relatively to the
Nation. it is not now so large as the
PC -orce of New York or Chicago
relatively to the population Of either
ciey. We need more officers; there are
not enough to perform the regular
army work. 1t is very important that
the officer5 Of the ARMY Should be de-
ctstomed to handle their men in
masses, as it is also important that the
National Guard Of the several States
should be accustomed t5 actual field
mapdIrering. especially iii connection
with the regulars. ~Eor this reason we
are to be congratulate upon the sue
cess Of the field maneuvers at Manas-
sas last fall, maneuvers, in which
larger number Of Regulars and Ma
tional Guard took part thar was ever
before assembled together In time OF
peace. No other civilized nation has,
relatively to its population, such a
dimlnutive Army as ours; and while
the army is SO small we are not to be
excused il we fail to keep it at a very
high grade Of proficiency. 1t must be
.incessar!ly tinns Il III tan dard fnr
the enlisted men should be kept very
high, while at the same time the ser
vice should be made as attractive as
possible; and the standard for the OFF,
GERS should be kept even higher
which. as regards the upper ranks.
can best be done by introducing some
system of selection and rejection into
the promotions. We shall 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 belonging to
any other nation.
Great progress has been made in
protecting our coasts by adequate
Notifications with sufficient guns. We
should, however. pay much more heed
than at present to the development OF
an extensive system Of floating mines
for use in I'll our more important har-
bors. These mines have been proved to
be most formidable safeguard against
hostile fleets.
THE NAVY.
On the subject of the navy Mr.
Roosevelt declares that it is ncces:
sary for us to keep our navy up to
The most effective standard, and
makes number Of recommendations.
THE PHILIPPINES.
The Philippine islands have been
brought by the fortunes Of war under
our control, and VIC must discharge
cur obligations to the inhabitants in
becoming manner. In concluding
this subject the message says:
Every measure taken concerning the
islands should be taken. primarily with
a view to their advantage. We should
cretainly give them lower tariff rates
on their exports to the United States;
if this is not done it will be wrong
to extend our shipping laws to them.
I earnestly hope for the immediate en-
actment into law of the legislation
now pending to encourage American
capital to seek investment in the is
lands in railroads, in factories. in plan
tations, and in numbering and mining.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Dec. 5. 1904.