The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-06

Of one hundred thousand and minimum
Of sixty thousand men. When there was
insurrection In the Philippines we kept
the army at the maximum Peace came
In the Philippines. and now our army .-as
been reduced to the minimum at which
IL is possible TO keep IL with due re-
gard to It's efficiency. The guns now
mounted require twenty eight thousand
men. II the coast Notifications are 10 be
adequately manned. Relatively to the
nation. II is not now so large as the police
force OF New York or Chicago, relatively
to the population OF either city. We
need more officers; there are net enough
TO perform the regular army work.
1t is very important that tho officers
of the army should he accustomed to
handle their men I'm masses. as II is also
important that the national guard of the
several states should be accustomed to
actual field manoeuvering, especially in
connection with the regulars. For this
reason we are to be congratulated upon
the success OF the field manoeuvers at
Manassas last fall. manoeuvers In which
a larger number OF regulars and national
guard took part than was ever before
assembled together In time OF peace. No
other civilized nation has, relatively TO
its population. such n diminutive army
as ours. and while the army In so small
we are not To he excused II we fail TO keep
II at a very high grade OF proficiency
II must be necessarily pracuced. the
standard for the enlisted men should be
kept very high, while at the same time
the service should be made as attractive
as possible; and the standard for the
officers 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 promo
tions. We should be able. In tho event
of some sudden emergency. to put into
tho field one first-class army corps. which
should be. as a whole. at least the equal
OF any body os troops OF like number be-
longing to any other nation.
Great progress has been made In pro-
tecting our coasts by adequate fortihca-
tions with sufficient guns We should.
however, pay much more heed than at
present TO the development OF an extern
sive system OF floating mines for use I'm
all our more important harbors These
mines have been proved 10 he a most for
midable safeguard against hostile heets.
MEDALS OF HONOR IN THE NAVY.
earnestly call the attention OF the CON
gress 10 the need OF amending the exist
ing law relating TO the award OF congress
sional medals of honor I'm the navy 80 as
TO provide that they may be awarded TO
commissioned officers and warrant offi-
GERS as we'll as 10 enlisted men. These
Justly priced medals are given In the
army alike to the officers and the enlisted
men, and u is most unjust that the com
missioned officers and warrant officers OF
the navy should not In this respect have
the same right as their brethern in the
army and as the enlisted men Of the navy.
THE PHILIPPINES.
In the Philippine Islands there has been
during the past year continuation OF
the steady progress which has obtained
ever since our troops definitely got the
upper hand OF the insurgents. The Philip
pine people or, 20 speak more accurate
ly, the many tribes. and even races, sun
dered from one another more or less
sharply. who go to make up the people OF
the Philippine Islands. contain many ele-
ments OF good. and some elements which
We have a right 60 hope stand for pro-
gress. At present they are utterly incapa-
hle of existing in Independence at all or
~ building up = civilization ~ their own.
! ARMY believe that We can help them to
rise higher aud higher I'm the scale of
civilization and of capacity for self-eov-
crnmeni, and most earnestly hope that