The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-12-08


[ he made Il fset perfect Amer
evii inGucncee.
THE ARMY.
Within the last three years The
[ fnited States has st an example IN
disarmament where dlGArmAEnsnt Mas
proper. BY Law car Army IL G.ed ~
! maximum of one hundred thousand
and Il minimum Of sixty thosEssad men
When there vas lnsurrestion in the
Nc kept the army ai the
maximum. Peace came in the PHILIP
pines, AMI n0g our Army has been re-
duce4 10 the minimum at which IL is
possible 20 keep IL sith due regard 10
its efficiency. The guns now mounted
require twenty-eight thousand men. II
the coast Notifications are In ne ade-
quatcly manned Relatively 10 the
Nation. IL il NOT now 50 large az the
police force q. New York or Chicago
relatively 10 the population os either
ciey. We need more officers. there are
not enough To perform the regular
army work II IL very important that
the officers OF the Army should be ac-
eustCmed to handle their men In
masses. as IL Is also important that the
National Guard Of the several States
should be accustomed To actual field
maneuvering. especially in connection
with the regulars. For this reason We
are to lie congratulated upon the sue
cess Of the field maneuYers AT Manas-
sas last fall. maneuyers in which
larger number cf Regulars and Ma
tional Guard took part than was ever
before assembled together in time OF
peace. No other civilized nation has,
relatively to its population, such
diminutive Army as ours. and while
the army il 81 nall We are not 10 ue
excused If we fail 10 keep Il AT very
high grade OF proficiency. Ii must be
necessarily practiced: the standard for
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 f0T the ofh-
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 shcGld 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 all our more important har-
b0rs. These mines have been proved to
be q most formidable safeguard against
hostile fleets.
THE NAVY.
The strong arm of the Government
IL. enforcing respect for its just rights
! IL: international matters is the Navy
| of the United States | most earnest
| ly recommend that there be no halt II
| the work OF upbuilding the American
Navy There is no more patriotic duty
| before US as people than to keep the
| Navy adequate to the needs OF TINS
| countrys position. We have undertak
en- to build the Isthmian Canal. VIZ
have undertaken to secure for our
selves our just share In the trade o.
| the Orient. We have undertaken II
protect our citizens from improper
treatment in foreign lands. We con
tnue steadily to insist on the applica
ton of the Monroe Doctrine to th'
Western Hemisphere. Unless our atti
tude in these and all similar matter
is to be a mere bOastful sham we ca!
not afford to abandon our naval pro
gramme. Our voice is now potent 10
peace. and it is SO potent because w
are not afraid of war. But our protes
tations upon behalf Of peace woul
neither receive nor deserve the slight
est attention If we were impotent I
make them good.
HOWAIl AND PORTO RICO.
The Alaskan natives should be give
the right to acquire, hold, and di!
pose of property upon the same cond
tions as given other inhabitants; an
the privilege OF citizenship should b
given to such as may be able to NEE
certain definite requirements.
Hawaii Congress should give the go
error power to remove all the ofhcia
appointed under him. The harbor
Honolulu should be dredged. The Nj
rine Hospital Service should be en-
powered to study leprosy in the island
| ask special consideration for the r
port and recommendations Of the go
ernor of Porto Rico.
THE PHILIPPINES.
In the Philippine Islands there hi
been during the past year continu
ton of the steady progress which hi
obtained ever since our troope definlt
ly got the upper hand OF the insurgent
The Philippine people, or. to spea
.. more accurately. the many tribes, al
even races. sundered from one anoth
more Or less sharply. who go to NAL
up people OF the Philippine Island
, contain many elements Of good, al
some elements which we have rig
to hope stand for progress. At prese
. they are utterly incapable OF existtl
. In independence at ali or o. buildil
; up q civilization OF their own. ! firm
believe that we can help them to RI
higher and higher in the scale OF civi
: zation and of capacity for self-gover
!, ment. and | most earnestly hope tn
: in the end they will be able TO stan
;. if not entirely alone, yet in some su
:, relation to the United States as Gu
. now stands. This end is not yet
u sight. and it may be indefinitely po:
poned if our people are foolish enou
. to turn the attention OF the Filipin
away from the problem of achievi
+ moral and material prosperity. or wor
: ing for stable, orderly. and just &c
. ernment. and toward foolish and da
!; gerous irtrigues for complete inc
a pendence for which they are as !
Every measure taken concerning t
islands should be taken primarily wi
a view TO their advantage. We shot
70 cretainly give them lower tariff raj
It | on their exports to the United State