Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-12-09
The ARMY.

The 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
q. maximum of one hundred thousand
and minimum of sixty thousand men.
When there was instruction in the
Philippines we kept the army at the
maximum. Peace came in the Philip
pines, and now our Army has been re-
duced to the minimum at which it is
possible to keep it with due regard to
its efficiency. The guns now mounted
require twenty-eight thousand men, IL
the coast Notifications are to be ade-
quately manned Relatively to the
Nation, 1t is not now so large as the
police force 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 officers of the Army should be &C
customed to handle their men in
masses, as it is also important that the
National Guard of the several States
should be accustomed to actual field
with the regulars. For this reason we
are to be congratulated 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 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 is so small we are not to be
excused If we fail to keep it at very
high grade of proficiency. 1t 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 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 ell 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 neces-
sary for us to keep our navy up to
the most effective standard, and
makes a number Of recommendations.
THE PPlNES.
The Philippine Islands have been.
brought by the fortunes of war under
our control, and we must discharge
our obligations to the inhabitants in
a becoming manner. In concluding
this subject the message says:
Every measure taken concerning the
islands should be taken primarily with
q view. to their advantage. We should
cretain1y give them lower tariff rates
on their exports to the United States;
If this is not done it will be a wrong
to extend our shipping laws to them.
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 plar.-
tations, and in numbering and mining.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Dec. 5. 1904.