The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-12-08

The President recommends that the
city be thoroughly cleaned up, so that
| it be made in fact perfect Amer
ican city. free from contagious and
evil influences.
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
a maximum 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 Philip
pines. and now our Army has been re-
! duced to the minimum atxwhich it is
possible to keep it with due regard to
it's efficiency. The guns now mounted
require twenty-eight thousand men. II
| the coast fortifications are to be ade-
quately manned. Relatively to the
Nation, it is not now so large as the
police force OF New York or Chicago
relatively to the population Of either
ciey. We need more officeIs: there are
not enough to perform the regular
army work. 1t issWery important that
the officers OF the Army should be ac-
custcmed to handle their men in
masses, as ii 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 be congratulated upon the sue
cess of the field maneuvers at Manas-
sas last fall, maneuvers in which
larger number of Regulars and Ma
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
incessantly praeticed: the standard for
the enlisted men should be kept very
| high. while at the same time the ser
vice should he made as attractive as
possible; and the standard for the ofd-
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 <frst-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.
The strong arm of the Government
in enforcing respect for it's just rights
in international matters Is the Navy
OF the United States. most earnest
ly recommend that there be no halt in
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
country's position. We have undertak-
en- to build the Isthmian Canal. We
have undertaken to secure for our
selves our just share in the trade OF
the Orient. We have undertaken to
protect our citizens from improper
treatment in foreign lands. We con-
tinue steadily to insist on the applica-
ton of the Monroe Doctrine to the
Western Hemisphere. Unless our atti-
tnde in these and all similar matters
is to be mere boastful sham we can
rot afford to abandon our naval pro-
gramme. Our voice is now potent for
peace. and it is so potent because We
are not afraid Of war. But our protes-
tations upon behalf of peace would
neither receive nor deserve the slight
est attention if we were impotent to
make them good.
HowAii AND PORTO RICO.
The Alaskan natives should be given
the right to acquire. hold, and dis-
pose of property upon the same condi-
tions as given other inhabitants; and
the privilege of citizenship should be
given to such as may be able to meet
certain definite requirements. In
Hawaii Congress should give the gov
ernor power to remove all the otdclalS
appointed under him. The harbor OF
Honolulu should be dredged. The Ma
rine Hospital Service should be en-
powered to study leprosy in the islands.
ask special consideration for the re.
port and recommendations Of the gov
ernor Of Porto Rico.
THE PHiLf PPiNES.
In the Philippine Islands there has
been during the past year continual
ton OF the steady progress which has
obtained ever since our troope definite
ly got the upper hand Of the insurgents.
The Philippine people. or, to speak
more accurately. the many tribes, and
even races. sundered from one another
more or less sharply, who go to make
up people OF the Philippine Islands.
contain many elements Of good. and
some elements which we have a right
to hope stand for progress. At present
they are utterly incapable of existing
in independence at all or Of building
nm civilization of their own | firmly