The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-12-15
CITY OF WASHINGTON.

CITY OF WASHINGTON.
The President recommends that the
city be thoroughly cleaned up. 50 that
it be made in fact perfect Amer
ican city, free from contagious and
evil influences.
THE ARMY.
Within the last three yeacs 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 at which 1t is
possible to keep it with due regard TO
its efficiency. The guns now mounted
require twenty-eight thousand men, II
the coast fortifcations are TO be ade-
ouately 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 N
masses, as it is also important that thu
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, maneuVefs in which a
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. az
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-
bors. These mines have been proved to
be a most formidable safeguard against
hostile fleets.
THE NAVY.
The strong arm Of the Government
in enforcing respect for its just rights
in international matters Is the Navy
of the United States. l 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 a people than to keep the
Navy adequate to the needs OF this
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 CEytT.n7 10 the
Western Hemisphere. Unless Our atti'
tude in these and all similar matters
is to be a mere boastful sham we can
not afford to abandon our naval pro-
gramme. Our voice is now potent fol
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.
HoWAIl AND PORTO RICO.
The Alaskan natives should be given
tho right to acquire, hold, and dis
nose NJ property upon the SAME condi
tions as give. other inhabitants; and
the privilege of citizenship should be
given to such as may Gc able to meet
certain definite requirements. In
Hawaii Congress should give the gov.
ernor power to remove all the officials
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 PHILIPPINES.
In the Philippine Islands there has
been during the past year a continua-
tion of the steady progress which has
obtained ever since our troope definite
iy 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 right
to hope stand for progress. At present
IL &ar.<v