Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-12-17

proper treatment In foreign lands. we
continue steadily to insist on the appn-
cation of the Monroe doctrine TO the
western hemisphere. Unless our attituue
in these and all similar matters Is 10 pc
a mere boastfu1 sham we can not anoro
to abandon our naval programme Our
voice is now potent for peace, ana Is SO
potent because are not afraid OF war.
But our protestations upon behalf OF
peace would neither receive nor deserve
the slightest attention if we We're i'm
potent to make them good
The Army.
Within the last three years the United
States has set example in disarma-
ment where disarmament was proper.
BY law our army is fixed at a maximum
of hundred thousand and a 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
has been reduced 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. if the coast Notifications are to be
adequately manned. Relatively to the
lice force of New York or Chicago rela-
lively to the population of either city
We need more officers; there are not
enough to perform the regular army
work 1t is very important that the off,
GERS OF the army should be accustomed
to handle their men in masses, as it is
also important that the national guard
of the several states should be accuS-
toned to actual field maneuvering. espe-
cially in connection with the regulars.
For this reason We are to be congrat u-
lated upon the success of the field ma
enuvers at Manassas last fall, maneuvers
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 a d.
minutive army ours; and while the
army is small we are not to be
cused if we fail to keep it at very high
grade of proficiency.
Great progress has been made in pro-
tecting coasts by adequate fortifi-
cations with sufficient guns. We should.
however, pay much more heed than at
present to the development of extern
sive system of floating mines for use in
all our more important harbors- These
mines have been proved to be most for
miGable safeguard against hostile fleets
The Philippines.
In the Philippine islands there has
been during the past year continuation
of the steady progress which has OBJ
tanned ever since troops definitely
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 the
people of the Philippine islands, contain
many elements of good, and some ele-
ments which We have right to hope
stand for progress. At present they
utterly incapable of existing in indie
pendence at all of building up a civ
ilization of their own. I firmly believe
that we can help them to rise higher and
higher in the scale of civilization and
of capacity for self-government, and I
most earnestly hope that in the end they
will be able to stand. if not entirely alone.
yet in some such relation to the United
States as Cuba now stands This end
definitely postponed if people
foolish enough to turn the attention of
the Filipinos away from the problems Of
achieving moral and material prosperity,
of working for a stable, orderly, and just
government, and toward foolish and dan
gerous intrigues for complete independ-
ence for which they yet totally
unfit.
keep steadily before their minds the fact
that the justification for our stay in the
Philippines must ultimately rest chiefly
upon the good able to do in the
Islands. 1 do not overlook the fact that
in the development of our interests in
the Pacific ocean and along its coasts,
the Philippines have played and will play
an important part, and that our interests
have been served in more than one way
by the possession of the islands But
our chief reason for continuing to hold
them must be that ought in good
faith to try to do our share of the
worlds work, and this particular piece
of work has been imposed upon US by
the results of the with Spain. The
problem presented to in the Philip
pine islands is akin to. but not exactly
like, the problems presented to the other
great civilized powers which have pos
sessions in the Orient More distinctly
than any of the powers are endeav-
oring to develop the natives themselves
so that they shall take ever-increas-
ing share in their own government, and
as far is prudent we are already adj
hitting their representatives to a gov
ernmental equality with our own There
are commissioners. judges. and governors
in the islands who Filipinos and who
have exactly the same share in the gov
eminent of the islands have their col
leagues who are Americans, while in the
lower ranks, of course, the great major
ity of the public servants are Filipinos.
Within two years we shall be trying the
experiment of elective lower house in
the Philippine legislature.
Meanwhile our own people should re-
member that there is need for the high
est standard of conduct among the Amer
leans sent to the Philippine islands, not
only among the public servants but
among the private individuals who go
to them. 1t is because I feel this so
deeply that in the administration of these
islands have positively refused to per-
NIT any discrimina ton whatsoever for
political reasons and have insisted that
Grafton should be paid solely to the
worth of the men chosen and to the
needs of the islands There is no high
body of men in our public service
than have in the Philippine islands
under Gov. Wright and his associates
So far possible these should be
given a free hand, and their suggestions
should receive the hearty backing both
of the Executive and of the Congress-
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