The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-12-14

selves eur just share in the trade Of the
Orient. We have undertaken to protect
our citizens from Improper treatment In
foreign lands. We continue steadily to in.
sist on the application OF the Monroe doc.
trine TO the Western hemisphere. Unlest
our attitude In these and all similar mat
tiers is TO be a mere boas;ful sham we can
not afford to abandon our naval program
our voice Is now potent for peace, and IL
so potent because we are not afraid OF
The war which now unfortunately RACES
In the FAR East has emphasized In striking
fashion the new possibilities OF naval war
rare. The lessons taught are both strategl
and tactical. and are political as well aN
military. The experiences Of the war have
shown In conclusive fashion that while
sea going and sea-keeping torpedo destroy
ers are indispensable, and fast lightly arm
ed and arinored cruisers very useful, yet
that the main reliance, the main standby.
In any navy worthy the name must be the
great battle ships, heavily armored and
heavily gunned. There viii always be a
large held OF usefulness for cruisers, espe-
cially OF the more formidable type, but
most OF all we need to continue building
our fleet of battle ships, or ships so power
fully armed that they can inflict the maxi
mum OF damage upon our opponents. and so
well protected that they can suffer a Sc
we're hammering In return without fatal
Impairment OF their ability to fight and
maneuyer. Ample means must be pro-
Navy TO be brought to the highest point
Of efficiency. Our great fighting ships and
torpedo boats must be ceaselessly trained
and Unanswered In squadrons.
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 a minimum OF sixty
thousand men. When there was insurrec-
ton In the Philippines we kept the Army
at the maximum. Peace came In the Phil
ippines, and now our Army has heen re-
| Qucpd to the minimum Mt witch ~ &c posSt.
Die TO keep II with due regard to Its ef-
clency' The guns now mounted require
twenty-eight thousand men. IL the coast
fortihcations are to be adequately manned.
We need more officers: there are not enough
TO perform the regular army work. 1t is
very important that the officers Of the
men In masses, as IL Is also important thar
the National Guard of the several States
should be accustomed to actual field man
euvering, especially in connection with the
regulars. For this reason we are to be
congratulated upon the success of the field
maneuvers at Manassas last fall, maneuver
IN Whlch a larger number Of Regulars an{a
National Guard took part than was eve
before together In time OF peace.
No other civilized nation has, relatively TO
It's popuiation;, such a diminntive Army ae
ours; ana while the Army Is so small we
are not to be excused If we fall to keep
II at a very high grade OF proficiency. We
should be able, In the event Of some sud
den emergency, to put into the field one
hrst-class army corps, which should be. as
a whole, at least the equal of any body Of
troops OF like number belonging to any 9TH
er nation.
The Philippine Islands.
In the Philippine Islands there has been
during the past year a continuation of the
steady progress which has obtained ever
since our troops definitely rot the upper
nand OF the insurgents. The Philippine
existing In independence Mt all or OF build
ing up a ciyllization OF their own. / firmly
heIieye that we can help them to rise
higher and higher Ia the scale of civilization
and of capacity for self-government. end
most earnestly hope that In the end they
VIII be able to stand, IL not entirely alone.
yet In some such relation to the United
States as Cuba now stands. This end il
not yet in sight, and it may he indefinitely
postponed If our people are foolish enough
to turn the attention OF the Fiipinos away
from the problems Of achieving moral and
material prosperity. Of working for a sta
bic, orderly, and Just government, and to-
ward foo!lsh ana dangerous intrigues for a
complete independence for which they are
as yet totally unfit.
On the other hand, our people must keep
steadily before their minds the fact that
the Justification for our stay In the phiIip-
pines must ultimately rest chiefly upon the
good we are able to do in the islands. | do
not overlook the fact that In the develop
ment 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 we ought ID
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 re-
suits OF the war with bp2!n. We are en-
deavoring to develop the natives them
selves so that they shall take an ever
increasing share In their own government.
and as far as is prudent we are already adj
hitting their representatives to q govern
mental equality with our OWE. There are
commissioners, judges, and governors In the
Islands who are Filipinos and who have ex-
actly the same share In the government Of
are Americans, while In the lower ranks, Of
course, the great majority Of the public
servants are Filipinos. Within two years
we shall be trying the experiment Of an
elective lower house in the Philippine Leg
~islature. 1t may be that the Filipinos wnl
misuse this Legislature, and they certainly
persons here at home into starting an agi-
tatlon for their own independence or into
any f~actious or improper action. But II
they act with wisdom and self restraint, II
they show that they are capable OF electing
q legislature which In Its turn Is capable
Of taking a sane and efficient part In the
actual work OF government, they can rest
assured that q foil and increasing meas
ure Of recognition will be given them.
Above all they should remember that their
prime needs are moral and Industrial, not
political. 1t Is a good thing to try the ex-
pertinent Of giving them a legislature; but
It is a far better thing to give them schools.
good roads, railroads which will enable
them to get their products to market, hon
est courts, an honest and efficient constabu-
larry, and all tnat tends to produce order,
peace, fair dealing as between man and
man, a.d habits OF intelligent industry and
thrift.
Meanwhile our own people should remem-
Der that there is need for the highest gtand-
ard Of conduct among the Americans sent
to the Philippine Islands, not only among
the pubic servants but among the private
individuals who go to them. 1t Is because
/ feel this SO deeply that in the admins
tration Of these Islands / have positively
refused to permit any discrimination what
soeyer for political reasons and have In
sisted that In choosing the public servants
consideration should be paid solely to the
worth of the men chosen and to the needs
Of the islands. There is no higher body OF