Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-05
Presidents Message
CONTINUED from page 5.

over 4b per cent. TO the governmen
Tor running expenses and putting III
other So per cent, into a safe dep0sI
tary for the equitable division In cas-,
the treaty shall be ratified, among IN,
various creditors. whether European
or American
The custom. houses offer well.nigl
the only sources OF revenue In SAINT,
Domingo. and the different revolution
unually have as their real aim the oh
tanning possession OF these custom
houses, The mere fact that the col
lectors Of customs are Americans
that they are performing their dutie.
with efficiency and honesty. and tina
the treaty IL pending In the senate
gives a certain moral power 10 tn,
government OF Santo Domingo which
II has not had before. This has com
pletely discouraged all revolutionary
movement, while II has already pro
duced such an Increase In the reve
nues that the government Is actually
getting more from the 45 per cent
that the American collectors turn over
TO II than Il got formerly when II
took the entire revenue II IL enab.
ling the poor harrassed people Of
Santo Domingo once more to turn
their attention TO industry and TO be
free from the curse of interminable
revolutionary disturbance, II offers to
all bona fde creditors. American and
European, the only really good chance
to obtain that to which they are just.
ly entitled. while It In return gives
to Santo Domingo the only opportuni
ty OF defense against claims which, II
ought not TO pay, for now II 1t meets
the views Of the Senate we shall our
selves thoroughly examine all these
claims, whether American or foreign
and see that none that are improper
are paid. There Is, Of course. opposi-
ton to the treaty from dishonest cred
itors, foreign and American, and from
the professional revolntionists OF the
island itself. We have already reason
to n"ileve that some OF the creditors
who do not dare expose their claims
10 hor EST scrutiny are endeavoring to
stir up sedition In the island and oppo-
sition to the treaty. In the meantime
have exercised the authority vested
in me by the joint resolution Of the
congress to prevent the Introduction OF
arms into the island for revolutionary
purposes.
Under the course taken, stability
and order, and all the benefits OF peace
are at last coming to Santo Domingo,
danger OF foreign Intervention has
been suspended. and there is at last
a prospect that all creditors will get
Justice, no more and no less. II the
arrangement is terminated by the fail
OF the treaty chaos will follow: and II
chaos follows, so0ner or later this gov
eminent may be involved In serious
difficulties with foreign governments
over the island, or else may be forced
itself to intervene 10 the island in
some unpleasant fashion. Under the
proposed treaty the independence Of
the island Is scrupulously respected,
the danger Of violation OF the Monroe
doctrine by the Intervention Of for
eign powers vanishes, and the inter
ference Of u government Is mint
mized. so that we shall only act In
cojunction with the Santo Domingo
authorities to secure the proper ad
ministration OF the customs, and there
fore to secure the payment Of Just
debts and to secure the Dominican
government AGAINST demands for I'M
inst debts. The PROPOSED method Will
give the people Of Santo Domingo tho
same chance to move onward and w
ward which we have already giyer
to the people II Cuba. It will be
doubly to our discredit as a nation
II we fall to take advantage OF this
chance; for 1t will be Of damage to
ourselves. and 1t will be Of incalcula
BILE damage to Santo Domingo. Every
consideration OF wise policy. and
above all, every consideration Of large
generosity, bid us meet the request
OF Santo Domingo as we are now try.
ing to meet II.
Army and Navy.
We cannot consider the question Of
our foreign policy without at tina same
time treating OF the army ana the
navy. We now have. a yerv small
army-indeed. one well-nigh iEfnitesi
NAL when compared with the army Of
any other large nation. or course the
frmy we do have should be az near
" perfect a Its kind and for its size
as possible. I do not believe that
any army In the world has a better
average OF enlisted mar OF a better
type OF junior office; but the army
should be trained to act effectively In
a mass. Provision should be made by
sufficient appropriations for manJeu.
vers Of a practical kind SO that the
troops may learn to take care Of them
selves under actual service conditions:
every march, for instance. being made
with the soldier loaded exactly as he
would be In an active campaign. Tho
generals and colonies wou'l thereby
have opportunity OF handling rcgf.
ments. prigades and divisions. and the
commissary and medical departments
would be tested in the fell. Provision
should be made for the exercise at
least of a brigade and by preference
Of a division in marching AMI embark.
Ing at SOME point on 4 cSls; AMI
d~isembarking at some po'Et and con
tinuing It's march. The number o.
posts In which the army Is kept In
time OF peace should be wateiiail, di.
minished and the posts that are left
made correspondence larger. No 10
cal interests should be allowed to
stand In the way Of assembling The
greater part Of the troops which
would at need form our field armies
In stations Of such size as Will per
nit the best training to be given 10
the personnel Of all grades. including
the high officers and stan officers. To
accomplish this end we must have not
company or regimental garrisons. but
brigade and division garrisons. Pro