Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-12-05

surance OF TINS government that IL would
itself strive to help Santo Domingo In
her hour Of need. an the case OF one OF
these nations only the actual opening of
negotiations to this end by our govern
ment prevented the seizure OF territory
Ina Santo Domingo by q European power.
Ot the debts incurred some we're just,
MhiIS some were not Of a character
proper Tor, Santo Domingo to pay them
In fun. But she could not pay any OF
them unless some stability was assured
her government and people.
Accordingly the executive department
OF our government negotiated n treaty
under which We are to try to help the
finances. This treaty Is pending before
the senate. In the meantime a tempo
rary arrangement has been made which
will last until the senate has had time
to take action upon the treaty. Under
this arrangement the Dominican govern
ment has appointed Americans to all the
important positions in the customs ser
vice. and they are seeing to the honest
collection of the revenues, turning oveV
ninpg t, etnanse 70 s.nnSS s~oHernneh TOT run
per cent into a safe depositary for eqult-
able. division In case the treaty shall BE-
ratified, among the various creditors.
whether European or American.
Course Already Helpful.
The custom houses offer well nigh the
only sources OF revenue in Santo Domln-
60, and the different revolutions usually
have as their real aim the obtaining pos
session OF these custom houses. The
mere fact that the collectors Of customs
are Americans, that they are performing
their duties with eficiency and honesty,
and that the treaty Is pending in the
senate gives a certain moral power to
the government OF Santo Domingo which
1t has not had before. h has com
pletely discouraged all revolutionary
movements. while Il has already pro-
duced such an increase in the venue
that the government is actually getting
more from the a. per cent that the
American collectors turn over to Il than
IL got formerly when Il took the entire
lrevenue, II Is enabling the poor harass-
ed people of Santo Domingo once more
to turn their attention to industry and
70 be free from the curse of intermlna-
BILE revolutionary disturbance. IL offers
to all bona nde creditors, American and
European. the only really good chance to
obtain that to which they are justly en-
titled, while II in return gives 20 Santo
Domingo the only opportunity of defense
against claims which IL ought not to
the senate we shall ourselves thoroughly
examine all these claims, whether Amer
lean or foreign, and see that none thar
are improper are paid. There II. OF
course, opposition 20 the treaty from
dishonest creditors, foreign and Ameri-
can, and from the professional revolu-
tionists of the island itself. We have al
ready reason to believe that some OF the
creditors who do not dare expose their
claims to honest scrutiny are endeavor-
ing to stir up sedition in the island and
opposition to the treaty. In the mean
time / have exercised the authority vest
ed in me by the Joint resolution OF the
congress to prevent the ~introductio 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, dan
ger Of foreign intervention has been sus-
pended 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 failure OF the treaty
chaos will follow; and If chaos follows.
gnnnnF nF later thlo OnNARnHnAn4 HNnV n
Involved in serious difficulties with for
eign governments over the island, or else
may be forced itself to intervene In the
island In some unpleasant fashion. I'm
der the proposed treaty the independence
of the island is scrupulously respected.
the danger of violation of the Monroe
Doctrine by the Intervention of foreign
powers vanishes, and the interference OF
our government is minimized, so that VIC
shall only act In conjunction with ne
proper administration of the customs.
and therefore to secure the paymen OF
Just debts and 70 secure the dominican
government against demands for unjust
debts. The proposed .method Will give
the people of Santo Domingo the same
eh h,nS TO move onTar S,vs snd The " ppsnnIe
of Cuba. II will be doubly to our dis
credit as q nation If we fail to take adj
damase to ourselves, and II will be OF
incalculable damage to Santo Domingo:
Every consideration Of wise policy, and
above all, every ConHidefatlOn OF iafBr
generosity, bids us meet the request of
Santo Domingo as we are now trying 10
meet IL,
The Army and Navy.
We cannot consider the question of our
foreign policy without at the same time
treating of the army and the navy. We
now have a very small army-iHdeed,
one well nigh infinitesimal when compai,
ed with the army OF any other large
nation. OF COURSE the army we do have
should be as nearly perfect of Its ~
and for its size as is possible. l do not
believe that any army in the world mas
a better average of enlisted man or a
better type of junior officer, but the
army should be trained to act effectively
oy sufficient appropriations for maneu-
yers of a practical kind so hat the
troops may learn how TO take care OF
themselves under actual service condi-
tlons; every march, for instance, being
made with the soldier loaded exactly as
he would be in an active campaign. The
generals and colonels would thereby have
opportunity of handling regiments, bril-
sades and divisions, and the commtssary
and medical departments would be test
ed in the field. Provision should be made
for the exercise at least of a brigade and
Jy preference of a division In marching
and embarking at some point on our
coast and disembarking at some other
point and continuing its march. The
number OF posts In which the army "
Kept In time of peace should be mater
Tally diminished and the posts that are
left made cOrrespondtngly larger. No
local 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 I'm stations OF such
size as will permit the best training to
be given to the personnel of all grades.
including the high officers and stan Off
GERS. I'd accomplish this end We must
have not company or regtmental garrt-
sons. but brigade and division g~arriSons.
Promotion by mere seniority can never
'esuft i'm "A thoroughly efficient corps OF
officers In the higher ranks unless there
accompanies IL a vigorous weeding-out
process. Such a w~eeding-out process
that Is, such a process of selection-ls 4
chief feature OF the -four years course
Of the young officers at West Point.
There Is no good reason why IL should
While at West Point he Is dropped un-
less he comes up to "A certain STANDARD
Of excellence. and when he graduates he
takes rank In the army according 20 his
good at West Point; and there should De
in the army Itself something that will
achieve the same end. After a certain
age has been reached the average officer
Is unfit TO do good work below d certain
grade. Provision should be made for the
promotion of exceptionally meritorious
men over the heads OF their comrades
and for the retirement of all men VII"
have reached a given age without get
ting beyond a given rank; this age OF
retirement of course changing from rank
TO rank. In both the army ana navy
there should he some principle OF selec-
there should be "A resolute EFFORT TO elm
mate the aged officers of reputable char
acter who possess no special efficiency.
Army Medical Department.
There should be an Increase Ia the
coast artillery force, so that our coast
quataly manned. There is special need
for an increase and reorganization Of