The Caldwell tribune., 1905-12-09

- made which Will 4asti untll Ihe senate
been sed time to take action upon the
hs Under this arrangement the Domini-
teASa Satovernment has appointed Americans ia
car ~ important positions In the customs
Z " aaas.vice, and they are seeing 70 the honest
colieet m the government for running ex-
PEI and putting the other 90 per cent into
pensfa depositary for equitable division in
Nc treaty shall be ratified, among the
various creu'
Amsa cnstom-hou houses offer well nigh the only
css ~ of revenue In Santo Domingo, and
aopt' 'SITarent revolutions usually have as
tae real aim the obtaining possession of
taen custom houses. The more fact that,
W collectors Of customs are Americans.
.sot they performing their duties with
taas, taass,oncy and honesty and that the treaty
9 landing in the Senate, gives a; certain
y orrsi power to the government OF Santa
msasingo which 1t has not had before. This
~ Completely discouraged all revolution
has ooovement, while 1t has already produced
\ ~ IN an increase In the revenues that the
seysrnment Is actually getting more from
3 e. Ak per cent that the American collectors
.rn over to 1t than II got formerly when
.oak the entire revenue. 1t Is enabling
noor harassed people of Santo Domingo
srca more to turn their attention to industry
nj to be free from the, curse Of inter-
stneble revolutionary disturbance. 1t offers
!. ali bona fde creditors, American and
T,ronean, the only really good chance ta
SraIn that to which they are justly entitled,
In return gives 10 SAnI0 domingo
ths only opportunity of defense against
istms which 1t ought not to pay, for now
n IL meets the views of the Senate we
shali ourselves thoroughly examine all these
Claims whether American or foreign, and
sse that none that are improper paid.
Tbore is of course, opposition to the treaty
from dishonest creditors, foreign and Amer
tran, and from the professional revolution
Its of the island itself. We have already
raason to believe that some OF the creditors
Who do not dare expose their claims to
. honest scrutiny are endeaVoring to stir up
sedition in the island and opposition to the
treaty In the meantime 1 have exercised
The authority vested in me by the joint reso-
jution of the Congress to prevent the intro
auction Of arms into the island for revo-
Iutionary purposes.
Under the course taken, stability and order
and all the benefits of peace are at last COM
ipg to Santo Domingo, danger OF foreign inter-
ventlon has been suspended. and there Is at
last prospect that all creditors will get
Justice no and no less. If the arrange
ment is terminated by the failure of the
treaty. chaos will follow, and If chaos follows,
sooner or later this Government may be in
yoyed in serious difficulties with foreign gov
ernments over the island, else may be
forced itself to intervene in the island in
ea,e unpleasant fashion. Under the proposed
H.ty the independence of the island is
ecrupulously respected, the danger of viola
ton of the Monroe doctrine by the interven.
tion of foreign powers vanishes and the in
reference OF our Government Is minimized.
80 that shall only act In conjunction with
the Santo Domingo authorities to secure the
proper administration of the customs. and
therefore to secure the payment Of just debts
and to the Dominican government
against demands for unjust debts. The pro-
posed method will give the people of Santo
Domingo the same chance to move onward and
upward which have already given to the
people of Cuba. 1t will be douby to our
discredit a Nation If We fail to take ad-
vantage of this chance; for it will be of DAM
age to ourselves and it will be of incalculable
damage to Santo Domingo. Every considera
tion of wise policy, and above ALL every
consideration of large generosity. bids us
meet the request of Santo Domingo are
now tryirS to meet 1t.
Army and Navy.
We cannot consider the question of our for.
eign policy without at the same time treating
Of the Army and the Navy. We now have 9
very small Army-indeed one well-nIgh in
any other large nation. OF course, the Army
We do have should be as nearly perfect Of its
kind and for It's size as is possible. I do no
believe that any army In the world has
better average of enlisted man or a bette
eype of junior officer; but the Army should b.
trained to act effectively in O mass. Provie
ion should be made by sufficient apprcpria
tions for maneuVers of a practical kind 81
that the troops may learn how to take care o.
themselves under actual service conditions
every march, for instance, being made with
the soldier loaded exactly as he would be IL
en- active campaign. The Generals and Colo
nels would thereby have opportunity OF hand
ilHE regiments DflRaue9 ana divisions an
the commissary and medical department
would be tested In the field. Provision SHOULD
De made for the exercise at least Of bri
gade and by preference CT division in march
ing and embarking at point ou
coast and disembarking at some other poin
and continuing its march. The number o
posts in which the Army is kept in time o
peace should be materially diminished an
the posts that left made correspondence
larger. No local interests should be allowe
10 stand In the way of assembling the create
part OF the troops which would at need form
our field armies in stations OF such size a
Will permit the best training to be given t
the personnel of all grades, including the hig
officers and staff officers. To accomplish thi
end we must have not company or regiments
garrieons but brigade and division garrisons
promotion by mere seniority can never resu
In thoroughly efficient corps of officers /
the higher ranks unless there accompanies
vigorous weeding-out process. Such weed
ing-out process-that Is such a process
selection-hs chief feature of the four year:
course OF the young officer at West Poin
There is no good reason why it should sto
Immediately upon his graduation. While &
west Point he is dropped unless he comes
10 certain standard Of excellence, and whe
ne graduates he takes rank in the Army a.
corolng to his rank of graduation. The r.
suits are good at West Point; and there shou
De oe,,I IN the Army itself something that wi
aehieve the same end. After a certain a.
mas been reached the average officer is uni
TO do good work below a certain grade Pr
VISION should be made for the promotion
oi their comrades and for the retirement
all men who have reached a given age witho
eetting beyond given rank; this age
Ietfement of course changing from rank
rank In both the Army and the Navy the
shoud be some principle of selection. tn
ID OF promotion for merit, and there should
resohite effort to eliminate the aged office
OF reputable character who possess no speci
efficiency.
Our Navy must, relatively to the navies
Sther nations. always be of greater size thf
our Army. We have most wisely continu
ior number OF years to build up our Nav
ana 1t has now reached fairly high standa
q of efficiency. This standard of efficiency mu
not only be maintained, but increased.
uoes not seem to me necessary, however, tn
sne M Navy shouldn't least in the immedia
tuture-be increased beyond the present nuE
per Of unite What Is now clearly necessa
rs TO substitute efficient for inefficient uni
eS the latter become worn out or as 1t
comes apparent that they useless Pro
aoN the result would be attained by adding
single battle-ship to Navy each year,
superseded or outworn vessels being laid
r broken up as they are thus replaced. 7
p aGur SlngIe-turren monitors built immediate
alter the close Of the Spanish war. for
II!tahce' are vessels which would be of
m'tIc use in the event of war. The none
spvht unon them could have been more us
ttuHF spent in other ways. Thus 1t would ha
seH Iar better never to have built sln'
She OF these monitors and to have put
money into an ample supply of reserve gul
th ost OF the emaller cruisers and Runboa
tSSoush they serve a useful purpose so far
sney are needed for international police wo
would not add to the strength of our Ma
III conflict with EeriOuS There