Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-12-13

seems advisable also that medical off
 eers of the army and navy should have
 similar rank and pay in their respee-
 tive grades, so that their duties can be carried on without friction when
 they are brought together.
 Our navy must, relatively to the 1 navies of other nations, always be of
 greater size than our army. We have
 most wisely continued for a number of
 years to build up our navy, ana it has now reached a fairly high standard of
 efficiency. This standard of efficiency
 must not only be maintained but in creased. It does not seem to me neces-
 sary, however, that the navy should
 at least in the immediate future-be in
 creased beyond the present number of
 units. What is now clearly necessary is to substitute efficient for inefficient
 units as the latter become worn out or
 as it becomes apparent that they are
 useless. Probably the result would be
 attained by adding single battleship
 to our navy each year, the superseded
 or Outworn vessels being laid up or
 broken up as they are thus replaced.
 Recent naval history has emphasized certain lessons which ought not to, but which do, need emphasis. Seagoing torpedo boats or destroyers are indis- pensable, not only for making night attacks by surprise upon an enemy, but even in battle for finishing already crippled ships. Under exceptional cir cumstances submarine boats would doubtless be of use. Fast scouts are needed. The main strength of the navy, however, lies and can only lie in the great battleships, the heavily-ar- mored, heavily-gunned vessels which decide the mastery of the seas. Heavy armed cruisers also play a most useful part, and unarmed cruisers, if swift enough, are very useful as scouts. Be- tween antagonists of approximately equal prowess the comparative perfee tion of the instruments of war will or dInarily determine the fight. But it is of course true that the man behind the gun, the man in the engine room, and the man in the coming tower, consid cred not only individually but especial ly with regard to the way in which they work together, are even more important than the weapons with which they work The most formidable battleship is of course helpless against even a light cruiser if the men aboard it are unable to hit anything with their guns; and thoroughly well-handled cruisers may count seriously in an engagement with much superior vessels if the men aboard the latter are ineffective, whe- ther from lack of training or from any other cause. This training can un- der no circumstances be given when once war has broken out. No fighting ship of the first class should ever be laid up save for necessary repairs; and her crew should be kept constantly ex- ercised on the high seas, so that she may stand at the highest ppoint of per lection. The craftsmanship of our navy is now on the whole in a gratify- ing condition, and there has been a great improvement in fleet practice. We need additional seamen; we need large store of reserve guns; we need suff- | cient money for ample target practice, ample practice of every kind at sea- We should substitute for comparatively | inefficient types-the old third-elass battleship Texas, the single-turreted monitors above mention, and indeed | all the monitors and some of the old | cruisers-effcient, modern, seagoing | vessels. Seagoing torpedo-boat destroy l CTS should be substituted for some of | the smaller torpedo boats.
 Naturalization Laws.
 During the past year evidence has ac- cumulated to confirm the expressions contained in my last two annual mes sages as to the importance of revising by appropriate legislation our system of naturalizing aliens. I appointed last March a commission to make a careful of our naturalization laws, and to suggest appropriate mea- sures to avoid the notorious abuses from tho improvident or un- lawful granting of citizenship. This composed of an officer of the department of state, of the depart nent of justice, and of the department ,f commerce and labor, has discharged he duty imposed upon it, and has sub- nitted a report, which will be trans nitted to the congress for it's consid ,ration, and, I hope, for its favorable lction.
 The distinguishing recommendations if this commission are:
 First. A federal bureau of naturaliza- ion, to be established in the department f commerce and labor, to supervise he administration of the naturalization avs and to receive returns of natural cations pending and accomplished.
 Second. Uniformity of naturaliza- ; ion certificates, fees to be charged, f nd procedure.
 Third. More exaeting qualifications I or citizenship.
 Fourth. The preliminary declaration ' f intention to be abolished and no lien to be naturalized until at least t inety days after the filing O his peti- s lon. C
 Fifth. Jurisdiction to naturalize I liens to be confined to United States l istrict courts, and to such state C Ourts as have jurisdiction in civil I etions in which the amount in con a rOversy is unlimited, in cities of over ' O0,00O inhabitants the United States I