Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-12-11

that we must ourselves undertake to
bring about some arrangement by
which so much as possible of just
obligation shall be paid. 1t is far
better than this country should put
through such an arrangement, rather
than allow any foreign country to I'M
dertake it; and this is what we are
doing in Santo Domingo.
The Army.
Coming to the army and navy the
president said that provision should
be made by sufficient appropriations
for maneuvers Of a practical kind so
that the troops may learn how to take
care of themselves under actual serV-
ice conditions; every march, for IN
stance, being made with the soldier
loaded exactly as he would be in an
active campaign. Provision should
be made for the exercise at least OF a
brigade and by preference OF a d1vl-
sion in marching and embarking at
some point on our coast and d1sem-
barking at some other point and con
tinuing it's march. The number OF
posts in which the army is kept in
time OF peace should be materially
diminished and the posts that are
left made correspondingly larger.
Promotion by mere seniority can never
result in a thoroughly efficient corps
of officers in the highest ranks unless
there accompanies it a vigorous weed
ing-out process. Such weedfng-out
process-that is, such process OF Sc
lection-is a chief feature of the four
years course Of the young officer at
West Point. There is no GOOD reason
why it should stop Immediately upon
his graduation.
It does not seem to the president
necessary that the navy shouldn't
least in the immediate future-be in
creased beyond the present number OF
units. What is now clearly neces-
sary is to substitute efficient Tor 1nef-
f1cient units as the latter become
WORKOUT or as it becomes apparent
that they are useless. probably the
result would be attained by adding a
single battleship to our navy each
year. There is urgent need OF pro-
viding large increase in the number
of officers, and especially In the num-
Der of enlisted men. Recent naval his
tory has emphasized certain lessons
which ought not to, but which do,
need emphasis Seagoing torpedo
boats or destroyers are indispensable,
not only for making night attacks by
surprise upon an enemy, but even In
battle for finishing already crippled
ships. Under exceptional clrcum-
stances submarine boats would doubt
less 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
armored, heavily -gunned vessels
which decide the mastery Of the seas.
Naturalization.
I, In regard to naturalization the pres
! ident recommends:
First. A federal bureau of natural
| ization, to be established IN the de-
partment of commerce and labor, to
supervise the administrator Of the
I naturalization laws and TO receive re-
turns of naturalizations pending and
accomplished
Second. Uniformity or natural1za-
ton certificates, fees to be charged,
and procedure.
Third. More exacting qualff1ca.
lions for citizenship.
Fourth. The preliminary declara-
ton of intention to be abolished and
no alien to be naturalized until at
least ninety days after the fling of
his petition.
Fifth Jurisdiction to naturalize
aliens to be confined to United States
district courts and to such state
courts as have jurisdiction in civil
actions in which the amount in con-
troversy is unlimited; in cities Of over
100000 inhabitants the United States
district courts to have exclusive jur'
isdiction in the naturalization Of the
alien residents of such cities.
Land Laws.
The honest Disposal and right use oi
the remaining public lands is OF fun
damental Importance. The inIquit
Gus methods by which the monopolfz
ing of the public lands is being
| brought about under the present laws
are becoming more generally known
! but the existing laws do mot furnish
effective remedies. The creation OF
| small irrigated farms under the TIE
cIamation act is a powerful offset to
the tendency of certain other laws tc
foster or permit monopoly of the
land. Under that act the construction
| of great irrigation works has been
proceeding rapidly and successfully
the lands reclaimed are eagerly taken
up, and the prospect that the policy
of national irrigation will accomplish
all that was expected of it is bright.
The act should be extended to include
the state of Texas
Merchant Marine.