Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05

vented from Intervening by the unofficial
assurance of this government that II Woulo
itself strive to help Santo Domingo IN het
hour of need. In the case OF one or these
nations, only the actual opening OF neso-
tiations to this end by our government pre-
vented the seizure of territory IN oaiao
Domingo by a European power Or the
debts incurred some were Just. WINE soine
We're not OF a character which reaiis rem
ders 1t obligatory on. or proper ior' eaii t9
Domingo to pay them in full. But she coulu
not pay any of them unless some stapiiits
was assured her government ana people.
Accordingly the executive uepar .lie'e y.
our government negotiated Urea. a.iuS.
which we are TO try to help tne Doiilii IN, :.
people to straighten out their hfahces. Inns
treaty ia peuding before the Senate IN the
meantime "a temporary arransement has
been made which will last unth the senate
has had time to take action upon the treaty.
I-ndnr this arrangement the Dominican gov
eminent has appointed Americans 10 all the
important positions in the customs service,
and they are seeing to the honest coiiectloh
of the revenues turning over 4sA per cent 70
+he government for running expenses ana
putting the other 40 per cent into saIe
denosftary for equitable division in case the
treaty shall be ratified. among the various
creditors, whether European or AineIlca
The custom houses offer well-nigh the ohiy
sources of revenue in Santo Dominso. anu
the different revolutions usually nav %
their real aim the obtaining possession -
these custom HOUSES. The mere lac 80 80
the collectors of customs are Amer n.,
that they are performing theif LUIS -.
efficiency and honesty, ana til'ti tiie .at,
is pending in the Senate gives eei ts'.'i
,aIaI ,rr7,ar RI the government OF Santo
Domingo which it has not haa petoltt
has completely discouraged an re. u g,,esJ
movement, while it has afeaoS ptou"e 80
such an increase in the revenues that me
government is actually getting more from
The As per cent that the American coilectois
turn over 10 it than ii got formerly Wheh l.
took The entire revenue 1t Is ehaDilhs the
SgA -
ONCE more TO turn their attention to INDUS
try and TO be free from the curse OF lite
minablc revolutionary disturbance IL onefs
to all bona nde creditors, American diio
F,uropean. the only really good chance 10
obtain that 10 which they are justly emu
tied, while II in return gives 10 oallto -
mingo the only opportunity VI ucleiLso
against claims which ii ought not 70 pay !,
Tor NOW if II meets the views of the senate
we shall ourselves thoroughly exafnlHe an
these claims, whether American or oleisi
and see that none that are inpiopei a.
paid. There IS, of course, oppositioii " ~
treaty from dishonest creditors, foreign anu
American and from the professional IeVo-
lutionists of the island itself we nave
already reason to believe that soIle VI .ltr
creditors who co not dare expose thelr
claims to honest scrutiny are ehaeaVoiins
to stir up sedition in the island anu oppo
stion to the treaty. In tfe meantime
have exercised the authority vested IN me
by the Joint resolution of the Congress 10
prayent 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 COM
ing to Santo Domingo, danger OF iorelsn
intervention has been suspended, ana there
is at last prospect that all creators WIN
get Justice, no more and no less. II Tue
arrangement is terminated by the failuTe OF
the treaty chaos will fellow, and If chaos
follows sooner or later this government may
be involved in serious difficulties with fof-
eign governments over the island, or else
hr sad self Ia
island In some unpleasant fashion under
the proposed treaty the Independence OF
the island is scrupulously respected the
danger of violation of the Monroe uocIihe
by- the intervention of foreign powers van
ishes and ,ue interference OF our govern
ment is minimiZed, SO that we shail only
act in conjunction with the Santo Donliiiso
authorities to secure the proper acTllhlhtfa
ton of the customs and therefore TO secure
the payment of just debts and TO secure the
Dominican government against DEMANDS loI
unjust debts. The proposed method VIII
give the people of Santo Domingo the same
chance to move onward and upward WhlcTl
we have already given to the people OF
Cuba. Ii will be doubly to our discredit as
q nation if we fall to take advantage or
this chance for it will be of damage to
ourselves and it will be of incalculable dam
age to Santo Domingo. Every consldera-
ton of wise policy, and, above all, every
meet the request of Santo Domingo as we
are trying to meet It,
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 q very small army-indeed, one
vell-nigh infintesmal when compared with
the army of any other large nation OF
course, the army we do have should be as
nearly perfect of its Kind and for lis size
as ia possible. | do not believe that any
10, RyNfsfi fg- a no
enlisted man or a better type or Junior
officer. but the army should be trained to
act effectively in Il mass. Provision should
be made by sufficient appropriations Tor
r,aneuyers of a practical kind so that the
troops may learn how 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. The generals and
colonies would thereby have opportunity OF
handling regiments, brigades and DIVISIONS
and the comCnissary and medical depart
Elents would he tested IN the HELD PfoVl-
sion shsqld be made for the exercise at
least of a brigade and by preference of a
division in marching and embarklng at some
point on our coast and disembarking at
some other point and continuing 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
ccrrespondingly larger. No localT1nterests
should be allowed TO stand in the way or
assembling the greater part of the troops
which would at need form our field armies
in stations of such size WIN permit the
best training 10 be given to the personnel or
all grades including the high officers and
staff officers. To accomplish this end we
must have not company or regiInental gar
risons but brigade and division garrsons.
Promotion by mere seniority can never re-
suit in a thoroughly efficient corps of Off
GERS in the higher ranks unless there &C
companies II q vigorous weeding-out proc
ess Such a weedingcut process-that is,
SUCH a process of ,selection-is chief fea-
ture 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. While at West Point he is
dropped unless he comes up to certain
standard of excellence. and when lie gradu-
ates ne takes rank in the army according
10 his rank of graduation. The results are
good at West Point, and there should be
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 certain grade.
Provision should be made for the promo
ton of exceptionally meritorious men over
the heads of their comrades and for the re-
tirement of all men who have reached a
given age without getting beyond a given
rank; this age of retirement, of course
changing from rank 20 rank In both the