The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-12-07

'" Nftthf tf pre-
possible way of iusuus Us against a
clash wib .rrc foreign power. The
position D.. therefore in the interest o.
peace as vcl 30. u thc interest of jus
ucr.
army and Navy.
i do u1' hc.icse th.t amy army in the
UorI ie, 20 better average Of enlisted
wan or better type Of junior officer
rut ien army should be- trained to act
,Gocuvclg 20 q mass. Provision should
Doe madc by sufficient appropriations
FOR maucutcrs oi "a practical kind.
Provision should bc made for the pro-
motion of exceptionally mcritoriOus
mon over thc heads ~ their comrades
and for the retirement ~ an men who
have reached given age without get
uhs beyond given rank.
There should Dee am Increase In the
coa,t artillery force 50 that our coast
Qualifications can Dee IN some degree
adequately manned There IS special
need for ana Increase and reorganization
Of the medical department Of the army.
in both the army and navy there must
Dc TIE same thorough training for duty
in tie staff corps as iu the fighting line.
The Importance OF this was shown con-
clusivcly foe the Spanish American and
The Rus o-Japancse wars. The work
OF The medical departments I'm the Jap
anese army aHl navy Is especially
worthy Of study
Our navy must. relatively 70 the ma
vics Of other nations always be Of
greater slzo than our army. We have
most wisely continued for n number OF
years 70 build nap orr navy, and it
has now reached q fairly high standard
Of efficiency. This standard must not
only Do maintained. but increased. 1t
does not seem % me necessary. how
ever That tie navy should. at least in
the immediate future BE increased be
yond the present number IF units.
What is now clearly necessary IS TO
substitute efficient for inefficient units
as the latter become worn out or as II
becomes apparent that they are use
loss. Probably the result would be
attained by adding a single battleship
to our navy each year, the superseded
or outworn vessels being laid up or
broken up rs they are thus replaced.
Naturalization.
On this subject recommends
First.-A federal bureau Of NATURAL.
cation. to be established in the depart
mcnt Of commerce and labor, to SUI
pervisc the administration Of the natu-
rallzation laws and to receive returns
n naturalzaHons pending and accom-
plished.
Second Uniformity Of naturalization
certificates. fees to be charged, and
procedure.
Thlrd.-More exactlng qualifications
for citizenship.
Fourth.-The preliminary declaration
OF intention to be abolished and no
alien to be naturalized until at least
ninety days after the filing Of his petit
ton
Fifth. 90 Jurisdiction to naturaliZe
aliens 10 be confined to United States
district courts and to such state courts
as have jurisdiction IN civil actions in
which the amount In controversy is IN
limited, IN cities Of over 100000 inhab-
itants the United States district courts
to have exclusive Jurisdiction I'm the
naturalization OF the alien residents Of
such cities.
Philippines and other Islands.
During the last year the Philippine |
Islands have been slowly recovering |
from the series Of disasters which since |
American occupation have greatly re-
duced the amount Of agricultural prod
ucts below what was produced In Span
lsh times.
The agricultural conditions Of the IS
lands enforce more strongly than ever
the argument in favor Of reducing the
tariff on the products Of the Philippine
Islands entering the United States,
earnestly recommend that the tariff
now imposed by the Dingley bill upon
the products Of the Philippine Islands
be entirely removed, except the tariff
on sugar and tobacco. and thai that