The National tribune., 1906-12-06

ciently ample power. thru United States
courts and by the use of the Army and
Navy. TO protect aliens in the rights
secured to them under solemn treaties
which are the law of the land. / there
fore earnestly recommend that the
criminal and civil statutes of the United
States be so amended and added to as
to enable the President. acting for the
United States Government, which is re-
sponsible In our International relations.
to enforce the rights of aliens under
treaties"
In summing up the Cuban situation
the President says:
~ take this opportunity of expressing
upon behalf of the American people,
with all possible solemnity, our most
earnest hope that the people of Cuba
will realize the imperative need of pre-
serving justice and keeping order in the
Island. The United States wishes moth
ing of Cuba except that it shall prosper
morally and materially, and wishes
nothing of the Cubans save that they
shall be able to preserve order among
themselves and therefore to preserve
their independence. If the elections be-
come farce, and if the insurrectionary
habit bcomes confirmed in the Island,
it Is absolutely out of the question that
the Island should continue independent;
and the United States, which has as
sumed the sponsorship before the civ
iliZed world for Cuba's career as a Ma
to see that the Government was man.
aged IN such orderly fashion as to Sc
cure the s2fC:" Of life and property"
South Anerica.
The President referred with evident
too o%s 80 I~AA
Conference of American Republics held
in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil, which was
attended by Secretary of State Root,
and which he believes will result in
stronger trade relations by the Amer
lean Republics. North and South.
Referring to his trip to Panama, the
President stated that he would address
Congress in a special Message on the
subject.
The Army and Navy.
"I do not ask that We continue to
increase our Navy. I ask merely that
it be maintained at its present strength,
and this can be done only If We replace
the obsolete and outworn ships by new
and good ones, the equals of any afloat
in any navy. To stop building ships for
one year means that for that year the
Navy goes back instead of forward.
''In both the Army and the Navy
there is urgent need that everything
possible should be done to maintain
the highest standard for the personnel,
alike as regards the officers and the
enlisted men. 1 do not believe that in
any service there is a finer body of
enlisted men and of junior officers than
we have in both the Army and the
Navy. including the Marine Corps All
possible encouragement to the enlisted
men should be given. in pay and other
wise, and everything practicable done
to render the service attractive to men
of the right type. They should be held
to the strictest : Sscharge of their duty, |
and in them a spirit should be encour-
aged which demands not the mere per-
formance of duty. but the performance
of far more than duty, if 1t conduces
to the honor and the interest of the |
American Nation. and in return the
amplest consideration should be theirs. |
Money should be appropriated to
permit troops to be massed in body and |
exercised in manuvers, particularly in
Such exercise during the
Summer just passed has been of meal
culable benefit to the Army, and should
under no circumstances be discontinued. |
If on these practise marches and in
these manuverS elderly officers prove
unable to bear the strain, they should |
be retired at once, for the fact is con-
elusive as to their unfitness for war; |
that is. for the only purpose because of
which they should be allowed to stayI
in the service"
He also recommends few Army posts
and larger ones. He praises the Cen
eral Staff in the Army and the General |
Board in the Navy, both being essential
to the proper development and use of
our military forces afioat and ashore.
He especially recommends, in closing.
the National Board for the promotion
Of rifle practise, and declares:
I'VE should establish shooting gall
Ieries in all the large public and mill
tary schools, should maintain National |
target ranges in different parts of the |
and should in every way en-
the formation of rifle clubs
thruout all parts of the land. The lit
lie Republic of Switzerland offers us an |
excellent example in all matters con-
nected with building up an efficient
citizen SOldierV"