Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1906-12-05


sitlons, but who are not fitted to do
well when at an advanced age they
come into positions Of command and
Of great responsibility. But the de-
sire OF these men TO be promoted to
positions which they are not competent |
to I'LL should not weigh against the In
terests Of the navy and the country.
At present our men. especially In the |
navy. are kept far too long In the |
Junior grades and then. at much too adj |
yanced an age. are put quickly through |
the senior grades. often not attaining |
those senior grades until they are too
old to be Of real use TO them and II they |
are OF real use. being put through them
so quickly that little benefit TO the
navy comes from their having been In
them at all.
The navy has one great advantage
over the army in the fact that the Of
fcers Of high rank are actually trained
In the continual performance Of their
duties-that Is, in the management OF
the battleshlps and armored cruisers
gathered into fleets This Is not true OF
the army officers. who rarely have cor
responding chances to exercise com.
mand over troops under service condi-
lions. The conduct OF the Spanish war
showed the lamentable loss Of life, the
useless extravaganza and the ineth'
cheney certain TO result II during peace
the high officials OF the war and navy
departments are praised and rewarded
only II they save money, at no matter
what cost to the efficiency Of the serv-
ice, and If the higher officers are given
no chance whatever 20 exercise aud
practice command. For years prior TO
the Spanish war the secretaries OF war
were praised chiefly II they practiced
economy, which economy, especially In
connection with the quartermaster,
commlssary and medical departments.
was directly responsible for most OF
the Encouragement that occurred In
the war Itself. And parenthetcally DO
Il observed that tho very people who
clamored for the mlsdlrected economy
IN the first place were foremost 10 de-
nounce the acknowledgement, loss and
suffering which were primarily due TO
this same misdlrected economy and 70
the lack OF preparation II involved.
Coast Defense Needs.
There should soon DO an increase In
the number OF men for our coast de-
lenses. These men should be OF the
right type and properly trained. and
there should therefore be an Increase
OF nay for certain skilled grades. es-
peclally IN the coast artillery. Money
should be appropriated 20 permit
troops 20 be massed In body and excr-
| cised IN maneuvcrs. particularly IN
marching. Such exercise during the
summer just past has been Of incal.
! culable benefit 10 the army and should
under no circumstances be discontln'
ned. n on these practice marches and
In these maneuvers elderly ofhceFs
Drove unable 20 bear the strain they
should be retired az once, for the faet
IL conclusive a. 10 their unhtnens for
war-that IL. for che only purpose %.
eauso OF which they should BE- allowed
20 stay IN the service IL u reaI mis-
fortune 20 have scores Of small com
many or egimenthi posts scattered
throughout the c0untry. The army
should be gnthered IN few brigade o.
division posts. and the generals should
Be praetced In handling he men 10
masses. Neglect 70 provide Tor an %
this means 90 incur The rise OF fotafe
disaster ana disgrace.
The readiness aud eficiencJ 81 ogth
sbe arny and navy 10 dealing wiih NE
recent sudden crisis n Cuba Illustrate
afresb their value 10 ths nation. Jus
readiness and efaosncy wouA haVs
b.su very much lees had u not besn
s,r tbs Sristenes % the Esnsral STAB
A. ths army and the general board ~
enc navy. Both are essential 70 US
uropSr Seyslopusnt aud nss q car mii
wsry forces ah0tt Gnd ashore Ip'
,r,o~,s nat usFs srlt - Cuha WsFs
hsndied sawisssly u Was Ne W.T.
-, mstfiirntion ahS dispesra q uosp'
ov,s s~a ever aaoomgiishei b. or Fgv'
.-nmsut Tiss sTps3ition abdef eofn.
pistsiy squlpp~i and FsadI fos lmns
dlsts service. ssTsrsi - iis ofEanifa
ices hardly rvus.nihE 10 ihrhaa ofs'
. rlEts before syattihs ~ iHtp estarh
r9uts snd raihg 81 ta-if ssTerai Ps'tts
N wss = Ese Gsmg-siftiige - ~
yslus ara eE-eurJ q - EEzsfai sial
aaliarfy H uss guiaE 10 iafsr i1afi
b - ssarhl taaFd Aai ne havJ
vns shis 81 c. satrsf . uesf a. 90
La srtsss uisa Fara iastHni seleis1Fg
a., snsr q. aggeshsH 81 - s47fi
I go astee CO r1T 3fsaire.-1 i',e'