The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-12-05

porations shall not contribute to presi-
Dental or national campaigns and, fur
thermore, to provide for the publica-
ton of both contributions and expendi-
lures There is, however. always dan
ger In laws Of this kind, which from
their very nature are difficult of en-
forcement. the danger being lest they
be obeyed only by the honest and dis
obeyed by the INSCRIPTIONS. SO as to
act only as a penalty upon honest men.
Moreover. no such law would hamper
an INSCRIPTIONS man Of unlimited
means from buying his own way into
Office. There is a very radical meas
ure which would, l believe. work
improvement in our sys-
tenn of conducting a campaign, al
though I am well aware that 1t will
take some time for people so to famil-
iarize themselves with such a proposal
as to be willing to consider its adop-
ton. The need for collecting large
campaign funds would vanish If con-
Sress provided an appropriation for the
proper and legitimate expenses Of each
of the great national parties. an appro-
priation ample enough to meet the ne
cessity for thorough organization and
machinery. which requires a large ex.
penditure of money. Then the stipu-
lation should be made that no party
receiving campaign funds from the
treasury should accept more than
fixed amount from any individual sub
scriber or donor, and the necessary
publicity for receipts and expenditures
could without difficulty be provided.
The Army.
The president recommends legisla-
ton to increase the number of officers
in the army, especially in the medical
sorps. The rate of pay of officers
should be greatly increased, he de-
clares. There should be a relatively
even greater increase in the rate of
pay of enlisted men if we are to keep
the army in shape to be effective in
time of need. The president recon-
mends severe examination of officers
for promotion up to the rank Of major.
From that point promotion should be
purely by selection. He speaks Of the
recent physical test of army officers
with emphatic appreciation and recon-
mends a bill equalizing the pay Of
officers and men of the army, navy,
marine corps and revenue cutter serv-.
ice.
The Navy.
Concerning the navy the president
says:
In my judgment, we should this
year provide for four battleships. But
it is idle to build battleships unless, in
addition to providing the men and the
means for thorough training, we pro
vide the auxiliaries for them-u.1ess
We provide docks, the coaling stations,
the golfers and supply ships that they
need, We are extremely deficient in
coaling stations and docks on the Pa
cific, and this deficiency should not
longer be permitted to exist. Plenty
of torpedo boats and destroyers should
be built. Both on the Atlantic and Pa
cifc coasts Notifications of the best
type should be provided for all our
greatest harbors.
Until our battle feet is much larger
than at present it should never be split
into detachments so far apart that they
could not in event of emergency be
speedily united. Our coast line is on
the Pacific just as much as on the At
lantic. The battle feet should now
and then be moved to the Pacific, just
as at other times it should be kept in
the Atlantic. When the isthmian canal
is built the transit of the battle feet
from one ocean to the other will be
comparatively easy. Until it is built
l earnestly hope that the battle feet
will be thus shifted between the two
oceans every year or two. The battle
feet is about starting by the strait of
Magellan to visit the Pacific coast
Sixteen battleships are going under the
command of Rear Admiral Evans, while
eight armored cruisers and two other
battleships will meet him in San Fran
cisco, whittier certain torpedo destroy
ers are also going. No feet Of such
size has ever made such a voyage, and
it will be of very great educational use
to all engaged in it. The only way by
which to teach officers and men how
to handle the fleet so as to meet every
possible strain and emergency in time
of war Is to have them practice under
similar conditions in time of peace.
The president recommends the in
creased pay for both officers and enlist
ed men and advises promotion by Sc
lection above the grade of lieutenant
commander.
Foreign Affairs.
In foreign affairs, the president says,
this country's steady policy is to be-
have toward other nations as a strong
and self respecting man should behave
toward the other men with whom he
Is brought into contact. In other words,
cur aim is disinterestedly to help other
nations where such help can be wisely
given without the appearance of med
ding with what does not concern us,
to be careful to act as good neighbor
and at the same time in good natured
fashion to make it evident that we do
not intend to be imposed upon.
The president refers at length to The
Hague peace conference. He believes
it accomplished much gdod work
Postal Savings Banks.
The president says on postal affairs:
commend to the favorable consid-
Grafton of the congress a postal saw
ings bank system as recommended by
the postmaster general.
Through the agency of the postal
savings banks such mosey would be
restored TO the channels of trade, to
the mutual benefit Of capital and labor.
further commend Il the congress
the consideration OF the postmaster
generals recommendation for an ex-
tension of the parcel post, especially
on the rural routes 1t would be a
most desIrab bic thing to put the fourth
class postnasters in the classified serv-
ice
Other recommends are:
Deepening of the inland waterways,
especially of the MiSsjssjpDi river SyS-