New-York tribune., 1907-12-04


that tine events have moved rapidly in our his
tory. We have acquired Hawaii. the Phlilp-
pines and lesser islands in the Pacific. We are
steadily prosecuting the great work of uniting
at the isthrnus the waters of the Atlantic ana
the Pacific. To a greater extent than seemed
probable even q dozen years ago we may look
TO American future the sea worthy Of the
traditions OF our past. AS the first step In that
direction, and the step most feasible at the pres
ent time. ! recommend the extension of the
ocean mail act of 1891. That act has stood for
some years free from successful criticism OF It's
principle and purpose. 1t was based on theories
OF the obligations of a great maritime nation.
undisputed in our own land and followed by
other nations since the beginning of steam navi
CATION Briefly. those theories are that it is
the duty OF a first class power, so far as p-acti-
cable, TO carry its ocean mails under its own
flag; that the fast ocean steamships and their
crews required for such mail service are vaiua-
BILE auxaries TO the power of 4 nation.
Furthermore, the construction OF such steam
ships insures the maintenance in an efficient
condition of the Shipyards in which our battle
ships must be built.
The expenditure Of public money for the per-
forrnance of such necessary functions of gov
ernment is certainly warranted. nor ! II neces-
sary to dwell upon the incidental bent-ItS TO our
foreign commerce, to the shipbuilding industry
and to ship owning and navigation which will
accompany the discharge OF these urgent public
duties. though they. too. should have weight
The only serious question is whether at this
time we can afford to improve our ocean mail
service as il should be improved. All doubt on
this subject is removed by the reports Of the
PoStoffice Department. For the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1907, that department estimates llldt
the postage collected on the articles exchanged
with foreign countries other than tanada ana
Mexico amounted to S6,3i9.t43 II. or $685.
2o6 81 more than the net cost OF the service eN-
elusive of the cost of transporting the articles
between the United States exchange postoftices
and the United States postoffices at which they
were mailed or delivered. In other words, the
government of the United States, having as
sumed monopoly OF carrying the mails Tor the
Deonle is king a profit of over So.bouuNo oy
rendering a Cheap and inefficient service. That
profit, 1 believe. should be devoted TO strength
ening our maritime power in those directions
where II vii! best promote our prestige. Ine
country is fam lar with the facts OF our mari
time impotence the harborS Of the great ana
friendly repubics Of South America Following
the failure of the shipbuilding bill we lost our
only American line of steamers TO AUSTRALASIA
and that loss the Pacific has become a serl-
Gus embarrassment TO the people of Hawan ana
has wholly cut off the samoan IsiaEos ct I[oin
regular communication with the PacInc Coast,
Puget Sound, In the year. has lost over M nan
(four out of seven) of its American steamers
trading with the Orient
We now pay under the act Of 1891 81 statute
mile outward to 2O-knot American maiI steam
ships built according 10 naval plans, aValIaoIe
as cruisers and manned by Americans steam
ships OF that speed are confined exclusively 10
transatlantic trade with New YORK 10 stediil. II
ships of 10 knots over only ~ a mile can oe
paid and X is steamships of this speed ana type,
which are needed meet the requirements OF
mail service to South America, Asa NnciuulnS
tho pbilinpjnes) and Australia. l strongly rec
oumend therefore, simple amendment to the
ocean mail act of 1891 which shall authorize the
into contracts for the transportation OF mans
10 the republics OF South America, 10 ASA tIS
Philippines and Australia at rate not 10 eASeeu ~
81 A mile for steamships or 1n klots sPeSu va
inward. subject to the restrictions ana obilsa2
tions OF the act of 1891 The profit or S5,opVoo
which has been mentioned will fully cover the
maximum annual expenditure involved IN this
recommendation and 1t is believed vii In TINS TINS
esta blish the lines urgently needed inc
propoStion involves no new prlnclple, put per
Mrs the efficient discharge OF public functions
now inadequately performed or not performed g.
all.
Not only there is not now but there never
has baen anv other nation in the world So
wholly free from the evils of mlEtarism as Is
ours There never has been
T1. a,,,v anv other large nation. not
even China, which for SO ionS
a period has had relatively 10 It's hu.noeis 80
small a regular army as has ours. Never q.
any time in our history has TINS nation suihettu
from n,iitarism or been il the remotest danger
OF suffering from militarsm. Never AT any
time OF our history has the regular army oeeh
of a size which caused the slightest appre-
ciable upon the taxpaylnG clllzens ol .ti
nation. Almost always 1t has been 700 siiiati lf
in size and underpaid- Never IN our eltl.e ~ M M
tory has the nation suffered IN the ieds' pd'
ticuIar because too much care has been given
10 the army too much prominence given H. t"o
much money spent upon II. or because ~ II @ aa
been too large. But again and again we nave
suffered because enough care mas not peeh
given to it. because it has been too small De
cause there has not been sufficient preparation
in advance for possible war. Every foreign
war in which we have engaged has cost us
many times the amount which II wisely eN-
pended during the preceding years or peace Oh
The regular army would have insured the war
ending in but fraction of the time ana our
for a fraction of the cost that was actualiN tH'
case As a nation have always been snort
sighted in providing for the efficiency OF the
army in time Of peace. II Is nohodN eSPeVl'H
interest TO make such provision ana no one
looks ahead TO at any period. no ulatt't
how remote as being A serious possibility
while an improper economy. or, rather higgaIu-
illness, can be practised at the expense OF tn'
.,f,.sx- hnC
it will not he called to account therefor. "H'
that the price will he paid by the unfortunate
persons who happen to he in Once "heh 4 Wal
does actually come.
think it is only lack OF foresight that
troubles us. not any hostility To the army
There are of course foolish people VIII" de
nounce any care of the army or navy as Hhlli
tar1snn" but l do not think that these people
ire numerous This country has To contend
now and has had to contend in the past. with
many evils. and there IS ample scope for all VINO
would work for reform But there is not one
evil that exists, or that ever has existed IN
this country, which is or ever mas been OWING
in the smallest part To nilitariSm. Defamation
against militarlsm has no more serious place IN
an earnest and intelligent movement 1or rISht-
eo,lsness in this country than defamation
against the worship of Baal Astaroth. II -
defamation against non-eXistent evil. on
which never has existed in this country. and
which has not the slightest chance of appearing
here We are glad to help i'll any movement Tor
international peace. but this is because we SIN
cerev believe that il is duty To help all such
movements provided they are sane and rational
and not because there is any tendency toward
militarisrn on our part which needs To be cured
The evils we have to fsht are those in conne'-
ton with induStrialism, not militarism. INDUS
try is always necessary. just a. war IS some
times necessary. Each has its price. and irdhS-
try in the United States now eXacts. ana mas al
ways exacted. n far heavier toll OF death thah
all our wars put together. The statistics of the
railroads OF this country for the year ended
June 30 1906 the last contained In the annual
statistical report of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, show in that one year a total 81
los 324 casualties to persons. of which io!hlS
represent the number of persons killed In that