Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-12-12

! exacteo. without Just compensation, OF ee-
I listed men who voluntarily entered the
! Army to do service OF altogether diff
laws necessary to so organize the Army as
I to promote It's efficiency and facilitate its
| rapid expansion in time OF war; but the
! above the most important
| The Navy.
| 1t was hoped The Hague Conference might
| deal with the question OF the limit Of
| armaments. But even before II had assem-
bled informal inquiries had developed that
! as regards naval armaments. the only ones
| in which this country had any interest, Il
was hopeless to try to devise any plan for
which there was tho slightest possibility
! of securing assent of the nations gathered
at The Hague No Plan was proposed
which would have had the assent OF more
| than one hrst-class power outside Of tho
United States The only plan that seemed
| at all feasible. that of limiting tho size
| OF battleshlps, mets4with no favor At all
| 1t is evident, therefore that 1t Is folly 70
| this Nation TO base any hope Of securing
peace on any international agreement as ts
! the Limitation OF armaments Such being
| the fact IL would be most unwise for ua
,,s to stop the upbuildins Of our Navy. TO
advanced type year would barely keep
our fleet up to Its present force. This is
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 provide
the auxliaries for them, unless we pro-
| vide docks, the coaling stations. the colliers
and supply ships that they need. We are
docks on the Pacific, and this deficiency
should not longer be permitted to exist.
Plenty of torpedo boats and destroyers
should be built. Both on the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts fertincations of the best type
should be provided for all our greatest har-
bors.
at present it should never be split into de-
tachments SO far apart that they could not
united Our coast line is on the Pa
cifc just as much the Allan
tic The interests OF California, Oregon
and Washington as emphatically the in
terests of the whole Union as those of Maine
and and New York: Of louisiana and Texas
need 1he batte IT e., fleet should now and then 30
It should be kept in the Atlantic. When tho
Isthmian Canal is built the transit Of the
be comparatively easy. Until 1t is built,
earnestly hope that the battle fleet will be
year or two. The workmanship all
ships has improved phenomenaly during the
Until within the last two or three years II
was not possible to train battle fleet in
and 1t is only during these last two or three
years that the training under these conditions
necessary stride in advance is now being
taken the battle fleet Is about starting BY
Coast Sixteen bsteshs s sre going fe unaer
eight armored cruisers and two other battle
going. No fleet of such size has made
such voyage, and 1t 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 as to meet every
possible strain and emergency in time Of war
Is to have them practice under similar con. con.
way to find out our actual needs is to per-
form In time Of peace whatever maneuvers
war is declared it is too late to nnd out
the needs; that means to invite disaster. This
trip to the Pacific viii show what some OF
for, them, The proper place for an officer
to learn his duty is at sea. and the only way
Is by practice at sea, under all the conditions
which would have to be met IL war existed.
If all that ought to be done cannot now
be done, at least let a beginning be made.
In my last three annual messages, and in
special message to the last Congress, tho
necessity for legislation that will cause Of
fcers OF the line of the Navy to reach the
grades of captain and rear admiral at less
advanced ages and which will cause them
in the highly responsible duties OF those
grades, that they may become thoroughly
skilful in handling battleships. divisions.
squadrons and fleets in action has been
fully explained and urgently recommended.
Upon this subject the Secretary Of the Navy
has submitted detailed and definite recon-
mendations which have received my ap-
proval, and which, IL enacted into law.
will accomplish what is Immediately neces-
sary and will. compared with existing
law. make a saving OF more than $o'ooo'oo9
during the next seven years,
The Hague
The Second International Peace Confer
ence was convened at The Hague on the
18th of June last and remained in session
until the 18th of October For the first
time the representatives OF practically all
the civilized countries of the world united
in a temperate and kindly discussion of the
methods by which the causes OF war might
be narrowed and its injurious effects re-
duced.
Although the agreements reached in the
the length hoped for by the more sanguine,
yet in many directions important stepe were
taken. and upon every subject on the pro-
gramme there was such full and consider.
ate discussion as to justify the belief that
substantial progress has been made toward
further agreements in the future. Thir~
teen sonxestiGns were ssrssa ngeH smsSdy.
reached, and resolutions were adopted mark
ing the progress made In matters upon
which agreement was not yet sufficiently
complete to make conventions practicable.
Cuba.
A year ago in consequence OF revolu-
ionary movement in Cuba which threatened
he immediate return to chaos Of the ISL
md, the United States interviewed, sending
lown army and establishing a provision
u government under Governor Magoon. Alb
olute quiet and prosperity have returned
0 the island because OF this action. We ara
low taking steps to provide for elections
n the island and our expectation Is within
he coming year to be able turn the
sland over again to government chosen
y the people thereof. Cuba is at
oors. 1t is not possible that this Nation
hould permit Cuba again to sink into thu
onditon from which We rescued 1t. All
hat ask OF the Cuban people Is that
hey be prosperous that they govern them
elves to bring content, order and
rogress to their island. the Queen OF the
antilles: and our only interference has been
nd will be to help them achieve these re-
ults.
China.
I ask for authority to reform the agree
rent with china under which the indemnity
1900 was fixed, by remitting and cancel-
lg the obligation of China for the pay
lent of all that pert of the stipulated in
emnity which is in excess of the of
|. .655, 400. 80, and interest at per cent.
tter the rescue of the foreign legations
100 the Powers required from China ths
ayment OF equitable indemnities 70 the
,veral nations and the final protocol
ar which the troops withdrawn,
gned at Pekin, September I, 1901, fixed
le amount Of this indemnity allotted to
e United States at over $50, 600 600, and
hina paid. up to and including the LIST
ly Of June. last. little over Sc 900 900.
was the first intention OF this Govern
ent at the proper time, when all claims
Id been presented and all expenses ascer-
ined fully possible, TO revise the
Inmates and account, and proof OF
nCere friendship for China voluntarily to
lease that country from its legal liability
ould prove to be necessary FOR actual
{ty he nj ted nd ia eli