Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-12-06

GAGnas and fioras OF America win refor
snce to the distribution OF animals ant
plants. ~ has defined and inappe'z th'
natural life areas-areas In which, by rea
son of prevailing climatic conditions, Ger
tain kinds of animals and plants occur
and has pointed out the adaptabiLty o
these areas to the cultivation OF particulal
crops. The results of these investigation
are not only of high educational value blu
are worth each year 10 the progressive
farmers of the country many times tn,
cost of maintaining the survey, which, 1
ma" be added, is exceedingly small.
recommended to congress that this bureau
whose usefulness Is seriously handicapped
by lack of funds, be granted an appropria
ton In some degree commensurate with
the Importance OF the work II is doing.
We are steadily prosecuting the great
work OF uniting at the isthmus the waters
of the Atlantic and the Pacific. To 9
greater extent than seemed probable ever
a dozen years ago, we may to ar
american future on the sea worthy OF
the traditions of our past. As the frs
f fessib 81 sha the aiT presenii t ana ne I ssen masi
1871. extension OF the ocean mail act Of
For the fiscal year ended June 80. 1901,
the department estimates that the postage
COLLECTED on the articles exchanged with
foreign countries other than Canada and
226. q more than the net cost of the service
exclusive OF the cost Of transporting the
articles between The United States ex-
change postoffices and the United States
postofrices at which they were mailed or
delivered. hat profit L believe should be
devoted 70 strengthening our martins
power in those directions where 1t will best
our prestige.
1 strongly recommend, therefore, a sim
pie amendment to the ocean mail act of
1891 which shall authorize the postmaster
general In his discretion to enter into con-
tracts for the Transportation. of mails to
the republics of South America, to Asia,
fHa phtIinYin GO " a nd IL 1frnl nj n rn fa
not to exceed "a a mile for steamships OF
sixteen knots speed or upwards. subject
to the restrictions and obligations OF the
The Army.
Not only there Is not now, but there
never has been, my other nation In the
world SO wholly free from the evils or
But again and again in the past our
little regular army has rendered service
literally vital to the country, and it may
at any time have to do SO in the future.
Its standard of efficiency and instruction
IS higher now than ever In the past: But
GERS. and it is impossible to secure enough
men. We should maintain In
a fairly complete skeleton of a large
army. A great and long-continued war
would have to be fought by volunteers.
But months would pass before any large
body of efficient volunteers could be put
be large enough to meet any immediate
need. In particular 1t is essential that we
should possess a number of extra Officers
trained In peace to perform efficiently the
duties urgently required upon the breaking
of war.
The medical corps should be much larger
than the needs of our regular army in
war. Unless ample provision Is now made
by congress to put the medical corps where
It should be put disaster in the next war
Is inevitable, and the responsibility will
not lie with those then in charge Of the
war department, but with those who now
decline to make the necessary provision.
be greatly increased; there is no higher
of citizen than the American regular
OFFICER. and he should have q fair reward
tor his admirable work. There should be
n relatively even greater increase in the
pay for the enlisted men. In especial pro-
vision should be made for establishing
GERS in the navy which should be open to
the enlisted men who serve sufficiently
long and who do their work well.
Among the officers there should be Sc
we're examinations to weed out the unfit
up to the grade Of major. From that posi-
ton on appointments should be solely by
and 1t should be understood that
! man of merely average capacity could
never get beyond the position of major,
while every man who serves In any grade
, certain length of time prior to promotion
to the next grade without getting the pro-
motion to the next grade should be forth
retired. Practice marches and field
OF the last two or three years
nave been invaluable to the army. They
be continued and extended. A rigid
a aha.,a n4t ca 2 met pse exa nranideS ro OF
we'll.
Perhaps the most important OF all legis-
alton needed for the benefit of the army
a law to ~equalize and Increase the pay
Of officers and enlisted men of the army,
service. mas sueh e : Piii a has bessnq =prep Daresr
which It is hoped win meet with your
consideration. The next most
essential measure is to authorize a num-
Ter OF extra OniCerR a8 mentioned above.
make the army more attractive to en-
men. It IL absolutely essential to
learIy every modern army in the world.
do the skilled and unskilled labor, In
Ieperably connected with military admin
fust compensation, of enlisted men who
Voluntarily entered the army to do service
II an all together different kind.
To build one battleship Of the best and
Ieep our fleet up to Its present force. This
9 not enough. In my Judgment. we should
I ei i y idi. p p5q Snile f Satt fNaf Rat, uniess in a sd.
lition to providing the men. and the
means for thorough training, we provide
locks. the coaiing stations, the Golfers
md supply. ships that they need. We are
extremely deficient In coalinr stations and
not longer be permitted to exist.
olenty. OF torpedo boats and destroyery
Ihould be built. Both on the Atlantic
,est type should Be provided for ali our
Ireatese harbOfs.
Until our battle feet is much larger
han at present It should never. be splk
INTO ~detachments 50 far apart that they
:ould not In event Of emergency be speed
" united. Our coast line Is on the Pa
inc just az much as on the ATLANTIC. The
interests Of California, Oregon and WASH
ngton are - emphatically the interests
the whole union az those Of Maine and
New York. OF Louisiana n Texas. The
,attle fleet shOuld now and then be
moved to this Pacific just as at otner
lines 1t should be kept in the Atlantic.
When the isthmian canal Is built the
. the other viii be Comparatively easy.
fieet viii be thus shifted between
nsrt sMo ncsaps o svs III o osar .S ST si "a. Tine Tine
,roved phenomena1ly during tho laAt ave
ears. Until within the last tive or three
e. fe e was e so 9 Rossio ma 70 syo,n , nn nssr
ervice conditions, and It is cnlY. during
hese last two or three Yeas that the
raining under these conditions has Be.
necessary. stride In advance y VOW being
aiken. The battle feet 10 aAcVt starting
s. the Straits Of Magellan 70 visit h
under the command of RSAd Admiral
while eight arnora HrNisers and
-wo other battleships will meet him at
iestroyer are also going. No meet Of
UGH Size has ever made such q voyage,
nd It viii be Of very Greet educational
y witch TO Teach ofscsss and men how
handle the f1eet no ~ to meet every
,ossible strain n e1nsFgency In time Of
conditions in time Of peace. More
the only way to Ind out our actual
reeds - to perform In time OF peace
n 81 %aneuv 1fs.r nl van e se d eeiHessar K
s too slate to find out the leeds; that