The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-12-11

pendlture or money. Then the Stipu.
lation should be made that no party
receiving campaign funds from the
treasury should accept more than a
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 Iegisla-
tion to increase the number of officers
IN the army. especially In the medical
corps. The rate Of pay Of officers
should be greatly increased, he de-
clares. There should be q relatively
even greater increase In the rate Of
pay OF enlisted men If we are to keep
the army In shape to be effective I'm
time Of need. The president recon-
mends severe examination of officers
Tor promotion up to the rank of ma ior.
FROM that point promotion should be
purely py selection. lie speaks Of the
recent physical test of army officers
with emphatic appreciation and recon.
mends bill eQualiZing the pay Of
ofhcers and men Of the army, navy.
marine corps and revenue cutter sery.
Ice.
RI. N.xx. s-.,
Concerning the navy the president
says: I
In my judgment, we should this
year provide for four battleships. But
1t 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-unless
we provide docks, the coaling stations,
the colliers and supply ships that they
need. We are extremely deficient I'm
coaling stations anu docks on the Pa
cifc. and this deficiency should not
longer be permitted TO exist. Plenty
Of torpedo boats AMI destroyers should
be built. Both on the Atlantic and Pa
cifc coasts f0rtiications of the best
type should be provided for all our
greatest harbors. Z
Until our battle feet is much larger
than at present it should never be sniff
into detachments so far apart that thev
cou'a not In event Of emergency be
speedily united. Our coast line is nm
the Pacific just as much as on the AT.
lantic. The battle feet should now.
and then be moved to the Pacific, lust
as at other times it should be kept In
the Atlantic. When the isthmian canal
is built the transit Of the battle fieef
from one ocean to the other viii ba
comparatively easy. Until it is built
I earnestly hope that the battle feet
VIII be thus shifted between the two
oceans every year or two. The battle
neet Is about starting by the strait Of
Magellan to visit the Pacific coast
Sixteen battIeships are going under the
command OF Rear Admiral Evans. while
eight arm6fed 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 q voyage, and
VIII be OF very great educational use
to all engaged in it. The only way by
which 70 teach officers and men how
to handle the feet so as to meet every
possible strain and emergency in time
OF war is 70 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 se-
lection above the grade Of lieutenant
commander.
Foreign Affairs.
In foreign affairs. the president saws.
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 ha
Is brought into contact In other words.
our aim is disinterestedly to help other
nations where such help can be wisely
given without the appea rance Of med
ding with what does not concern US.
to b& careful to act as good neighbor
and Pt 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
1t accomplished much good work
Postal Savings Banks.
The president says on postal affairs:
l commend to the favorable cousid-
Grafton of the congress postal saw
ings bank system as recommended hy
the postmaster general Timid deposf-
tors have withdrawn their savings for
the time being from national banks,
trust companies and savings banks, in
dividuals have boarded their cash
and the workingmen their earnings. all
OF which money has been withheld
and kept In hiding or in the safe de-
posit box to the detriment of prosper
ity. Through the agency of the postal
savings banks such money would be
restored to the channels of trade, to
the mutual benefit of capital and labor.
further commend to the congress
the consideration of the postmaster
generals recommendation for an ex-
tension of the parcel post. especially