The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-12-06

= ' - '
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 batteships 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 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
cific 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 attachments so far apart that thew
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, lust
as at other times it should be kept in
the Atlantic. When the isthmian canal
is built the transit of the battle fleet
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
fleet 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 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 feet 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 strong
and self respecting man should behave
toward the other men with whom he
is brought into contact. In other words,
our 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 u.s.,
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 accom- lished much good 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. Timid deposit
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-
post 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
on the rural routes. 1t would be a
most desirable thing to put the fourth
class postmasters in the classified serv-
ice
Other recommendations are:
Deepening of the inland waterways,
especially of the Mississippi river sys-
tenn, to make them great national high
ways
The repeal of the tariff on forest
products, especially the duty on wood
pulp.
The amendment Of the public land
laws to make them more effective
against land grabbers and more favor
able to bona fide settlers.
Retention of the governments title
to public coal and other mineral lands.
Extension of the national forest re-
serves
Citizenship for the people of Porto
Rico.
Freer local self government for Alas
ka. .
Encouragement of the merchant ma
rine, particularly Of an ocean mail line
to South America.
Remission of the Boxer indemnity
and freer entry for Chinese students
coming TO America.
Thomas Hoy Doing Nicely.