The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-04

cur-and has pointed out the adaptaDll- ity of these areas to the cultivation of particular crops. The results of these in vestigations are not only of high edu- cational value. but are worth each year to the progressive farmers of the coun- try many times the cost of maintaining the survey, which, it may be added, is exceedingly small. 1 recommend to Con gress that this bureau, whose usefulness is seriously handicapped by lack of funds, be granted an appropriation in some de- gree commensurate with the importance of the work 1t is doing.
 Ocean Mail Service.
 call your especial attention to the unsatisfactory condition of our foreign mail service, which. because of the lack of American steamship lines is now largely done through foreign lines, and which, particularly so far as South and Central America are concerned, Is done in a manner which constitutes a serious barrier to the extension of our commerce.
 The time has come, in my Judgment, 10 set to work seriously, to make our ocean mail service correspond more closely without our recent commercial and politi- cal development. A beginning was made by the ocean mail act of March ,, 1851, but even at that time the act was known to be inadequate in various particulars. Since that time events have moved rapid ly in our history. We have acquired Hawaii, the Philippines, and lesser islands in the Pacific. We are steadily prosecut- ing the great work of uniting at the isth- mus the waters of the Atlantic and Pa cifc To a greater extent than seemed probable even dozen years ago, we may look to an American future on the sea worthy of the traditions of our past. As the first step in that direction, and the step most feasible at the present time,
 .t.z agn af n mail act of 1891. That act has stood for acme years free from successful criti- cism of its principle and purpose. It was based on theories of the obligations or a great maritime nation, undisputed In our own land and followed by other nations since the beginning of steam navigation Briefly those theories are, that 1t Is the duty of a flrst-class power 50 far as practicable to carry its ocean mails under it's own flag; that the fast ocean steam ships and their crews required for such mail service, are valuable auXilartes to the sea power of nation. Furthermore, the construction of such steamships in- sures the maintenance in an efficient con dltion of the shipyards in which our bat tleships must be built.
 The expenditure of public money for the performance of such necessary func- tions of government is certainly War ranted, nor is it necessary to dwell upon the incidental benefits to our foreign com merce, 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 1t should be inn proved. All doubt on this subject is re- moved by the reports of the postoffice department. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1907, that department estimates that the postage collected on the articles exchanged with foreign countries other than Canada and Mexico amounted to S6,- 5I9,043.4S, or 8, 3,637, ,226.S1 more than the net cost of the service exclusive of the cost of transporting the articles between the United States exchange postonices and the United States postofhces at which they were mailed delivered. In other words, the government of the United States, having assumed a monopoly of carrying the mails for the people, is making a profit of over $3600,0O0 by rem derlng a cheap and inefficient service. That profit l believe should be devoted to strengthening our maritime power in those directions where 1t will best pro- mote our prestige. The country is fa- miliar with the facts of our maritime i'm potence in the harbors of the great and Trlen0ly republics or oOuln Y oi- lowing the failure of the shipbuilding bill we lost our only American line of steam CTS to Australia, and that loss on the Pacific has become a serious efnbarraSS- ment to the people Of Hawai-, and mas wholly cut off the Samoan islands from regular communication with the Pacific coast. Puget Sound, in the year. has lost over half -four out of seven) of its Amer ican steamers trading with the Orient.
 NAo ha cf Of a statute mile outward to 20-lSnot Amer ican mail steamships, built according to naval plans, available as cruisers, and manned by Americans. Steamships of that speed are confined exclusively to trans Atlantic trade with New York. To steamships of 16 knots or over only E a mile can be paid, and it is steamships of this speed and type which are needed to meet the requirements of mail service to South America, Asia Qncluding the Philippines) and Australia. l strongly recommend therefore. a simple amend ment to the ocean mail act of 1891 which shall authorize the Postmaster General in his discrention to enter into contracts for the transportation of malls to the republics of South America, to Ashia, tho Philippines, and Australia at a rate not to exceed S4 d mile for steamships of 16 knots speed or upwards subject to the restrictions and obligations of the act of 1891. The profit of s3,60o00o which has been mentioned will fully cover the minimum annual expenditure involved in this recommendation, and it is believed will in time establish the lines so urgent ly needed The proposition involves no new principle but permits the efficient discharge of public functions now in- adequately performed or not performed at all.
 The Army.
 Not only there is not now, but there never has been, any other nation in the world so wholly free from the evils or militarism as is ours. There never has been any other large nation, not even China, which for so long period has had relatively to its numbers so small reg ular army has ours. Never at any time in our history has this nation suf- fered from mlitarism or been in the re- motest danger of suffering from militar- ism. Never at any time of our history has the regular army been of size which caused the slightest appreciable tax upon the taX-paying citizens of the nation. Almost always it has been too small in size and underpaid. Never in our entire history has the nation suffered in the least particular because too much care has been given to the army. too much prominence given it., too much money spent upon it, or because it has been too large. But again and again we > have suffered because enough care has iiot been given to it, because it has been too small, because there has not been sufficient preparation in advance for pos sible war. Every foreign war in which we have engaged has cost us many times inc amount which. if wisely exDended