Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-06-17

/ only one ship besides the cruiser that
carried me flying the American flag
i Further saying: 'The best way to
! travel between the United States and
South America is to go by way of Eu.
rope, crossing the Atlantic twice.
I'm the year ending June 80, 1906
| there entered the port of Rio de janet.
70 steamers and sailing vessels, 12O
flying the flag of Austro-H Hungary, 142
of Norway, 165 of Italy, 264 of Argen.
tina, $40 of France, 657 of Germany,
1,7S5 of Great Britain, and only 2
steamers and sailing vessels from
the United States, of which were in
distress. Not one American steam
4 ship runs to South American port
beyond the Caribbean
Merchant Marine.
Secretary Root concludes: "This
/ woeful deficiency in the means to car
ry on and enlarge our South Ameri-
can trade is but part of the general
decline and feebleness of the Ameri-
can marine, which has reduced us
| from carrying over 80 per cent of our
export trade in our own ships to the
carriage of per cent of that trade
and dependence upon foreign ship
owners for the carrying 81 per cent
This humiliating condition should
stimulate the American people to re-
newed and determined effort to re-es-
tablish merchant marine, until we
are able to carry American mails and
American merchandise under the
American flag to every port of trade.
i Efficiency of Our Army.
i The work of recognizing and pro-
i noting the efficiency of the army has
gone steadily forward until we have
military, force not only sufficient to
maintain peace within our own Dor
ders but capable of resisting any pos
sible force that could be sent against
! us. The establishment of a general
staff of the army has made action by
it more prompt and effective than
ever before, and has served to give to
the policy of Improvement in the army
4 a prominent character
i The educational training of officers
of the army after graduation gives to
our officers a higher training in mill
| tary science and the practical needs
of actual war than the officers of any
other army. BY the division of the
artillery corps into the field and coast
artillery the army has been separated
4 into two branches-the mobile army
and that part needed for the mainten-
ance of the coast defenses. Work up
on the coast defenses has proceeded
both upon the mainland and In the
4 dependencies upon .well-devised
scheme for their completion. The
time is near at hand when we can rest
secure that both our mainland coast
and our dependencies will be proof
against the sudden capture of any sea
port in which the nations flag is fly.
! ing.
Most important progress has been
made in the development of the ma.
tional militia as an aid to the regular
army Of the United States. By well.
directed legislation and by the activ,
ity of the proper bureaus of the wal
department, for the first time in the
history of the country adequate steps
are being taken to bring about an
approximation of armament, equip
ment. and discipline of the militia to
those of the regular army. The i'm
portance Of this development for ma
tional defense can not be overesti
mated.
Our Navy.
Our navy has been strengthened
: until today We hold a second place
among the naval powers of the world
and our feet Of battleships rides tri
umphantly around the globe, receiv
j ing. the friendly salutations OF the ma
: tions. conveying peace and good viii
( to all the people.
+ The department Of justice has pros
j ecuted its work with fidelity and dill
= igence, seeking to prevent violation,
of federal law and to mete out merit
j orious punishment to the guilty. It,
. most important work during the pas
, four years has been to defend til,
soundness of the positions taken b.
It relating to prosecutions under tn,
!; Sherman antitrust law and the inter
$ state commerce law, by carrying pro
t ceedings thus inaugurated through
I the various courts and t6a final deter
q mination by the supreme court Of tn
United States, that the constitutional
e ity Of these acts might be adjudicate,
j, and settled.
L The effort of the national govern
y ment to invoke that provision OF tn
= federal constitution which empower
+ congress to regulate cOmmernn wifi