The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-12-10

p~ortionMr
trade during t,.e Iast te., Years. anu
I ore other his ;:lnse sre iaI+riaims on
f.la interest of the United States.
Panama Canal.
.He work on the Panama canal is be-
Zone with d speed. efficiency and
.e devotion to duty which make it
-aeel for all work of the kind. No
OF such magnitude has ever before
~ undertaken by any nation, and no
OF the kind has ever been better
o-,-led. The men on the isthmus
- Colonel Goethals and his fellow
...aiseioners through the entire list
",4i wees who are faithfully doing
II dity, have won their right to the
Judging respect and gratitude OF
n american people.
Ocean Mail Lines.
/ again recommend the extension Of
the ocean mail act of 1891 so that sat.
isfGctory American ocean mail lines to
South America, Asia, the Philippines
and Australasia may be established.
The creation Of such steamship lines
should be the natural ~corollary of the
voyage OF the battle fleet. 1t should
precede the opening OF the Panama
canal.
The Philippines.
Real progress toward self govern
ment is being made in the Philippine
Islands. The gathering Of a Philippine
legislative body and Philippine assem-
bly, marks a process absolutely new In
Asia, not only as regards Asiatic colo
MES of European powers, but as re-
CARDS Asiatic possessions of other Ash
attic powers, and indeed, always ex-
cepting the striking and wonderful ex-
ample afforded by the great empire of
Japan, it opens an entirely new de-
parture when compared with anything
which has happened among Asiatic
powers which are their w masters.
We have given the Filipinos constftu-
tional government, a government based
upon justice, and we have shown that
we have governed them for their good
and not for our ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
At the present time, as during the
past ten years, the MEMORABLE logic of
facts shows that this government
must be supplied by us and not by
them. We must be wise and gener-
Gus. We must help the Filipinos to
master the difficult art Of self con-
troll, which is simply another name for
self government. But we cannot give
them self government a " in the
sense Of governing them so that grad
ually they may, If they are able, learn
to govern themselves. No one can
prophesy the exact date when it will
be wise to consider independence as
a fixed and definite policy.
Porto Rico.
/ again recommend that American
citizenship be conferred upon the peo-
pie of Porto Rico.
Cuba.
In Cuba our occupancy will cease In
about two months time. The Cubans
have in orderly manner elected their
own governmental authorities, and the
island will be turned over to them.
Our occupation on this occasion has
lasted q little over two years, and
Cuba has thrtven and, prospered under
it. Our earnest hope and n desire
is that the people Of the island shall
now govern themselves with justice,
so that peace and order may be Sc
cure.
The Fleets Reception.
l take this opportunity publicly to
state my appreciation Of the way in
which in Japan, in Australia, in New
Zealand and in all the states Of South
America the battle feet has been re-
ceived on it's practice voyage around
the world. The American government
cannot toe strongly express its appre-
citation of the Astounding and generous
hospitality shown our ships in every
port they visited.
The Army.
AS regards the army, l call attention
to the fact that, while Our junior Off
GERS and enlisted men stand very high,
the present system of promotion by
seniority results in bringing into the
higher grades many men of mediocre
capacity who have but a short time to
serve. No nan should regard it as
his vested right to rise to the highest
rank in the army any more than in
any other profession.
The scope of retiring boards should
be extended so that they could con-
slider general unftness to command
for any cause in order to u a far
more rigid enforcement than at pres
ent in the elimination of officers for
mental, physical OF temperamental
disabilities. But this plan is recon-
mended only if the congress does not
see fit to provide what in my judg-
ment is far better-that is, for selec.
ton in promotion and for elimination
for age.
Now that the organized militia, the
national guard, has been incorporated
with the army as a part Of the national
forces it behooves the government tc
do every reasonable thing in its pow
er to perfect its efficiency.
A bill is now pending before thu
congress creating q number of extra
officers In the army, which, If passed
asst ought to be, viii enable more OF
fcers to be trained as instructors o.