The Monte Vista journal., 1908-12-12
Good Work Done In Cuba.


and protection from foreign invasion.
Good Work Done In 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 occu-
patton on this occasion has lasted a lit
tie over two years. and Cuba has thriv-
en- and prospered under it. Our earnest
hope and one desire Is that the people
OF the island shall now govern them
selves with justice, so that peace and or
der may be secure.
The president urges that national
parks adjacent to national forests be
placed under the control Of the forest
service Of the agricultural depart
ment; he also points out the benefits
derived from pure food legislation
The National Guard.
Urging continued efforts to In
crease the efficiency of the National
Guard the president continues:
Now that the organized militia, tho
National Guard. has been Incorporated
with the army as part OF the national
forces. II behooves the government to
do every reasonable thing in its power
to perfect its efficiency. 1t should be
assisted in its instruction and other
wise aided more literally than hereto
fore. The continuous services of many
welltrained regular officers VIII be
essential in this connection. A
bill is now pending before the
congress creating number OF extra
officers in the army, which II passed
as It ought to be. will enable more
.ofiicers to be trained instructors of
National Guard and assigned to that
- n 4 W n hn
utmost Importance to have large
number of trained officers to use for
turning raw levies into good troops.
The Army.
AS regards the army I call attention
to the fact that while our Junior ON
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 man should regard II as his
vested right to rise to the highest rank
in the army any more than in any
other profession. 1t is curious and
by no means creditable fact that there
should be so often a failure on the
part OF the publie and its representa-
tves to understand the great need,
from the standpoint of the service and
the nation, OF refusing to promote re-
spcctable. elderly incompetents. The
higher places should be given to the
most deserving men without regard to
seniority: at least seniority should be
treated as only one consideration. In
the stress of modern industrial com
petition no business firm could succeed
II those responsible for its management
were chosen simply on the ground that
they were the oldest people in its eu..
ploymcnt; yet this is the course advo-
Gated as regards the army. and re-
guired BY law for all grades except
those of general officer. AS matter
of fact all OF the best officers in the
highest ranks OF the army are those
who have attained their present posi-
ton wholly or In part by process Of
selection.
The scope of retiring board. should
be extended SO that they could con-
| slider general unntness to command for
any cause. In order to sccur. far more
| rigid enforcement than at present in
| the elimination OF officers for mental.
| physical or tcmpcrnmontal disabilities
| But this plan is recommended only IL
; the congress does not sse mt to provide
| what In my Judgment is far better.
| that Is, for selection In promotion. and
| for elimination for age O'iicors who
fail to attain a certain rank by a GER
| tain age. should be r.tirei--for in
| stance. II man should noe attain
| field rank by the time he liz as he
| should OF course be placed on the re-
tired list General officers should he
| selected AS at present, and ona-third
| OF the other promotions should be
| made by selection, the selection TO be
| ,naa. Nv IN. nr,sIa.p, or ..rr.,,ry ~,
war from n list OF nj least two cnnsi.
| dn,.. nronos.d for ,,ch vacancy hy q
hoard Of ouccrs from Tho arm Of mo
service from which the promotion i,
to be made. bin Is now before tho
cure the promotion o, onic.rs TO yari.
Gus grades n, reasonable ages through