The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-12-08
Panama canal.

| PANAMA OaHats
| The work on the Panama canal is be-
Ing done with speed. efficiency and
entire devotion to duty which make 1t
a model for all work of the kind. No
task of such magnitude has ever before
been undertaken by any nation, and no
task of the kind has ever been better
performed The men on the isthmus,
from Colonel Goethals and his fellow
commissioners through the entire list
Of employees who are faithfully doing
their duty, have won their right to the
ungrudging respect and gratitude of
the American people.
Ocean Mail Lines. :.
| again recommend the extension OF
the ocean mail act of 1891 so that sat
isfactory 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 Philippine
legislative body and Philippine assem-
| bly, marks 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 own masters.
We have given the Filipinos constitu-
tional government a government based
upon justice, and we have shown that
we have governed them for their good
and not for our ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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 save 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
|
Porto Rico.
l again recommend that American
citizenship be conferred upon the peo-
pie of Porto Rico.
Cuba.
In Cuba our occupancy will cease i'll
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 little over two years, and
Cuba has thriyen and prospered under
1t. Our earnest hope and one 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 fleet has been re-
ceived on its practice voyage around
the world. The American government
cannot too 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. 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 short time to
serve. No man should regard 1t 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 unfitness to command
for any cause in order to secure far
more rigid enforcement than at pres
ent in the elimination of officers for
mental, physical or 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 part of the national
forces 1t behooves the government to
do every reasonable thing In Its pow
er to perfect its efficiency.
A bin is now pending before the
congress creating number Of extra
officers In the army. which. If passed
as It ought to be, will enable more Of
ncers to be trained as instructors Of