The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-12-17

g. ..,,i, recommend the szseng7on Of !
en-. ocean mail act OF 1881 80 that satls- !
factorv American ocean mail INES 10
south America Asia. the Philippines
ana Australasia may be eataOHsheu. !
Hawaii.
7 call particular attention 20 the Ter
ritory Of Hawaii. The Importance OF
those Islands IL apparent. ana the need
~ improving their condition ana de-
veIoping their resources Is urgent
TIE Philippines.
Real progress toward self-governmens
ia being made in the Philippine Islands,
trust that within generation
tho tire will arrive when the Philippines
can decide for themselves whether II Is
well for them to become Independent, or
% continue under the protection or a
strong and dlsintcrested power, able To
,,lIarantee TO the islands order at home
and protection from foreign invasion.
Porto Rico.
I again recommend that American cit
izenship be conferred upon the people 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 occu-
nation on this occasion has lasted a lit
lie 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.
Japanese Exposition.
The Japanese government has post
poned until 1917 the date of the great
international exposition, the action be-
| ing taken so as to insure ample time
| in which to prepare to make the expo
| sition all that it should be made. Inc
American commissioners have visited
japan and the postponement Will mere
| " give ampler opportunity Tor Amerl-
| ca to be represented at the exposition.
| Not since the first International expo
| sition has there been one of greater
| importance than this will be, marking.
| as ii does the fftieth anniversary OF
| the ascension to the throne of the en-
| peror of Japan. The extraordinary
| leap to the foremost place among the
| nations Of the world made by Japan
| during this half century is something
| unparalleled in all previous history.
1 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 it's practice voyage around
| the world. The American government
| can not too strongly express it's 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 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. 1t is a curious and
by no means creditable fact that there
should be often a failure on the
part of the public and its representa-
tives to understand the great need,
from ehe standpoint of the service and
the nation, of refusing to promote re-
spectacle. 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
If those responsible for its management
were chosen simply on the ground that
they were the oldest people in it's en-
! ployment; yet this is the course advo-
Gated as regards the army. and re-
quired by law for all grades except
those of general officer. AS a 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 boards should
I l.
slider general unfitness to command for
any cause. in order to secure a far more
rigid enforcement than at present in
the elimination of officers Cor mental.
physical or temperamental disabilities.
But this plan is recommended only il
the congress does not see fit to provide
what in my judgment is far better,
that is, for selection in promotion, and
for elimination for age. Officers who
fail to attain a certain rank by a GER
tain age should be retired-for in
stance, II a man should not attain
| field rank by the time he is As he
should of course be placed on the re-
tired list. General officers should be
selected as at present. and one-third
: of the other promotions should be
made by selection. the selection to be
made by the president or secretary OF
a war from list Of at least two candi.
dates proposed for each vacancy by q
board of officers from the arm of tn,
= service from which the promotion 1.
to be made. A bill is now before the
congress having for its object to Sc.
cure the promotion of officers to vari.
4 Gus grades at reasonable ages through
: a process of selection. by boards of of
hcers, of the least efficient for retire
! ment with percentage of their PAL
depending upon length of service. TIL,
bill, although not accomplishin al
that should be done. is long step il
: the right direction; and l earnestl,
c recommend its passage, or that of ,
I more completely effective measure
, National Guard.
Now that the organized militia. tn
National Guard has been incorporate,
with the army as part OF the nationa
e forces 1t behooves the government I,
do every reasonable thing in its powe
= to perfect its efficiency. 1t should b
: assisted in its instruction and other
= wise aided more literally than hereto
:, fore. The continuous services of man
r well-trained regular officers will b
. essential in this connection
II Dill is now pending before II
d congress creating number of extr
officers in the army. which if passed
as ii ought to be- will enable NOR
officers to be trained as Instructors O
o National Guard and assigned to tina
e DUTY In case Of war II win be OF tn
e utmost Importance to have a larE
y number of trained officers to use 10
/ turning raw levies into good troops.
The Nav