The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-12-10

II can not have results that will meet
the needs Of this modern nation.
These needs should be met witnout
further dilly-dallying or delay. M
plan which promises the best ana
quickest results is that of a permanent
commission authorized TO
the work of all the government depart
ments relating to waterways, ana 10
frame and SUPERVISE the or
a comprehensive plan.
The pure food legislation mas al
ready worked a ben
Pure Food. eft difficult to over
estimate. .
The president reneWs his recon-
mendation for postal savings banks,
D. for deposltlng
Postal savings with the
Savings Banks. security or the
government be-
hind them. The object is to
thrift and economy in the w~age-earner
and person of moderate means. Ppstal
savings banks are now In operation III
practically all the great civilized couh.
tries with the exception of the United
States.
The establishment of a. local parcel
post on rural routes would be to the
mutual benefit of the
Parcel Post. farmer and the
country storekeeper,
and il is desirable that the routes,
serving more than 15,OOO,OOO peop'e
should be utilized to the fullest prac-
ticable extent. The postmaster gem
eral estimates that the revenue derived
from the opration OF, such a system on
. all the rural routes would amount 10
many million dollars.
The president urges that the request
Of the director of the census in connec
ton with the decen-
Census, NAL work so soon to
be begun, be com
piled with and that the appointment TO
the census force be placed under the
civil service law, waving geographical
requirements.
All soldiers homes should be placed
under the complete
Soldiers control of the war
Homes. department.
The immediate admission of New
Mexico and Arizona as states is ad-
vocated by the president. This should
be done, he says, at
Statehood. the present session of
congress. The people
of the two territories have made it evil
lent by their votes that they will not
come in as one state. The only al
tentative is to admit them as two, and
this should be done without delay.
The work on the Panama canal is
being done with speed, efficiency and
entire devotion to duty, which make it
a model for all work
Panama Canal. of the kind. NO
task Of such mag
nitude has ever before been undertaken
by any nation; and no task of the
kind has ever been better performed.
The Importance of those islands is
apparent, says the president, and the
need of improving their condition is
urgent. The nation
Hawaii. al government must
provide the neces-
sary harbOr Improvements on each ISL
and, so that the agricultural products
can be carried to the markets of the
world. The cOastwise shipping laws
should be amended to meet the special
needs of the islands, and the alien
contract labor law should be so mOdi-
fed in its application to Hawaii as to
enable American and European labor
to be brought thither.
The Filipino people, through their
officials, are making real steps in the
direction of self-government. Under
the present system
The Philippines. of just laws and
sympathetic admin
I oNioii' VIC nave CIV el tCdSOI " pC~
lieve that they are gradually acquiring
the character which lies at the basis
OF setf-goVeTnment. The president
trusts that within a generation the
line will arrive when the Philippines
can decide for themselves whether 1t
is well for them to become indie
pendent, or to continue under the pro-
lection of a strong and disinterested
power, able to guarantee to the islands
order at hOma and nrntnptinn from
foreign invasion.
The president again recommends that
American citizenship
Porto Rico. be conferred upoN
the people of Porto
Rico.
In Cuba our occupancy will cease in
about two months time; the CubanS
have in an orderly manner elected h ir
l., own governmental
Cuba. authorities, n the
Islands will be turned
over to them. Our occupation on this
occasion has lasted a little over two
years, and Cuba has thriven and pros
pered under it.
AS regards the army the president
calls attention to the fact that while
our junior officers and enlisted men
e.. stand very high, the
h Army. present system or
promotion by senior
lty results in bringing into the higher
grades many men of mediocre capacity,
VINO have but a short time to serve.
The scope of retiring boards hould be
extended so that they could consider
general unfitness to command for any
cause, in order to secufe a far more
rigid enforcement than at present in
the elimination of officers for mental,
physical or temperamental disabilities.
But this plan is recommended only If
congress does not see fit to provide
what in the presidents 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 certain age should be retired.
Now that tee organized militia; the
national guard, has been incorporated
with the army as a
National Guard. part of the nationa!
forces, it behooves
the government to do every reasonable
thing in it's power to perfect it's eff =
cheney. 1t should be assisted in it's in
struction and aided more literally than
heretofore. There should be legisla-
ton to provide a complete plan for or
ganizing the great body of volunteers
behind the regular army and national
guard when war has come.
Tho president approves the recon-
mendations of the general board fol
the increase of the
The Navy. navy, calling especia
attention TO the need
of additional destroyers and GOLFERS
and above all, of the four battleships
1t is desirable to complete as soon as
possible a squadron OF eight battle
ships Of the best existing type. Thu
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