Mower County transcript., 1908-12-09

fOF1o H1C0,
I again recommend that American cit
Porto Rico. E57s5F4%s.
& HI III Cuba.
In Cuba our occupancy win cease IN
about two months time: the Cubans.
have in orderly manner elected their own S
governmental authorities, and the island
will be turned over z them. j, Cur occu- #s
patton on this occa1inn ms lasted q Elit-
tie over two years. and Cuba has thriv-s
en- and prospefed under y: Our earnest.
hope and one desire ~ that the people
Of the island shslf now govern them
selves with justfcey 10 that peace and orr
der may be secure 5s5g, .s55z .5s
u Japanese Exposition. .:# s=
The Japanese government has post
poned until 1917 the date. Of the great
International exposition, the action be-.
Ing taken 50 as to Insure ample time.
IN which to prepare TO make the expo-.
sition all that 1t should BE made. The,
american commissioners have visited. 7
Japan and the postponeinant will mere
" give ampleri opportunity for Amsri-
ca to be represented at the exposition.
Not since theffirst Information onaI expo.
eitlon has there been one Of greater
Importance than this will be, mai king,
a. it does: the fftieth ,anniveraarysof of
the ascension to the throne Of tho 4r1- Z.
peror Of Japan. The g. extraordinarily
leap to the foremtst place among the
nations ,of the world made by Japan L
unparalleled IN all previous history.
/! # ! take this opportunity publicly to.s
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 its appre-
citation of the abounding and generouE
hospitality shown our ships in every
port they visited. S5. s 3-,:, y =.
.t. - The Army. 50.
AS regards the army call attention
TO the fact that while our junior offi-
GERS and enlisted men stand very high,
the present system OF prom otion by
seniority results in bringing into the
higher grades many men OF medi ocre
capacity who have but q short time to
serve. No man should regard it NJ his
vested right to rise to the highest rank
~ the army any more than in any
81 AZ meahs ersdit.bls i fact tuIs that thsrs .ns
should &be} a. often L failure on tfi1
pArt Of the public ana it's REPRESENTS,
tiveS 10 understand the great need
from the standpoint Of the service ana
the nation, of refusing TO promote re-
spectable: elderly tncompetents. The
most deserving; men without regard to
seniority; At least seniority should Be
treated AZ only one consideration. IN,
the stress Of modern Industrial COM
petition no business hrm could succeed
II those responsible for Its mana cement
were chosen simply on the ground that
they were the oldest people in it's en- .
p1oyment; yet this :is the course advo-
Gated as regards the army. and re-
Quired 5Ybyg law for all grades excApt
those OF general enieSr. A. Q 1natsSe
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
The scope Of retiring boards should
be extended SO that they could COM
slider general unfltness to command for !
any cause, ingorder to secure far more
rigid enforcement than at present In
the elimination of officers for mental.
physical or ,temperamental disabilities.
But this plan is recommended only il
the congress does not see AT to provide
what in my Judgment Is far: better,
ehat is, for selection in promotion, and
for elimination for age. :: :Ofneerss who
fail to attain certain rank by GER
tain age, should be retired-for in-
field rank by the time he is 45 he.
should of course be placed on the re-
tired list. General officers, should be
selected as at present, and one-thir6
of the other promotions should be
made by selection, the selection to be-
made by the president or secretary Of
war from list of at least two candi-
dates proposed for each vacancy by q !,
board of officers from the arm Of the
service from which the promotion ts
to be made. A bill is now before the
congress having for its object to se-l
cure the promotion of officers to vari-2
Gus grades at reasonable ages through
a process of selection, by boards of Of
ficers, of the least efficient for retire.
ment with a percentage Of their pay
depending upon length Of service. The
bill, although not accomplishing all (
that should be done, is a long step in
the right direction; and r earnestly
recommend its passage, or that Of :
more completely effective measure.
National Guard. .5s.
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 power
to perfect it's efficiency i It should be
assisted in it's instruction and other
wise aided more literally than hereto
fore. THE continuous services of many
well trained regular officers will be
bill is now pending before the
congress creating a number Of extra
officers in the army, which III passed,
as it ought to; Hbe will enable more /
officers to be trained astinstructors of !.
National Guard and ASST gned to that
duty. In case of war 1t will be Of
utmost Importance to have aS large,
number of trained officers to use for
turning raw levies into good troops.
The Navy. i: N s=S. s3=5s.f
approve the recommendations I Of il
the general board for the In
crease Of the, navy, calling especial
attention to . the need Of addi-s v
tional destroyers and colliers, and above
all, Of the four battleships. It is desir.
able to- complete as soon as possible 4
squadron Of eight battleships Of the best
existing type. T5a3$ $ X :t .t s A i { Rs
4 I most earnestly recommend that the
general board be by law turned into . d
general staff. There is literally no ex-
cuse whatever for continuing the pres
ent bureau organization Of the navy. The III
navy should be treated as a purely mill
tary orga nization, and everything should 4
be subordinated to the one object Of re- S5
curing military efficiency "A system
OF promotion ll1 Il by merit. either by selec SIS