The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-16

1airnlan OF the Republican National
\ Keynote Speech Today. - ----.-..---.-
of the army after graduation gives to
our onlcers higher training in mill
tary science and the practical needs of
actual war than the officers of any
other army. By the division of the
artilIery corps into the field and coast
artillery the army has been separated
INTO two branches-the mobile army
ana tnat part needed for the mainten-
ance of the coast defenses. Work upon
the coast defenses has proceeded both
upon the mainland and in the depen-
denotes upon well-devised scheme for
their completion. The time Is near at
hand when we can rest secure that
tendencies will be proof against the
sudden capture of any seaport in which
the nations flag is flying.
Most important progress has been
made in the development of the nation
al militia as an aid to the regular army
or the United States. By weli-direct.
ed legislation and by the activity of
the proper bureaus of the war depart
| ment, for the first time in the history
of the country adequate steps are be-
ing taken to bring about an approx
| nation Of armament, equipment, and
discipline of the militia to those of the
regular army. The Importance of this
development for national defense, can
| not be over-estimated. sv-
Medical Department.
| The medical department mas rem
dered most valuable service in stamp
| ing out yellow fever without which it
would have been impossible to con-
| struct the. Panama canal. The army
has aided the stricken people of San
! ton and death due to the earthquake
and fire with which that city was
j visited. :, ~-ig4s rs;.-,i5-s-. -
Another and most remarkable in
stance of the efficiency of the army
has been the work done by it during
the year of it's stay in Cuba. as a force
| for the maintenance of the tranquil
cation of that island. Not a single re-
port Of any abuse. by officer or man
has reached the department, during
| the entire time.
The management of our outlying
possessions under Republican admin
| istration has been attended with re-
markable success. Under American
occupation and control the commerce
of the island of Porto Rico, which in
the most prosperous days of Spanish
| rule aggregated but % million dol
lars. was. in 1907, Sc millions The
production of sugar has advanced
from 100000 tons to 100000 tons,
valued at..15 million dollars.
When we took possession of the
island there was but one school build
ing owned by the government. Now
| there are over so, built and under con-
struction. and the number of pupils IN
the public schools is 10000. Peace
and order prevail throughout the
island. and representative is accord
ed to the United States.
In the Philippine. Islands the people
have been given legislative body, the
full power of conducting their own
municipal and provincial govern
"a foh 1iSh 80
tariff system, the direction of the pos
tai service, and indeed greater rights
and powers than those possessed by
any other people subject to our SOW
ereignty. A sound and reliable cur
rency system has been established.
schools so enlarged that the number
of primary schools now aggregate be-
tween 5000 and 1000, with total en-
rollment in March last of 479,s7S.
Postoff1ces have been established
throughout the archipelago, free de-
livery service in the city of Manila,
practically 10000 miles of telegraph
and cable lines are in operation, and
| several hundred miles of new railway
! while less than 10 per cent of the gov
eminent employees and municipal Of
| fees are Americans. and of the police
and consta bulary force SO per cent are
| Filipinos.
| Civilizing the Filipinos.
| The work of civilizing and uplifting
| the Inhabitants of the Philippine is.
| lands has gone forward with remark.
able progress. The president of the
United States aptly summarizes the
| whole matter as follows:
| NO great civilized power has ever
managed with such wisdom and disin
| terestedness the affairs of people
| committed by the accident of war t.
| its hands. If we had followed the ad
vice of the misguided persons wht
! wished to turn the islands loose ant
let them suffer whatever fate might be
fall them. they would have alread,
| passed through a period of couplet,
and bloody chaos, and would COW jlfl
| doubtedly be the possession of SOM
other power which there is every rea.
son to believe would not have done a
we have done-that is, would not hav
striven to teach them how to govern
| themselves or to have developed them
as we have developed them. primaril,
in their own interests Save only on
attitude toward Cuba l uuestio
whether there is a brighter page in tn
annals OF International dealing be
tween the strong and the weak tina
the page which tells of our doings i
the Philippines.
Peace prevails throughout the is
!. lands today in a greater degree tina
| ever in the history of the islands, eth
er under Spanish or American rule. an
: agriculture is nowhere now impeded b
the fear on the part of the farmer {
. the 1ncursion of predatory bands Ur
der the policy already stated. inaugu
rated by the instructions of Presider