The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-12-11


to continue under the protection OF a
strong and DISTINGUISHED power. able to
guarantee 10 the islands order at home
and protection from foreign invasion
Porto Rico.
again recommend that American cit
ia"nshp he conferred upon the people OF
Porto Rico.
Cuba
In Cuba our occupancy will cease ~
about TWO months time; the Cubans
have In orderly manner elected their own
governmental authorities, and the island
will be turned over 20 them. our occu-
patton on this occasion has lasted a Mt
tie over two years. and Cuba has thriy-
en- and prospercd under it. our earnest
hope and one dslre 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
pun"d uHtil 1917 the date OF the great
international exposition. the action be-
ing taken so as to insure ample time
in which 10 prepare to max" tho expo
| sitinu all that IT should b" made. Tho
American commissioners have visited
| Japan and the postponcmont will mere
! ~ give amrlcr opportunity for Amori-
! cn 70 BE- represented at the exposition.
| s.ilon has there been one Of greater
! Importance than this will be- marking.
| as 1t does tho nftoth anniversary OF
| the ascension to the throne Of the en-
| prrpr OF Japan. The extraordinary
| leap to the foremost place among tho
| nations Of the world mndc by japan
| during this half century Is something
! unparalleled in all previous history
! | take this opportunity publicly to
| state my appreciation nf the way In
/ which IN Japan, in Australia, In New
/ Zealand. and in All the states OF South
| America. the battle feet has been re-
| c,iyod on it's practice voyHg" around
/ the world The American government
! can not too strongly express It's npprc-
/ cation Of tn" Astounding and generous
! hospitality shown our ships in every
/ port They visited.
The Army.
As regards the army | call attention
! 20 tho fact that while our junior Ofii-
/ rcrB and enlisted men stand very high.
/ tho present system Of promotion by
/ seniority results In bringing into tho
/ higher grades many men of mediocre
| capacity who have but a short time to
| serve. No man should regard II ms his
! vested right TO rise to the highest rank
| in the army any more than In any
| other profession. II Is curious and
| hy no means creditabic fact that there
! should be so often a failure or tho
! part Of tho public and its representa-
! tivcs to understand the grcn' need.
from the standpoint Of the service and
the nation, OF refusing to promote re-
! spoctablc. elderly incOmp"tcnts. The
! higher places should be given to the
most deserving men without regard to
seniority; at least seniority should be
treated rs only one consideration, In
the stress Of modern industrial COM
q 4..I
II those responsible for its management
were chosen simply on the ground that
thcy were the oldest people In It's en-
ploymcnt, yet this IL the course advo.
Gated as regards the army, and ro
quircd by law for all grades except
those OF general officer. As n matter
OF fact all OF the best officers In tho
| 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
be extended so that they could con-
slider general unfitncss to command for
any cause, In order to secure a FAR moro
rigid enforcement than at present in
the elimination OF officers for mental.
physical or tcmpcramcntal disabilities.
But this plan is recommended only IL
the congress does not see ~ 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 certain rank by ccr-
tain age. should be retired-for in
stance. II man should not attain
field rank by tho time he is d he
| llouid OF course he placed on the re-
tired list General officers should be
selected ms at present and onc-third
OF the other promotions should be
made by selection, 'ae selection to be
| q
war from list Of at least two candi-
dates proposed for each vacancy by n
board OF officers from the arm of the
service from which the promotion In
to be made bin is now before the
congress having for its object to Sc
cure tho promotion OF officers TO vari-
Gus grades Mt reasonable ages through
n process OF selection, by boards OF Of
fcers. OF the least efficient for retire
mcnt with percentage OF their pay
depending upon length OF service. The
bill. although not accomplishing all
that should he done, is long step in
the right direction; and | earnestly
recommend its passage, or that OF q
more completely effective measure.
National Guard.
Now that the organized militia. this
National Guard. has been Incorporated
with the army as n part OF the national
forces. II behooves the government 70
do every reasonable thing in its power
to perfect it's efficiency. II should be
assisted in its instruction and other
wise aided more literally than hereto
fore. The continuous services of many
well-trained regular officers will be
essential In this connection. A
bill Is now pending before tho
congress creating number OF. extra
officers In the army, which II passed
as 1t ought to be, will enable more
officers to be trained as instructors OF
National Guard and assigned to that
duty. In case OF war II Will be of the
utmost importance to have larg,
number OF trained officers to use fol
turning raw levies into good troops.
} The Navy.
approve the recommendations oi
the general board for the In
crease OF the navy, calling especia
attention to the need of add.
tlonal dcstroyers and GOLFERS. and nbov,
all. OF the four battleshps 1t is desir'
able to complete as soon ns possible {
squadron of eight battleships of the bes
existing type.
,