The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-08

ton OF congress TO THIS TACT ana TO the
necessity for action predicatcd thereon.
Nothing. however. hats business ana
interfcres with the progress Of pros
perity as the threatened revision of
the tariff and until the facts are at
hand. after careful and deliberate in
vestigation upon which such revision
can properly be taken. it seems to me
unwise to- attempt il. The amount of
INSTRUMENTATION that creeps into argu-
ments prd and con in respect to tariff
rates Is such as to require the kind OF
investigation that ! have directed the
tariff board to make. an investigation
/ undertaken by il wholly without re-
] spect to the effect which the facts may
have in calling for a rcadjustmcnt of
the rates of duty.
War Department.
| In the interest of immediate economy
and because of the prospect of n def
let, ] have requested reduction in
the estimates of the war department
for the coming fiscal year. which
brings the total estimates down to an
amount si5.000.000 less than the cor
responding estimates for last year.
! This could only he accomplished by
cutting off new projects and suspend
| ing for the period of one year all prog
ress in military matters. For the same
reason | have directed that the army
shall rot, be recruited up to its present
authorized strength. These measures
can hardly be more than temporary
To last until our rcyenues are i'm better
condition and until the whole question
/ Of the cXpediency of adopting a def
| mite military policy can be submitted
| to congress. for | am sure that the
interests of the military establishment
are seriously in need of careful con-
sideration by congress. The laws reg
! ulat:ng the organization of our armed
forces in the event of war need to be
revised i'm order that the organization
can be modified. so as to produce a
force which would be more consistent
~ apportioned throughout its riumer-
(, Gus branches. To explain the circun.-
stances upon which this opinion is
based would necessitate a lengthy dis
cussion and postpone 1t until the
nrst convenient opportunity shall arise
to send to congress a special message
i upon this subject
| The secretary of war calls attention
army in all of which concur but the
/ point upon which place most empha-
I sis Is the need for an elimination bill.
providing n method by which the mer-
It's Of officers shall have some effect
upon their advancement and by which
the advancement Of all may be arcel-
Grated by the elimination of a definite
proportion of the least efficient. There
n nv
ours, a number of officers who do not
violate their duty in any such way as
to give reason for courtmartial or
dismissal. but who do not show such
aptitude and skill and character for
nigh command as to justify their re-
naming in the active service to be pro-
NOTED. Provision should be made by
which they should be retired on a GER
tain proportion of their pay, increas-
Ing with their length of service at the
time Of retirement
/ There Is now personnel law for
the navy. which itself needs amend
ment and to which I shall make fur
ther reference. Such a law is needed
quite as mitch for the army.
The coast defenses of the United
States proper are generally all that
| could be desired. and in some respects
they are rather more elaborate than
under present conditions are needed to
stop an enemy's fleet from entering the
harbors defended. There Is. how
ever one place where additional de-
Tense is badly needed and that is Mt
he mouth of Chesapeake bay. where
II Is proposed to make an artificial
island for a fort. which shaE prevent
an enemy's fleet from: entering this
most important strategica, base of op-
erations on the whole Atlantic and
gulf coasts. l hope that appropriate
legislation will be adopted to secure
the construction of this defense.
The military and naval joint board
| nave unanimously agreed that it would
be unwisc to make the large expendi-
lures which at one time We're con-
iemplated in the establishment of n
. naval base and station In the Philip-
pine islands. and have expressed their
Judgment. I'm which I fully concur, in
faSor OF making an extensive naval
base at Pearl harbor. near Honolulu,
and not in the Philippines. This does
not dispense with the necessity for the
comparatively small appropriations
required to finish the proper coast de-
lenses In the Philippines now under
construction on the island of Correg-
idor and elsewhere. or to complete a
suitable repair station and co;tling sup
ply station at olonsapo. where is the
floating dock Dewey" l hope that
this recommendation of the joint board
will end the discussion as to the COM
parative merits Of Manila bay and
Oionsapo as naval station and will
lead to prompt measures for the equip
ment and defense of Pearl harbor.
Tire Navy.
The return of the battlcship flee:
from its voyage around the world, i'm
more efficient condition than when il
started. was. a noteworthy event. of
interest alike to eur citizens and the
naval authorities of the world. Beside
the beneficial and far-reaching effect
on our personal and diplomatic returns
in the countries which the fleet visited,
the marked success of the ships in
steaming around the world in all
weathers on schedule time. has in
creased the respect for our navy and
has added to our national prestige