The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1909-12-07

foreign countries. have therefore
appointed tariff board consisting Of
three members and have directed them
to perform all the duties above de-
scribed. This work will perhaps take
two or three years, and ask from
congress a continuing annual appro-
priation equal to that already made
for It's prosecution. believe that the
work of this board will be OF prime
utility and Importance whenever con-
gress shall deem 1t wise again to read
just the customs duties. II the facts
secured by the tariff board are Of such
a character as to show generally that
the rates of duties imposed by the pres
ent tnriff law are excessive under the
principles OF protection as described in
the platform Of the successful party at
the late election I shall not hesitate to
invite the attention Of congress to this
predicnted thereon. Nothing. however,
halts business and interferes with the
course of prosperity SO much as the
threatened revision Of the tariff. and
until the facts are at hand, after care
full and deliberate investigation, upon
which such revision can properly be
undertaken. it seems to me unwise to
attempt 1t. The amount of misinfor-
nation that creeps into arguments pro
and con in respect to tariff rates is
such as to require the kind Of investi-
CATION that l have directed the tariff
board to make. an investigation under
taken by it wholly without respect to
the effect which the facts may have In
calling for a readjustment of the rates
of duty.
War Department.
In the interest of immediate econ
omy and because of the prospect of 8
deficit I have required a reduction IL
the estimates of the war department
for the coming fiscal year which
brings the total estimates down to al
amount forty-five millions less thar
the corresponding estimates for las
year. This could be accomplished only
by cutting or new projects and sus
pending for the period of one year al
progress in military matters. For thu
same reason l have directed that the
army shall not be recruited up to 1t:
present authorized strength. Thes.
measures can hardly be more thar
temporary-to last until our revenue.
are In better condition and until thu
whole question of the expediency o.
adopting a definite military policy ca1
be submitted to congress-fOr 1 an
sure that the interests of the military
establishment are seriously in need o.
careful consideration by congress. Th,
laws regulating the organization Of ou
armed forces in the event of war neet
to be revised in order that the organi
zation can be modified so as to produc,
force which would be more consist
emily apportioned throughout its nu
merous branches. TO explain the cir
cumstances upon which this opinion il
based would necessitate lengthy dis
cussion, and postpone it until tn,
first convenient opportunity shall aris,
to send to congress special messag,
upon this subject.
The secretary Of war calls attention
to q number Of needed changes in thu
army. in all Of which / concur, but thu
point upon which place most EN-
phasis Is the need for an elimination
bill providing method by which tn,
merits Of officers shall have some eff
feet upon their advancement and BY
which the advancement Of all may bt
accelerated by the effective, elimination
of a definite proportion of the least effi
cient. There are In every army dn(
certainly In ours number of officer.
who do not violate their duty In an!
such way as to give reason for a cour
martial or dismissal, but who do no
show such aptitude and skill and char
acter for high command as to justif,
their remaining in the active service
to. be promoted. Provision should b.
made by which they may be retired OF
a certain proportion of their pay, in
creasing with their length of service a
the time of retirement. There is nov
a personnel law for the navy which it
self needs amendment and to which
Shall make further reference Such
law Is needed quite as much for tn
army.
Coast Defenses.
The coast defenses Of the Unite,
States proper are generally all tha
could be desired, and in some respect
they are rather more elaborate thai
under present conditions are needle,
to stop an enemy's feet from enterini
the harbors defended. There is, how
ever. one place where additional de
Tense is badly needed. and that is a
the mouth of Chesapeake bay. wher
it is proposed to make an artificial is
land for fort which shall prevent a.
enemy's feet from entering this mos
important strategical base Of opera
tions on the whole Atlantic and gul
coasts. I hope that appropriate legis
lation will be adopted to secure tn
construction Of this defense.
The military and naval joint boar
have unanimously agreed that 1t woul
be unwise to make the large expend
trres which at one time were conten
plated in the establishment of a navs
base and station in the Philippine l!
lands and have expressed their judt
ment, in which l fully concur, in I,
| vor OF making an extensive naval bas
at Pearl Harbor, near Honolulu, an
not In the Philippines. This does ne
dispense with the necessity for til
comparatively neutrality-suspicious. r.
0uired to finish the proper coast d
fenses in the Philippines now unds
construction on the island OF Correg
dor and elsewhere or to complete
suitable repair station and coaling SUI
| ply station at Olong,p where is tt