Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-05-19

land off Jupiter and signalled the
safe arrival of his ship with all on
board well and ready for battle. In
few moments the welcome news
was in the hands of the Secretary
of the Navy.
Had the vessel of the enemy
seriously threatened the coast, the
services of these station crews
would have been invaluable in max
ing prompt discovery of their ap-
pearance and notifying the author
tiles at Washington, and also in
transmitting orders and intelligence
to and from our own fleets.
"The military discipline of the
Service, the familiarity of its men
with the International and service
signal codes, and their training in
keeping an alert outlook, eminently
fit them for such duty. Upon the
occasion of any future war the sta
tions would be again utilized in the
same way, which, in case Of an at
tempted invasion by the enemy,
would subject the men to the actual
dangers incurred by soldiers in time
of war, since the stations, on ac-
count, of their Importance as out
posts being on the skirmish line as
it were, would be the first to invite
the attack of the enemy for the sup
preston of their activities.
Indeed, so well is the available
tiy and usefulness of these life-sav-
ing stations understood by the Navy
that cooperation with them is al
ready provided for"
Referring to the principal objec-
tion raised to the proposed legisla-
tion, namely that it might prove the
opening wedge in the creation Of a
pension list for civil employees of
the government generally, the Secre-
tary says that the foregoing ought
to dispel this apprehension as the
arguments would apply to no other
civil branch and would seem to JUS
tify the grant by Congress of the
same rates and conditions Of retire
ment to the life-savers that are al
lowed to the army, the navy and the
revenue cutter service.
The Secretary is equally in earn
est in advocating the proposition to
increase the pay of the men in the
service ten per cent for each five
years service. 1t is intended to
place a premium upon experience
and conscience in the service and q
recognition of the inequality neces-
sarily existing between the veteran
and the beginner. In the absence OF
some such incentive the increased
cost of living, and the greater op'
portunities elsewhere, will make the
men dissatisfied and increase the
number of designations.
In conclusion the Secretary says;
"a comparison of the statistics OF
the various leading life-saving or
ganizations of the world shows fol
that of the United States a vast pre-
ponderance of work accomplished il
the salvage of life and property
Still another evidence is the extent
to which our methods and station
equipments have been adopted by
various foreign countries.
This is universally conceded SUI
premacy, and the saving of the null
titude of lives and vast amount Of
property which stands to the credit
of the service, are chiefly due to the
heroism, devotion and fidelity of the
men in the field, whom the bill
seems to benefit, and have beer
achieved at an expense to the gov
ernment of only a fraction of the
value of the property they have
saved.
Living in isolation, exposed tC
the severest storms, meeting by an
nual tests the inflexible demands Of
the Department as to physical fit
ness, accepting compulsory leave
of absence of from two to foul
months in every year without pay
doing deeds of daring always at the
expense of comfort and very fire
quently of health and life, submit
ting to narrower sphere than theil
fellows, in these regards-in re
nUnciation, in courage, in constancy
these men render service that II
unapproachable, and they are neg
lected to degree unsuspected By
our people.
An echo of the Indian wars wal
heard in the Senate a few days ago
when Senator Dixon, of Montana
called up the cases Of Bull Snake
and Old Coyote, Crow Indians will