Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-12-12
5ustment Of any differences there may
be between the two governments.

justmeat Of any differences there may
be between the two governments.
Promotion For Colonel oosthals.
AS the completion Of the canal grows
nearer and az the wonderful executive
work Of Colonel Goethals becomes
more conspicuous in the eyes Of the
country and Of the world II seems to
me wise and proper to make provi.
sion by law for such reward to him as
may be commensurate with the serv-
ice that he has rendered to his coun-
try. I suggest that this reward take
the form Of an appointment Of Colo.
mel Goethals as major general In the
army Of the United States and that the
law authorizing such appointment be
accompanied with provision per-
uniting his designation as chief Of en-
gineers upon the retirement Of the
present incumbent Of that office.
Navy Department.
The navy Of the United States In In
greater state of efficiency and Is
more powerful than It has ever been
before, but in the emulation which ex-
lists between different countries In re-
spect to the increase OF naval and MIL
itary armaments this condition ia not
n permapent one. In view of the many
improvements and Increases by for
cign governments the slightest halt on
our part in respect to new construc-
ton throws us back and reduces US
from a naval power Of the nrst rank
and places us among the nations OF tho
second rank. In the past fifteen years
the navy has expanded rapidly and yet
far less rapidly than our country.
From now on reduced expenditures
in the navy mean reduced military
strength The worlds history has
shown the Importance Of sea power
both for adequate defense and for the
support Of important aud definite poll
cies.
had the pleasure Of attending this
autumn a mobilization Of the Atlantic
feet and was glad to observe and note
the preparedness Of the feet for In
slant action. The review brought be-
fore the president and the secretary Of
the navy a greater and more powerful
collection Of vessels than had ever
been gathered in American waters
The condition Of the feet and Of the
officers and enlisted men and Of the
equipment Of the vessels entitled those
in authority to the greatest credit.
again commend to congress the CIV.
ing OF legislative sanction to the ap-
pontment of the naval aids to the Sec
rotary Of the navy. These aids and the
council of aids appointed by the secre-
tary of the navy to assist him in the
conduct of his department have proved
to be OF the highest utility. They have
furnished an executive committee Of
the most skilled naval experts. who
have co-Ordinated the action Of the vari.
GUS bureaus in the navy and by their
advice have enabled the secretary to
give an administra ton at the same
time economical and most efficient
Never before has the United States
had navy that compared in efficiency
with its present one. but never before
have the requirements with respect to
naval warfare been higher and more
exacting than now. year ago con-
gress refused to appropriate for more
than one battleship. In this | think a
great mistake Of policy was made. and
! urgently recommend that this con-
gress make up for the mistake of the
last session by appropriations authoriz-
ing the construction OF three battle
ships. in addition to destrOyers. fuel
ships and the other auxiliary vessels
as shown in the building program Of
the general board. We are confronted
by Dndtion in respect to the navtes
Of the world which tcuuirc, us. II We
would maintain our navy as an insur-
ance OF peace. to augment our naval
force by at least two battleships a year
and by battle cruisers, gunboats. tor
pedo destrOyers and submarine boats
In proper proportion. We have no
desire for war. We would go as far AZ
any nation in the world to avoid war,
but we are world power.
Department Of Justice.
This department has been very &C.
tive in the enforcement Of the law. II
mas been better organized and with
larger force than ever before In the
history Of the government. The prose-
cutaons which have been successfully
concluded and which are now pending
testify to the effectiveness of the de-
partmental work.
The prosecution Of trusts under the
Sherman antitrust law has gone ON
without restraint or diminutiop. and
DEGREES similar to those entered In the
standard OIL and the tobacco cases
have been entered In other suits, like
the suits against the powder trust and
the bathtub trust. am very strongly
convinced that steady, consistent
course In this regard. with a continu.
ing OF supreme court decisions upon
new phases OF the trust question not
already finally decided. is going to Of
fer a solution Of this much discussed
and troublesome issue In a quiet. calm
and judicial way without any radical
legislation changing the governmental
policy in regard to combinations now
denounced by tho Sherman antitrust
law.
have already recommended as an
aid In this matter legislat ton which
would declare uNla wful certain we'll
known phases OF unfair competition
In Interstate trade. and I have also
advocated voluntary national incor-
poration for the larger industrial en-
terprises. with provision for a closer
supervision by the bureau of corpora.