Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-11
Better Than Meat

lance, following the windinss of the
frontier of some 1000 miles. Through
out this stretch of territory our troops
have protected the border from incur
sions by individuals or small raiding
parties from Mexico, have been con-
tinually on the alert to prevent viola
tons of the neutrality laws, and have
acted in conjunction with the civil au-
therities to prevent illegal importa-
tons of arms and ammunition into
Mexico in violation of the Presidents
proclamation of March IA, 1872.
THE duty of our troops at border
towns during the conflicts between the
two ccntending Mexican factions was
of most trying nature, and the con-
duet of the troops under the circum-
stances, and the exercise of good judg-
ment and self-reStraint on the part of
commanding officers, are highly credi
table.
There were 9,4s9 vacancies in the en-
listed strength of the regular army at
the end of the last fiscal year when its
actual strength was 1886. and the de-
sertions numbered 4,451, which was 4.15
per cert of the whole number of enlist
centage for the three preceding years
that was yet smaller than the percent
age for any other year since 1901. The
Secretary feels that a close and SYM
pathetic relationship between the Of
flcers and men will surely tend to les
ser desertion and he is personally de-
Voting as much of his time as he can
to the enlisted intentionally the back
bone of the Army and all that concerns
him.
The joint encampments of the Army
and college students were highly sue
eessfnl. 1t is said that they foster d
patriotic spirit and spread among the
citizens a more thorough knowledge of
military history, policy and needs, all
necessary to the complete education of
/ a well-equipped citizen in order that
he may himself form correct opinions
on military topics.
Mr.. Garrison recommends that in
justice to the hundreds of eager
boys" who cannot get appointments
now, West Point should be opened to
the widest competition so that any
boy may take the examinations with
the condition that if no candidate from
the particular congressional district in
which there is a vacancy should quail
fy, the candidates who passed highest
from some other district where there
was no vacancy should receive the ap-
pointment,
The Secretary refers to the attempt
to stamp out slavery in the Philip
pines and declares that if the existing
law is Inadequate it should be
strengthened and if adequate it should
be enforced. OF the turning over of
the Philippine Commission to native
control he says the step which has
now been taken will De carefully OBJ
served. Those best acquainted with
conditions in the islands anticipate no
evil consequences"
Secretary Garrison declares that the
demand for the independence of Por-
to Rico represents the idea of but a
few people and it is idle to consider or
discuss any future for the people Of
Porto Rico as separated from the Unit
ed States. He does, however, believe
that citizenship should be granted to
Porto Ricans on individual application
The Secretary complains of the
heavy reductions in appropriations for
the Army. He says THE effect of
these cuts, which were made with no
reference whatever to the military es-
adjustment, necessarily places me
now in the position of either not ask
ing for what the army needs or of
seeming to ask for more than my pre-
decessors.