THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBETt 4, 1001.
FIRST MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT
nrid land will enrich every portion of ouri
country, Just as the settlement of the Ohio
nnd Mississippi valleys brought ,prosporIty
to the Atlantic states. Tho Increased do
rnand for manufactured articled will stlmu
lato Industrial production, while wider home
markets and the frado of Asia will consume
tho larger food supplies and effectually pro
vent western competition with east
ern agriculture., Indeed, tho products
of Irrigation wljl bo consumed chiefly In
jjpbulldng local centers of mining nnd
other Industries, which would otherwise
not come Into cxlstcnco at all. Our peoplo
ns a wholo will profit, for successful homo
making Is but another nnmo for tho up
building of tho nation.
Tho necessary foundation has already been
laid for the Inauguration of tho policy
Just described, it would be unwtno to begin
by doing too much, for n great deal will
doubtless bo learned, both as to what can and
what cannot bo safely nttomptcd by tho enrly
efforts, which 'must of necessity bo pnrtly
experimental In character. At tho very be
ginning, tho government should make clear
boynud shadow, of1 doubt Its Intention to pur
sue this policy (in lines of tho broadest I'Ub
He Interest. No reservoir or cannl should
over bo. built to satisfy selfish personal or
local Interests, lint only In accordance
with tho advlco of trained experts, after
long Investigation has shown tho locality
where all tho conditions combine to mako
tho work most' needed and fraught with
tho greatest usefulness to the So'm'munlty as
a whole. There should bo no extravaganco
and tho believers In the need of lrrlgatlo
will most benefit their cause by seeing to It
that It'ls free from tho least taint of exces
sive or reckless 'expenditure of tho public
moneys.
Whatever tho nation docs for the extension
of Irrigation should hamonlzc with and tend
to Improve the condition of those now living
on Irrigated land. . We are not at the stnrt
lng point of this development. Over $200,
000,000 of prfvilte capital has already been
expended In tho construction of Irrigation
works nnd' many million acres' of arid
land reclaimed; A high degree of enter
prlso and ability has been ahown In the
work Itself, but as much cannot bn said In
relation to the lnwa relating thereto. Tho
accurltv and value of tbo homes' croated'
depend largely pntho stability of titles to
water, mil ino majority 01 incso resi on
tho uncertain foundation of court decl
V?lonn 'rendered in ordlnnry sulta at law
.PJ.VHh ft few c.rcdltablo exceptions tho nrld
Btsitcs'hnve failed to provldo for .the certain
nnd Just division' of streams In times of
scarcity. Itx and uncertain iaws ifavo mado
it nosslhlo to establish rights to water In
ercesH of actual' uses or necessities nnd
many strenms" huvo nlrcady passed Into
private ownership or control .equivalent to
ownership.
Whoever fcdntrols a stream practically
controls tho land it renders nroductlvo nnd
Ctio doctrino, ot private ownership of water
Nipart from land cannot prevail without
causing enduring wrong. Tho recognition
of sucli ownership, which hns been per
mitted to grow up( In tbo arid' regions,
should gjvo vyay to a 'moro enlightened
and larger recognition of tbo rlghta of "tha
public In "the" control and disposal of tho
pnbllo water mi0VIicb. Ia'wH founded upon
conditions obtaining In humid regions,
where watcf Is too abundant' to Justify
hoarding it', havo no proper application. In
n. dry country.
in tho arid stnfeSi tho only right to water
which should be; recognlzodv Is that of use.
I ii Irrigation this right should attach to
the lapd reojnlmed nnd bo Inseparable
therefrom. (Jranflng perpetual' walcr rights
t other than users, without compensation
to tho public. Is open to all tho objections
which apply t? glvjng away perpetual fran
chises to tl'ih' jiibllc utilities of cities. A
tow of tho western, states have already
recognized, this and havo Incorporated In
their constitutions tho doctrino of perpetual
Btato nwn.0Thlp of water.
Tho bcnotlls which have, followed the un
aided dovoloptuop of the past justify tho
nation's Bid, and. .co-operation in tho moro
difficult nnd Important work yet to bo ac
complished. Laws so vitally affecting homes
as thoso which "control tho water supply
will only Jbo cffcctlvo when they havo tho
sanction .of the Irrigators j reforms can
only bo final .npd 'satisfactory when they
como through the enlightenment of tho
poopln most concerned. Tho larger du
volopmont' which nntlonal nld Insures
should, howo.yer,. awaken In overy- arid
Btato tho determination to. inako Its irriga
tion system equal In Justice nnd effective
fnesn that of 'nny country In tho civilized
7' world. 'Nothing could bo more unwlso than
for Jsolntnd communities to contlnuo to
learn jpvorythlng experimentally. Instead of
profiting, by whnt Is already known olse
Svhorc, Wo are dealing with a now nnd
momentous question. In tha pregnant years
while Institutions nre forming, and what
wo do will affect not only1 tho present but
futuro gonorntlbns.
Our aim' tthduld bn not simply to reclaim
tho largest' Area 'of land and provide homes
1 for thd'lnrgosf number of peoplo, but to
croato for thls'nowindustry'tho best possi
ble social and Industrial conditions, and
this requires that Wo not only understand
tbo existing situation, lint nvall ourselves
of tho bes't exp'orlenco of tho tlmo In tho
Bolutlon of Its prohloms. A careful study
should ho made, both by tho nation and
tho Htatra,iot the Irrigation laws and condi
tions hefet'Alid' abroad; Ultimately It will
probably bW1 noficssary for tbo nation to
co-opernto With' tho several arid states In
proportion as these stutes by their legisla
tion nild .Administration show themselves
fit to receive' It.
llnivnll.
In IIawnl p.ur aim must be to develop
tho territory on tho traditional American
linos. "VVo )o not wish a region of largo
estatos tlllecl' iiy. cheap labor: wo wish n
health'y American community of men who
themselves Jill tbo farms they own. All
our lcUlatlpu for tho Islands should bo
shapea witu..iqis etui in view; ino won
being ,of tho average, home-maker must nf.
tnn ttin trim loaf nf tfiA Itivilttiv rinvntnn.
went of tho Islands. Tbo land policy should
so nearly as. possible bo modeled on our
homcBtcad .bystem. ,
(- I'orto llleo.
It Is a- pleasure to say that It Is hardly
mora necessary to report' ns to Porto Hlco
thau as to any Btato, or territory within our
continental limits. Tho Island Is thriving
as never before, and It In being admlnls
tored ctllcieutly and honestly. Its people
oro now enjoying liberty and order under
tho proturtlon of tho United States, and
upon tuufnct wo cougrntuluto thorn and
oursehu. Tholr material welfare must be
as l aretuliy nnd Jealously considered as
the el fun 'of any other portion of our
country. Wo have given them tho great
V gift of . fieo inecess for tholr products to
tho markets, of tbo United States, I ask
' tha attention of the congress to the need
of legislation concerning tho publlo Inuds
of Porto Hlco.
- i Culm,
In Cuba' such progress has been made
toward' putting thn 'Independent govern
ment of ths Island upon a Arm footing that
boforo tho present session of the congress
. closes this will bo un accomplished fact
Cuba will thoii' start as nor own mistress
and to the 'beautiful Queen of the Antilles,
as elm unfolds this now pago of her dobtlny,
we extend our ' heartiest greetings and good
wishes. 'Elsewhere I nave discussed the
question of reciprocity' Ilf the caso o
Cuba, however, there arc- weighty reasons
of morality and of national Interest why
tho policy shoutd bo held to have a peculiar
application, and 1 most earnestly ask your
attention to the wisdom, Indeed to thn
vital need, of providing for a substantial
reduction In tbo tariff duties on Cuban
Imports Into tho United States. Cuba has
In her constitution nfllrmed what wo do
sired, that sho should stand, In Interna
tional matters, In closer and moro friendly
relations with us than with any other
power, nnd wo are bound by overy consider
ation of honor and expediency to pass com
mercial measures In the Intorost of her
material well-being.
The Philippine.
In tbo Philippines our problem Is larger.
They aro very rich tropical Islands, In
habited by many varying tribes, represent
ing widely different stages of progress to
ward civilization. Our earnest effort Is to
holp theso peoplo upward along tho stony
nnd difficult path that tends to solf-govcrn-
ment. Wo hopo to mako our administration
of tho Islands honorablo to our nation by
making It of the highest benefit to tho
Filipinos themsolves, nnd, as an earnest
of what wo Intend to do, we point to what
wo havo done. Already a greater measttro
of material prosperity nnd of governmental
honesty nnd efficiency has been attained In
tho Philippines than cvor beforo In their
history.
It Is no light task for a nation to achlove
tho temperamental qualities without which
tho Institutions of free government are but
nn empty mockery. Our peoplo aro now
successfully governing themselves, bocause
for more than a thousand years thoy havo
been slowly fitting themselves, somctlmos
consciously, sometimes unconsciously, to
ward this end. What has taken us thirty gen
erntlons to nchlevo wo cannot expect to see
another raco accomplish out of hand, rspo
dally when largo portions of that raco start
very far behind tho point which our an
cestors had reached oven thirty generations
ago. In dealing with the Pblllpptno people
wo must show both pntlenco and strength,
forbearance and steadfast resolution. Our
aim Is high. Wo do not deslro to do for
tho Islanders morely what has clsowhere
been dono for tropic peoples by even the
best foreign governments. We hope to do
for them what has never beroro been aone
for any peoplo of tho tropics to mako
them fit for solf-governmcnt nftcr the fash-
Ion of tbo really free nations.
History may safely bo challenged to show
n slnglo Instnnco In which n masterful rriqn
such as ours, having been forced by th(
exigencies of war to take possession of nn
alien In ml, has behaved to Its Inhabitants
with tho disinterested zeal for tholr prog
res that our peoplo havo .Bhowu In tbo
Philippines. To lcavo tho .Islands nt this
tlmo would mean that they would fall lnn
a welter of murderous anarchy. Such de
sertion of duty on our part would bo a
crlmo against humanity. The character of
(lovcrnor Taft and of his associates and
subordinates .Is a proof, If nuch be needed,
of tho sincerity of our effort to give thn J neutrnl -use by nil nations on terms of
Islandors a constantly Increasing measure ( equality without the guaranty or Intcrfor
of self-government, exactly as fast us thoy onco of any OUHtdo nation from any quar
show thomsolves fit to exercise. It. Since t(,r Thp BRne,i treaty will at once bo laid
tho civil government was cstamuncd not an
appointment has been made In the Islands
with any roferenco to considerations of
political Influence, or to aught else savo
the fitness of-the man and tho needs of tho
service.
In our nnxlcty for the welfare ami prog
ress of tho Philippines It may bo that
hero and thcro wo have gone too rapidly
In giving them local self-government. It
Is on this side that ourfnrror, If , any, has
been committed. No competent observer,
slncorcly desirous of finding out the facts
and Influenced only by a deslro for tho wel
fare of the natives, can assert that wo
have not gono far enough. Wo havo gone
to tho very vergo of safety In hastening
the process. To havo taken a single step
farther or faster In advance would havo
been folly nnd w-cakness, and might well
havo been crime. We are oxtremoly anx
ious that tbo natives shall show tho power
of governing themselves. Wo aro nnxtous,
first for tholr snkes. nnd next, becnuno It
relieve ns of a great burden. Thcro need
not bo tho slightest fear of our not con
tinuing to glvo them all the liberty for
which thoy are fit.
Tho only fear Is lest In our over-nnxlcty
wo glvo them n degrco of Independence for
which thoy nre unfit, thoreby Inviting re
action nnd disaster. As fnst ns thero Is
any reasonablo hops that In a given district
tho people can govern themselves, self-
government has been given In that district.
Thero is not n locality fitted for self-gov
ernment which has not received It. nut It
Jm ay woll bo that In certain cases It will
havo to bo withdrawn becauso tho Inhabi
tants show themsolves unfit, to oxorclsu it;
surh Instances have already occurred, in
other words, thoro Is not the slightest
chance of our falling to show a sufficiently
humanitarian spirit. Tho danger .comes In
the opposite direction.
Stilt Trouble Alirnil.
Thcro nro still troubles ahead In the Isl
ands. Tho Insurrection has becomo an af
fair of local banditti and maraudeni, who
deservo no higher regard than tho brigands
of portions of tho old world. Encourago
ment, direct or indirect, to theso insur-
rectos stands .on the same footing as en
couragement to hostile Indians In tho days
when wo still had Indian wars. Exactly as
our aim Is to give to tho Indian who re
mains peaceful tho fullest and amplest con
sideration, but to havo It understood that
wo will show no weakness it ho goes on
tho warpath, so wo must mnko It evident,
unless wo nro falso to our own traditions
and to tho demands of civilization and hu
manity, that while wo will do everything
in our power for tho Filipino who Is peace
ful, wo will take tho stornost measures
with tho Filipino who follows tbo path of
the Insurrecto nnd tho ladrone.
Tho heartiest prnlso Is due to largo num
bers of tho natives of thn Islands for tholr
steadfast loyalty. Tho Macabebes havo been
conspicuous for tholr codrago nnd devotion
to tbo flag. I recommend that tho secretary
of war bo empowered to take homo syste
matic action In tho way of aiding thoso of
these men who aro crippled In the service
and the families of thoso who nro killed.
A iltll ( lit it III Iif-iclsIitHon Xeeileil,
Tho time has como when thcro should
bo additional legislation for thn Philip
pines. Nothing bettor can bo done, for the
Islands thau to lntroduco Industrial enter
prises. Nothing would benefit them so
much as throwing them open to industrial
'development. Tho connection between Idle
ness and mischief Is proverbial, and the
opportunity to do remunerative work is one
nf thn surest preventives of war. Of coursa
no business man will go Into tbo Philip
pines unless It Is to his Interest to do so,
and It Is Immensely to tho Interest of the
Islands that ho should go In. It Is there
to ro necessary that tha congrees should pass
laws by which tho resources of the Islands
can bo doveloped, so that franchises (for
limited terms of years) can bo granted to
companies doing busluoss In them, and
every encouragement bo given to tho In
coming of business men of every kind.
Not to permit this Is to do a wrong to
the Philippines. The franchises must be
granted and tho business permitted only
under regulation which will guarantee the
Islands against auy kind of Improper ex.
ptoltatton. lint tho vast natural wealth of
the Islands must bo developed aud the capl
tal willing to develop It must bo given the
opportunity. The field must be thrown open
to Individual enterprise, which has beeu
the real faotor In tho development of every
region over which our flag has flown, It Is
urgently necessary to enact sultabte laws
dealing with general transportation, min
ing, banking, currency, homesteads and the
use and ownership of tho lands and timber.
These laws will give freo play to industrial
enterprise, and tho commercial develop
ment which will surely follow will afford
to tho pooplo of tho Islands the best proofs
of tho sincerity of our desire to nld them.
I call your attention most earnestly to
the crying need of a cable to Hawalt and
tho Philippines, to be continued from tho
Philippines to points in Asia. Wo should
not defer a day longer than necessary tho
construction of such n cable. It Is demanded
not merely for commercial but for political
and military considerations.
I net fir! Cnbte,
Either the congress should immediately
provide for tho construction of a govern
ment cablo or else an arrangement should
be mado by which like advantages to thoso
accruing from a government cable may bo
secured to thn government by contract wlthj
a private cablo company.
Isthmlnn Cnnnl.
No slnglo great material work which re
mains to bo undertaken on this continent Is
of such consequonce to tho American people
ns tbo building of n canal across the Isth
mus connecting North and South America.
Its Importance to tho nation Is by no
means limited merely to Its material offects
upon our business prosperity, and yet with
view to those effects alono It would bo to
tho last degree Important for us Immedi
ately to begin It. Whllo Its beneficial ef
fects would perhaps bo most marked upon
the Pacific coast and tbo gulf and south
Atlantic states, It would also greatly benefit
other sections. It Is emphatically n work
which It Is for the Interest of the entlro
country to begin nnd complete ns soon as
possible; It Is one of those great works
which only n grcnt nation can undertake
with prospects of success, and which when
dono nre not only permanent assets In tho
nation's material Interests, but standing
monuments to Its constructive ability.
Cnnnl Trent jr.
I am glad to be able to announce to you
that our negotiations on this subject with
Great llrltaln, conducted on both sides in
a spirit of friendliness nnd mutual good
will and renpect, have resulted In ray being
nblo to lay before tho senate a treaty wblc'.t
If ratified will cnnblc us to begin prepara
tions for an Isthmian canal at any time
and which guarantees to this nation every
right that It has ever asked In connection
with the canal. In this treaty, tho old
Claytou-Bulwer treaty, so long recognized
as Inadequate to supply the baso for tho
construction nnd maintenance of a neces
sarily American ship cannl. Is abrogated.
It specifically provides that the United
States alono shall do the work of building
and nBsume tuu responsibility of safe
guarding the cannl nnd shall rcgulato Its
beforo tho senate, and if approved tho con-
gress can then proceed to glvo effect to the
advantages it secures us by providing for
tho building of the canal.
Pence Conference.
Tho true end of every great and free peo
pie should be self-respecting peace, and
this nation most earnestly desires sincere
and cordial friendship with all others. Over
tho entlro world, of recent years, wars be
t'een" tlio great civilized powers havo be
como less and less frequent. Wars with
barbarous or semi-barbarous peoples come
In an entirely different category, being
morely a most regrettable but necessary
International pr ice duty which must be
performed for tho sake of tho welfare of
mankind. Peaco can only be kept with cer
tainty whero both sides wish to keep It,
but more and moro the civilized peoples aro
realizing tho wicked folly of war and are
attaining that condition of Just and Intelli
gent regard for tbo 'rights of others which
will In the end, ns we hopo and believe,
make world-wldo peace possible. Tho poace
conferonco at Tho Hague gave definite ex
pression to this hopo and belief and marked
a stride toward their attainment.
This same peaco conferonce acquiesced In
our statement of tho Monroe doctrine as
compatible with tho purposes nnd alms of
the conferonce.
Monroe Doctrine.
Thi Monroo doctrine should be tho car-
llnal featuro nf the foreign policy of all tha
nations of tho two Americas, ns It la of
the United Status. Just soventy-olght years
havo passed slnco President Monroo In his
annual message announced that "Tho Amer
ican continents are henceforth not to be
considered as subjects for futuro coloniza
tion by any European power." In other
words, the Monroo doctrino Is a declaration
that thero must be no territorial aggran
dizement by, any non-American power nt tho
expenso of any American power on Ameri
can soil. It is In no wise intended as hos
tile to any nation In the old world. Stilt
less Is It Intended to give cover to any
aggression by ono new world power at thn
expenso of any other. It Is simply u step,
and a long etcp, toward assuring tno uni
versal peaco of the world by securing the
possibility of permanent peace on this
hemisphere.
During tho past century other Influences
havo established tho permanenoo and Inde
pendence of tho smaller states of Europe.
Through the Monroo doctrine wo hope to bo
nblo to safeguard like independence and
sccuro like permanence for the lesser
among the new world nations.
This doctrino has nothing to do with the
commercial relations of any American
power, save that It In truth allows each of
them to form uch as It desires. In other
words, it Is really a 'guaranty of the com
mercial Independence of thn Americas. Wo
do not ask under this doctrine for any ex
cluslvo commercial dealings with any other
American state. We do not guarantoe any
state against punishment If It misconducts
Itself, provided that punishment does not
take tho form of the acquisition of terri
tory by any non-American power.
Our attltudo In Cuba Is a sufficient guar
anty of our own good faith. Wo havo not
tho slightest deslro to secure any territory
at the expenso of nny of our neighbors.
Wo wish to work with them hand Inihand,
so that all of us may be uplifted together,
and wo rejoice over the good fortune of any
of them, wo gladly hall their material
prosperity and political stability, and are
concerned and alarmed If any of them fall
into industrial or political chaos. Wo do
not wish to eee nny old world military
power grow up on this continent, or to be
compelled to becomo a military power our
selves. Tho peoples of the Americas can
prosper best If left to work out their own
salvation In their own way.
Unliulldlnar at .vy.
The work of upbuilding the navy must be
steadily continued. No ono point of our
1 1 i a . i i . . i ,
fumy, iuiuiku ui uuiui'Qkiu, in luuru lul
portant thau this to the honor and material
welfare, and above all to the peace, of olir
nation In the futuro. Whether we desire
It or not, wo must henceforth recognize
thai we have International duties no less
than International rights. Even If our flag
were hauled down In thr Philippines and
Porto Hlco, even If wo decided not to build
the isthmian canal, we should need a thor
oughly trained navy of adequate size, or
else be prepared definitely and for all time
to abandon tho Idea that our nation Is
among thoso whose sons go down to the
sea In ships. Unless our commerce is al
ways to be carried in forolgn bottoms, we
must have war craft to protect It.
Inasmuch, however, as tho American peo
ple have no thought of abandoning tbo path
upon which they havo entered, nnd espe
cially In view of the fact that the building
of the isthmian canal Is fast becoming ono
of tho matters which the wholo peoplo are
united In demanding, it Is Imperative that
our navy should be put and kopt In the
highest state of efficiency, and should be
made to answer to our growing needs. So
far from being In any way a provocation to
war, an adequate and highly trained navy
Is tho best guaranty against war, tho
cheapest and most effective peace Insur
ance. Tho cost of building and maintaining
such ft navy represents tho very lightest
premium for Insuring peace which this na
tion can possibly pay.
Probably no other groat nation In the
world Is so anxious for peace os we are.
Thero is not a single civilized power which
ban nnythlng whatever to fear from ag
gressiveness on our part. All wo want Is
peace, and toward this end we wish to bo
ablo to securo tho same respect for our
rights from others which we are eager and
anxious to extend to tholr rights In return,
to lnsuro fnlr treatment to us commercially
and to guarantee tho safety of the Ameri
can people.
Our people Intend to abide by the Monroe
doctrino and to Insist upon it as the one
sure means of securing the peace of the
western hemisphere. The navy offers us
the only means of mnklng our insistence
upon tho Monroe doctrino anything but a
subject of derision to whatever nation
chooses to disregard It. Wo desire the
peaco which comes as of right to tho Just
man armed; not the peace granted on
terras of Ignominy to the craven and the
weakling.
It Is not posslblo to Improvise a nav
after war breaks out. The ships must be
built and the men trained long In advance.
Somo auxiliary vessels can be turned Into
raakeohlfts which will do In default of any
better for the minor work, and a propor
tion of raw men can bo mixed with the
highly trained, their shortcomings being
made good by the skill of their fellows; but
tho efficient lighting force of tho navy when
pitted against an equal opponent will be
found almost exclusively In tho war ships
that have been regularly built and In the
officers and men who through years of
faithful performance of sea duty havo been
trained to handle their formidable but com
plex and dellcato weapons with the highest
efficiency. In the late war with Spain tho
ships that dealt the decisive blows at Ma
nila and Santiago had been launched from
two to fourteen years and they were able
to do as they did becauso the men In tho
conning towers, tho gun turrets and the
engine rooms had through long years of
practice at sea learned how to do their
duty.
Our present navy was begun In 1882. At
that period our navy consisted of a collec
tion of antiquated wooden ships, already
almost ns out of place against modern war
vesncls as the galleys of Alclblades and
Hamllcar certainly ns the ships of Tromp
and Blake. Nor at that tlmo did wo have
men tit to handle a modern man-of-war.
Under the wise legislation of tho congress
and the successful administration of a suc
cession of patriotic secretaries of the navy,
belonging to,both political parties, the work
of upbuilding the navy wont on nnd ships
equal to nny In tho world of tholr kind
were continually added, and what was oven
mote Important, these ships were exercised
at sea singly and In squadrons until the
mon aboard them wero able to get tho best
possible service out of them. The result
was seen In the short war with Spain,
which was decided with such rapidity be
causo of tho Infinitely greater preparedness
of our navy than of the Spanish navy.
Whllo awarding the fullest honor to the
men who actually commanded nnd manned
tho ships which destroyed tho Spanish sea
forces In tho Philippines and In Cuba, we
must not forget that an equal meed of
praise belongs to those without, whom
neither blow could have beon struck. The
congressmen who voted years In advance
tho money to lay down the ships, to build
the guns, to buy the armorplate; the de
partment officials and the business mon and
wage workers who furnished what the con
gress had authorized; the secretaries of thn
navy who asked for and expended the ap
propriations, and finally the officers who, In
fair weather nnd foul, on actual sea service.
trained and disciplined tho crows of tho
ships when thero was no war In sight all
are entitled to a full share In the glory of
Manila und Santiago, and tho respect ac
corded by every true American to those who
wrought such signal triumph for our coun
try. It was forethought nnd preparation
which secured us tho overwhelming tri
umph of 18981 It we fall to show fore
thought and preparation now, thero may
come n time when disaster will befall us
Instead of triumph, and should this time
come, tho fault will rest primarily, not
upon those whom the accldont of events
puts In supremo command at the moment,
but upon thoso who have failed to prepare
in advance
There should bo no cessation In the work
of completing our navy. So far Ingenuity
has been wholly unable to devise a sub
stituto for the great war craft whoso ham
mering guns beat out tho mastery of the
high seas. It Is unsafe and unwise not to
provldo this year for several additional
battle ships and heavy armored cruiser,
with auxiliary and lighter craft in propor
tion; for tho exact numbers and character
I rofer you to the report of thp secretary
of the navy. Cut thero Is something w
need even moro than additional ships, and
this Is additional officers and men. To pro
vide battleships nnd cruisers and then lay
them up, with the expectation of leaving
them unmanned until tbey aro needed in
actual war, would "Do worse than folly; it
would be a crime against the nation.
To send any war ship against a compe
tent enemy unless those aboard It have
been trained by years of actual sea service,
Including Incessant gunnery practice, would
bo to Invite not merely disaster, but tlto
bitterest shamo and humiliation. Four
thousand additional seamen and 1,000 addl
tlonal marines Bhould bo provided, and an
Increase In tho officers should be provided
by making a largo addition to the classes
at Annapolis. There Is one small matter
which should be mentioned In connection
with Annapolis. Tho pretentious and un
meaning title of "naval cadot" should be
abolished; tho title of "midshipman," full
of historic association, should be restored.
Even In time of peace a war ship should
be used until it wears out, for only so can
It bo kept lit to respond to auy emergency.
Tbo ofrlcors and men alike should be kept
on much ns possible on blue water, for it Is
thcro only thoy can learn their duties as
they should be learned. The big vessels
should be maneuvered In squadrons con
talnlng not merely battleships, bdt the
neccseary proportion of cruisers and scouts.
Tho torpedo boats should be handled b
tho younger officers In such manner as will
best lit the latter to take responsibility and
meet the emergencies of actual warfare.
Every detail ashore which can be per
formed by a civilian should be ho par
formed, the officer being kept for his special
duty in tho sea service, Abovo all, gunnery
practice- should be unceasing. It Is Im
portant to have our navy of adequate size,
hut It Is eveu more Important that ship for
ship It ehould equal In efficiency any navy
In the world, This is possible only with
highly drilled crews and officers, and this
In turn Imperatively domnnds continuous
and progressive Instruction In target prac
tice, ship handling, squadron tactics and
general discipline. Our ships must bo as
sembled In squadrons actively cruising
away from harbors and novcr long at
anchor. The resulting wenr upon engines
and hulls must bo endured; a battleship
worn out In long training of officers and
mon Is well paid for by the results, while,
on tho other hand, no matter in how excel
lent condition, it Is useless It tbo crew
bo not expert.
Wo now have seventeen battleships ap
propriated for, of which nlno nro com
pleted and have been commissioned for ac
tual service The remaining eight will bo
roady In from two to four years, but it will
tako at least that tlmo to recruit and train
tho men to fight them. It Is of vast con
cern that wo havo trained crows ready for
the vessels by the tlmo they nre commis
sioned. Oood ships nnd good guns are sim
ply good weapons, and the best weapons
nro useless cave In the hands of men who
know how to fight with them. The men
must be trained and drilled under n thor
ough and well-planned system of progres
sive Instruction, whllo the recruiting must
bo carried on with still greater vigor.
Every effort must bo mado to exalt tbo
main function of the officer the command
of! men. The leading graduates ot tho
Naval academy should be assigned to tho
combatant bronchos, the lino and marines.
Many of the essentials of success nro al
ready recognized by tho general board,
which, as tho central offlco ot a growing
taff, Is moving steadily toward a proper
war efficiency and a proper efficiency of
the whole navy, under tho secretary. This
general board, by fostering tho creation ot
a general staff. Is providing for tho official
and then tho general recognition of our
altered conditions as a nation and ot tho
true meaning of a great war floet, which
meaning Is, first, the best men, and, second,
the best chips.
Nntlnnnl .Vnvat nenerre.
The naval mllltla forces are state organi
zations, and are trained for coast service,
aud in event of war they will constitute
tho Inner line of defense, They should re
ceive hearty encouragement from tho gen
eral government.
But In addition wo should at once pro
vide for a national naval reserve, organized
and trained under tha direction of tho
Navy department, and nubject to the call
of the chief executive whenever war be
comes Imminent. It should be a real aux
iliary to the naval seagoing peace estab
lishment, and offer material to be drawn
on at onco for manning our ships In time
of war. It should bo composed of graduates
of tho Naval academy, graduates of the
naval mllltla, officers and crews of coast
line steamers, longshore schooners, fishing
vessels and steam yachts, together with tho
coast population about such centers as life
saving stations and lighthouses.
The American peoplo must cither build
and maintain an adequate navy or else
make up their minds definitely to accept a
secondary position In International 'affairs,
not merely In political, but In commercial
matters. It has been well said that thero
l no surer way of courting national dis
aster than to be "opulent, aggressive and
unarmed."
Army I.nrare Ennngh.
It Is .not necessary to Increase our army
beyond its present size at this tlmo. But
It Is necessary to keep It at tho highest
point ot efficiency. The individual units
who, as officers and enlisted men, compose
thjs army, are, we have good reason to be
lieve, at least as efficient as those ot any
other army In the entire world. It Is our
duty to see that their training Is of a
kind to Insure the highest possible ex
pression ot power to these units when act
ing In combination.
The conditions' of modern war are such
as to make an infinitely heavier demand
than ever befors upon tho individual char
acter and capacity of the officer and tho
enlisted man, and to make it far moro
difficult for men to act togothor with effect.
At present the fighting must bo dono In
extendod order, which means tbnt each man
must act for himself and at the namo time
act In combination with others with whom
he is no longer In tho old-fashioned elbow-
to-elbow touch. Under such conditions a
few men of the highest excellence aro
worth more than many men without tho
special skill which Is only found as the
result of special training applied to men
of exceptional physlquo and morale. But
nowadays the most valuable fighting mnn
and the most difficult to perfect Is tho
rifleman who Is also a skillful and dnrlng
rider.
The proportion nf our cavalry regiments
has wisely been increased. The American
cavalryman, trained to maneuver and fight
with equal facility on foot and on horse
back, Is tho best type ot soldier for gen
eral purposes now to be found In tho world.
The Ideal cavalryman of the present day
Is a man who can fight on foot as effectively
as the best Infantryman, and who Is in ad
dition unsurpassed In thtt care and man
agement of his horso and In his ability to
fight on horsohack.
A general staff should be created. As
for the present staff and supply depart
ments, they should be filled by details
from tho lino, thn men so detailed return
ing after awhllo to their line duties. It Is
very undesirable to havo the senior grades
of the array composed of men who have
como to fill tho positions by tho mero fact
of seniority, A system should bo adopted
by which there shall be an elimination,
grade by grade, of thoso who seem unfit
to render tho best service in the next grade.
Justice to tbo veterans of tho civil war
who are still in the army would seem to re
quire that in the matter of retlroments
they be given by law tbo same privileges
accorded to their comrades In tho navy.
Tho process of elimination of the least
fit should be conducted In a manner that
would -render it practically impossible to
apply political or social pressure on be
half ot any candidate, so that each man
may be Judged purely on his own merits.
Prcasure for tbo promotion of civil officials
for political reasons is bad enough, but it
Is tenfold worse whero applied on behalf ot
officers of the army and navy. Every pro-
lnotion and overy detail under tho War de
partment must be made aololy with regard
to the good of the service and to the ca
paclty and merit of the man himself. No
pressure, political, social or personal, ot
any kind, will be permitted to exercise the
least effect In any question ot promotion or
detail, and If there U reason to believe
that such pressure Is exercised at the insti
gation of the officer concerned, it will bo
held to militate against him. In our
army we cannot afford to havo rewards or
duties distributed, save on tho nlmplo
ground that those who by their own merits
are entitled to the rewards got them, and
that those who are peculiarly fit to do the
duties are chosen to perform them.
Every effort should be made to bring the
army to a constantly Increasing state of
efficiency. When on actual service no work
save that directly in the line of such serv
ice ehould be required. The paper work
In the army, as In the uavy, should bo
greatly reduced. What Is needed Is proved
power of command and capacity to work
well In the field. Constant raro Is neces
sary to prevent dry rot lu the transporta
tion and commissary departments.
Our army is it small and so much scat
tered that It Is very dlfllcult to glvo tho
higher officers (as well ns tho lower officers
and tho enlisted men) n chance to practice
maneuvers in mass nnd on n comparatively
largo scale. In tlmo ot need no amount
of individual cxccllcnco would nvall against
tho parnlysls which would follow Innblltty
to work ns n coheront whole, under skillful
nud daring leadership. The congress should
provldo means whereby It Will bo possible
to havo Held exercises by nt least a division
ot regulars, and It possible also a division
of national guardsmen, onco n year. Theso
exercises might tnko tho form of field
maneuvers; or, If on tho gulf coast or the
Pacific or Atlantic seaboard, or In tho
region ol tho Great Lakes, tho army corps
whon assembled could bo marched from
eorao inland point to somo point on the
water, thcro embarked, disembarked nttor
n couplo of days' Journoy at some other
point, nnd again marched Inland. Only
by actual handling and providing tor men
In masses whllo they nro marching, camp
ing, embarking nnd disembarking, will it
bo posslblo to trnln tho higher officers to
perforin their duties woll and smoothly.
A grent dobt Is owing from thn public to
tho men of tho nrmy nndt nnvy. They
should bo ho treated nn to enable them to
reach tho highest point of efficiency, so that
they may bo ablo to respond Instantly to
any demand mado upon tbem to sustain
tho Interests of tbo nation and tho honor
of tho flag. Thn Individual American en
listed man In probably on thn whole a moro
formidable fighting man than tho regular
of nny othor nrmy. Every consideration
should bo shown htm, and In return tho
highest Standard of usefulness should bo
exacted from him, It Is woll worth whllo'
for tho congress to consldor whether tho
pay of enlisted men upon second nnd Bub
sequent enlistments should not be Increased
to correspond with the Increased value ot
tho veteran Soldier.
Much good has already como from tbo act
reorganizing tho urmy, passed early In tho
present year. The thrco prlmo reforms, nil
of them of literally Incstlmablo value, nro,
first, the substitution of four-yenr dctnlls
from the lino for pormancht appointments
In tho so-called staff divisions; second, tho
establishment of a corps of artillery with
a chlot at tho head! third, the establish
ment of a maximum and minimum limit for
tbo nrmy. It would bo dlfllcult to over
estimate tho Improvement In tho efficiency
of our army which theso thrco reforms aro
making, and have In part already effected.
Tho reorganization provided for by tho
act has becu substantially accomplished.
Tho Improved conditions In tho Philippines
havo enabled tho War department ma-
terlally to rcduco the military charge upon
our revenue and to arrange the number
ot soldiers go as to bring this number
much nearer to the minimum than to the
maximum limit established by law. Tbero
is, however, need of supplementary legisla
tion. Thorough military education must bo
provided, nnd In addition to tho regulars
tho advantages of this education should bo
given to tho officers ot tho national guard
and others In civil llfo who desire Intelli
gently to fit themselves for posslblo mili
tary duty. Tho officers should bo given tbo
chance to perfect themselves by study In
tho higher branches of this art. At West
Point the education should bo of the kind
most apt to turn out men who nro good In
actual field service; too much BtresB should
not be Inld on mathematics, nor Bhould pro
Sclcncy therein bo held to establish tho
right of entry to a corps d'olltc. Tho
typical American officer of the best kind
need not bo n good mathematician; but ho
must be able to master himself, to control
others, and to show boldness nnd fertility
ot resource In every emergency.
Mllltln nnd Volunteer.
Action should be tnken In reference to
tho mllltla and to tho raising ot volunteer
forces. Our mllltla law is obsolete and
worthless. The organization and nrma
ment of thn national guard ot tho several
states, which are treated as mllltla In the
appropriations by tho congress, should bo
mado identical with thoso provided for the
regular forces. Tho obligations and duties
of tho guard In tlmo of war should bo caro-
fully defined, nnd n system established by
law under which tho method of proccduro
of raising volunteer forces should bo pro
scribed In advance. It, Is utterly lmposslblo
In tho excitement 'and haste of Impending
war to do this satisfactorily If tho arrange
ments havo not been mado long beforehand.
Provision should bo mado for utilizing In
the first volunteer organizations called out
the training of theso citizens who havo
already had experience under arms, and
especially for tho selection In advnnco of
the officers ot nny forco which mny bo
raised; tor careful selection of tho kind
necessary Is Impossible after tbo outbreak
of war.
That tho nrmy Is not at all a more instru
ment of destruction has been shown during
the last threo years. In tho Philippines,
Cuba and Porto Illco it has proved itself
a great constructive force, n most potent
Implement for tthe upbuilding ot a peace
ful civilization.
No other citizens deserve so welt ot the
republlo as the veterans, the survivors of
those who saved the union. They did the
one deed which if left undono would havo
meant that alt elso In our history went for
nothing. But for their steadfast prowess In
the greatest crisis ot our history all our
annals would be meaningless and our great
experiment In popular freedom nnd Belt
government a gloomy failure. Moreover,
thoy not only left us a united nation, but
they left us also ns a horltage tho memory
of tho mighty deeds by which tho nation
was kept united. Wo aro now indeed ono
nation, ono in fact us well as in name; wo
oil your stomach,' and if you are constipated,
then the whole trouble is with your liver.
What you need is a good liver pill, a purely
vegetable liver pill. You need a box of Ayer's
Pills, that's what you need. These pills cure
constipation, biliousness, dyspepsia, and sick
headache.
" I always kp a box of -AyaVf Pill an hand.' There U nopill thalr equal for
liver regulator. Long ago they cured me of liver complaint hd chronic con
itipatlon." S. L. Spkllman, Columbas, Ohio.
Jcaksi. AUtVaoWs.
aro united In our devotion to tho flag which
Is tho symbol of national greatness nnd
unity, nnd tho very completeness of our
union euablcs us all, In every part of tin
country, to glory In the valor shown allko
by tho sons of tho north and tho sons of tho
south In tho times that, tried men's souls.
Tho men who In tho last threo years hav
dono bo well In tho East nnd West Indies
and on tho mainland of Asia havo shown,
that this remcmbrnnco la not lost. In nny
serious crisis the United States must rely
for tho great mass of Us fighting men upon
tho volunteer soldiery who do not mako ft
pormanent profession of tho mllltnry caroer,
and whenever such n crisis arises tho death
less moratrlcs of tho civil war will glvo to
Americans the lift of lofty purpose which
comes to thoso whoso fathers have stood
valiantly in tho forefront of tho battle.
Tho merit system of making appointment
Is In its csrenco ns democratic and American
as tho common school system ttself. It
simply means thnt In clerlcul nnd othor
positions, whore tho duties nre entirely non
political, nil applicants Bhould havo n fntr
Held nnd no favor, each standing on hit
merits ns ho Is nble to show them by prno
tlcal test. Written compotltlvo examina
tions offer tho only nvnllablo means in many
cases for applying this systom. In othor
cases, as whore iabnrors nro employed, n
syntcm ot registration undoubtedly can h
widely extended. Thero nre, of course.
places whoro thn written compotltlvo ex
amination cannot bn npplled nnd others:
whero it offers by no means an ldenl solu
tion, but where undor existing political
conditions It Is, though nn imperfect mean,
yet the bent present means ot getting satti
factory results.
Atlvocntrn Merit System.
Whcrovcr tho conditions hnvo permitted
tho application ot tho merit system in its
fullest nnd widest sonso the gain to tha
government hss been immense. Tho navy
yards and postal service Illustrate, prohabl
hotter than any othor branches of tho gov
ernment, tho great gain In economy,
efficiency nnd honesty duo to tho enforce
ment of this principle.
1 recommend tho passago of n law which
will extend the classified service to tha
District of Columbia, or will at least enabls
the president thus to extend It. In my
Judgment all laws providing for tho tempo
rary employment of clerks should hereafter
contain a provision tbnt thoy bo selcctod
under tho civil service law.
It Is Important to havo thin system obtain
nt home, but It In even morn Important ta
havo It applied rigidly In our Insular pos
sessions. Not an office should bo filled In
tho Philippines or Porto ltlco with any
regard to tho man's partisan nffillatlons op
scrvlors, with any regnrd to tho political,
social or personal Inlluenco which ho may
havo at his command: In short, heed should
be paid to absolutely nothing snvo tho man's
own character aud capacity nnd tbo needs
of tho Bervlco.
Tho administration of theso Islands
should bo ns wholly freo from tho suspicion
ot partlsnn politics ns tho administration,
ot tho army nnd navy. All that wo ask
from tho public servant In the Philippines
or Porto Hlco Is that ho reflect honor on
his country by tho way In which ho makes
that country's rtllo a benefit to tho peoples
who hnvo como under It. This Is nil that
wo should ask and we cannot afford to bn
content with lees.
The merit nystcm Is simply ono method
of securing honest and efficient administra
tion of tho government, and In tho long run
the sole Justification of nny type of govern
ment lien In lte proving Itself both honest
and efficient.
CoiiMulnr Service.
The consular scrvlco is now organized
undor tho provisions of a law passed In,
1856, which Is entirely inadequato to exist
ing conditions. The Interest shown by so
many commercial bodies throughout tha
country in tho reorganization of tho scrvlco
Is hcarlly commended to your attention.
Sovcrai bills providing for n new consular
scrvlco have In recent yoars been sub
mitted to tho congress. Thoy are based
upon the just prlnclplo thnt appointment
to tho nervlco should bo mado only after
n practical test of tbo applicant's fitness,
thnt promotions should bo govorned by
trustworthiness, adaptability nnd zeal In
tho porformanco of duty nnd that tho ten
ure ot office should bo unaffected by partl-
san considerations.
Tho guardianship nnd fostering of our
rapidly expanding foreign commerce, the
protection of Amorlcnn cltlznns resorting;
to foreign countries In lawful pursuit of
tholr affairs and tho maintenanco of th
dignity ot tho nation abroad combine ta
make It essential that our consuls should
bo mon of charactor, knowlcdgo and enter
prise It Is truo that tho norvlco Is now,
In tho main, efficient, but a htundard of ex
cellence cannot ho permanently maintained
until tbo principles set forth in tho bills
horctoforo submitted to the congress oa
thin bubject are enacted into law,
I.o, the Poor t ml Inn.
In my judgment thn tlmo has arrived
when wo should definitely mako up our
minds to recognize tho Indian as an In
dividual nnd not an a member of n tribe.
The general allotmont.net is u mighty pul
verizing engine to break tip thn tribal
mass. It acts directly upon tho family an4
tho Individual. Under ItH provisions nomn
60,000 Indians have, nlready bocomn citizen
or the Unltod Statos. Wo should no,
break up tho tribal funds, doing for thoiq
what Allotment does for tho tribal lands:
that Is, they ehould bo divided Into ln
dividual holdings. Thorn will bo a transl-
(Continuod on Seventh Page.)
You Look
(
Sick
What mikes you look,
that way? What's the
trouble?
If your tbnigu'e is
fcoated, if you ore bilious,
(if your head aches, if
' your food rests heavy
J. C. AVER CO, i Lowell, Mat.
13
t