Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 6, Number 292, Decatur, Adams County, 8 December 1908 — Page 7

- V _—. ** when compared with anything has happened among Asiatic Ctoj which are their own masters. bare given the FLUplnoß const! tu- • « government, a gore ramen t based 3p * 0U J llßllo *’ and have ,ilOff n that 1 it e have governed them for their good * b HL n j not for our aggrandizement ex. V At the present time, as during the Pto. ast ten years, the Inexorable logic of rite ■ facta shows that this government tbs be supplied by us and not by j>h We must be wise and generlooe oas We must help the Filipinos to t t» the difficult art of seif courts. which is simply another name for the government But we cannot give jB them self government save in the of governing them so that grada they may, if they are able, learn BBto govern themselves. No one can ■B prophesy the exact date when it will . e wise to consider Independence as fixed and definite policy. :fX j_ ■ Porto Rico. the ■ i again recommend that American uld be conferred upon the peoi;b ■ pie of Porto Rico. «t- M Cuba. I I In Cuba our occupancy will cease in H about two months’ time. The Cubans ei ' ■ have in orderly manner elected their ■B own governmental authorities, and the ■ ■ Island will be turned over to them, a- Our occupation on this occasion has «• ■ lasted a little over two years, and :be ■ Cuba has thriven and prospered under 'be ■ It. Our earnest hope and one desire >st M is that the people of the Island shall in- ■ now govern themselves with justice, he go that peace and order may be se>le cure. a,- The Fleet's Reception. I take this opportunity publicly to ■ ■ state my appreciation of the way in ■ I which in Japan, in Australia, in New ■j. Zealand and in all the states of South of America the battle fleet has been rea. celved on its practice voyage around i. K the world. The American government n. R cannot too strongly express Its appre'j elation of the abounding and generous a- hospitality shown our ships in every I ■ port they visited. I The Army. if As regards the army, I call attention I I to the fact that, while our junior offia M cers and enlisted men stand very high, it R the present system of promotion by e seniority results In bringing into the higher grades many men of mediocre s capacity who have but a short time to e R serve. No man should regard it as ■. R| his vested right to rise to the highest r rank in the army any more than in j any other profession. I The scope of retiring boards should I I be extended so that they could conI I sider general unfitness to command I I for any cause in order to secure a far | I more rigid enforcement than at presI I ent in the elimination of officers for I I mental, physical or temperamental | I disabilities. But this plan is recomI I mended only if the congress do-s not I | see fit to provide what in my judg- | I ment is far better—that is, for selecI I tion in promotion and for elimination I I for age. I Now that the organized militia, the I I national guard, has been incorporated I I with the army as a part of the national I I forces it behooves the government to I I do every reasonable thing in its powI I er to perfect its efficiency. I A bill is now pending before the I I congress creating a number of extra I I officers in the army, which, if pvassed, I I as it ought to be, will enable more of- > I fleers to be trained as Instructors of I I national guard and assigned to that I ■ duty. I There should be legislation to proI I vide a complete plan for organizI I ing the great body of volunteers beI I hind the regular army and national I | guard when war has come. While I I teams representing the United States I [ won the rifle and revolver championI I ships of the world against all comers I I In England this year, it is unfortunateI I ly true that the great body of our citi- | I zens shoot less and less as time goes MB on. I ; To meet this we should encourage I rifle practice among schoolboys and I indeed among all classes, as well as I in the military services, by every I means in our power. The Navy. I I approve the recommendations of I ! the general board for the increase of I the navy, calling especial attention to I the need of additional destroyers and I colliers and, above all, of the four batI tieships. It is desirable to complete J as soon as possible a squadron of eight | battleships of the best existing type. I The North Dakota, Delaware, Florida I and Utah will form the first division I of this squadron. I I most earnestly recommend that the R| general board be by law turned into a general staff. The» is literally no I excuse whatever* for continuing the I present bureau organization of the 1 navy. The navy should be treated as I a purely military organization, and £ everything should be subordinated to I the one object of securing military | efficiency. A system of promotion by | merit, either by selection or by exi elusion or by both processes, should be J introduced. I Nothing better for the navy from I every standpoint has ever occurred I than the cruise of the battle fleet I around the world. The Improvement | of the ships in every way has been ex- | traordinary, and they have gained far I more experience in battle tactics than I ■ they would have gained if they had I'■ stayed in the Atlantic waters. Ido | not believe that there is any other | ■ service In the world In which the I average of character and efficiency in I the enlisted men is as high as is now I the case in our own. I believe that the same statement can be made as to our officers, taken as a whole, but there must be a reservation made in regard to those In the highest ranks and in regard to those who have Just entered the service, because we do not now get full benefit from our excellent naval school at Annapolis.

■Ji / eJ-v 1 \ gowMHl/ v K kilims' L BOOKCASE/ ■■ X ri • 1 /r The Yager Brothers & Reinking Furniture Store 14,000 Square Feet ot Floor Space ■ < i — riEs'w No other place in this city affords the buyer a great- X. er oppertunity for the exercise of individual choice t x ’ W i n se^ec^on °f Holiday Gifts. = NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT # ITi Have you thought of the present you are to buy . some one, your wife, sister or mother, your father. H br.ther, uncle or aunt? S WrM WE HAVE IT IN FURNITURE ® ur sa^esroom covers 14,000 square feet of floor space. I’ts all crowded with new and up-to-date Igu furniture. • > kS/ fm* Can vou think of anything more suitable, more substantial and ;J "' jY “X If Sp nicer than a piece of furniture fora gift. 'J M <'W/ I l\ Sb ML Do not delay, come now, look over our store, we wills help you 0 r I W/ / x select something to be laid away and delivered anytime in side or /'vl * < I outside of Adams county. S| i I A nice Buffet. China Closet, Parlor or a library Table, Odd Pieces, Princess Dressers, Chairs, 10 0 different styles of Rockers, Mission. Dome and Stand Lamps, a Writing Desk or Book Case, Mir- -■ | rors, anything you ma,y want in Fnraiture. j WBIisL YAGER BROTHERS & REINKING S FURNITURE STORE .; ■ ■ PISvOt y We are also in the piano business Call and see them ' IB- I kj V ■ i Win s. _ liih i