PRESIDENT'S
MCOOflpi:
l.lLUOMULi
Hakes Annual Reccacen
datlons to Congress.
ATTACKS ANTI-TRUST LAW
harm Act Bheul. Be AmtnW
permit Combination Which Are lit
tha Intereet of tha Publla, Say th
rVeeldent Urgaa Leglelatloft ta
Safeguard tha Wageworker Owell
an Need ef Proteotion Par Fereet.
View an tha Army and tha Navy.
Waahlngtou, Dec. 8.-I0 bla meeeage
to cougreaa. read to tha two boueea,
tba president aald;
The financial standing of tha nation
at tha preeeut tint is excelleot end
tba financial management of tba na
tlon'e interests by th government Cur
ing tba laat seven year ba tbowa tba
moat Mtlafactory result. Hut .sr
currency ayatcm la imperfect and It
la earnestly to ba hoped that tba cur
rency conimlaelon wilt ba abla to pro
poa a thoroughly good syatem which
will do iway with tba existing defect.
During tba period from July 1, 1001,
to Kept 30, 1008, there baa been Bet
turpi uh of nearly one hundred million,
of receipt, orer expenditure, a reduc
tion of tba lnlereat bearing debt by
ninety million, In spite of tba extraor
dinary txpenve of tba raoaina canal
and a saving of nearly nine million
oa tba annual InUireat cbarga. Tbl la
an exceedingly satisfactory ebowlng.
There ba been a reduction 01 taxa
tion. Corporation.
A regard the grout corporation en
gaged In Interstate business, and espe
cially tbe railroads, L can only repeat
wbnt I bare already again and again
aid In my meaaageH to the congress.
I bellove that under tbe Interstate
clause of tbe couKtltutlou the L'uited
BtaN-s hn complete and paramount
right to control all agencies of Inter
state commerce, and I believe that the
national government alone can oxer
clue thl right wltti wisdom and ef
fectiveness ao as both to secure justice
from and to do Justice to the great
corporations which nro tho most Im
portant factors lu modern business. I
believe that It Is wortte than folly to
attempt to prohibit nil combinations,
at la done by the Sherman autl-trust
law, because such u law can be en
forced only Imperfectly and unequal
ly, and Its enforcement works almost
much hardship as good. I strongly
advocate that Instead of on unwise
effort to prohibit all combinations thero
hall bo substituted a law which shall
expressly permit combinations which
ore In the Interest of the public, but
hall at the same time give to some
agency of tho national government full
power of control and supervision over
them. One of the chief feature of
thl control should bo securing entire
publicity In all matters which the pub
lic has a right to know and. further
more, the power, not by Judicial, but
by executive, action to prevent or put
a top to every form of Improper fa
Yorltism or other wrongdoing.
The railway of tho country abould
be put completely under the Interstate
commerce commission and removed
from tbe domain of the anti trust law.
The power of the commission should
be made thoroughgoing, so that It
could exercise complete supervision
and control over the Issue of securltlel
a well as over the raising and lower
ing of rates. A regards rates, at least
this power should be summary. Tow
er to make combinations and traffic
agreements should be explicitly con
ferred upon the railroads, the permis
sion of the commission being first
gained and the combination or agree
ment being published in oil its de
tails. The interests of the sharehold
ers, of tbe employees and of the ship
fpers should all be guarded as against
one another. To give any one of them
indue and improper consideration is
to do Injustice to the others. Rates
must be made as low as Is compatible
.with giving proper returns to all the
employees of the railroad, from the
highest to the lowest, and proper re
turns to the shareholders, but they
tnust not for instance, be reduced In
aroch fashion as to necessitate a cut
In the wages of the employees or the
abolition of the proper and legitimate
profits of honest shareholders.
Telegraph and telephone companies
ajngaged in Interstate business should
fee put under the' jurisdiction of tho in
terstate commerce commission.
Ample Rewards For Intelligence.
It is to the Interest of all of us that
there should be a premium put upon
Individual Initiative and individual ca
pacity and an ample reward for the
sweat directing intelligences alone com
metont to manage the great business
.operations of today. It is well to keep
Sn mind that exactly as the anarchist
is the worst enemy of liberty and the
reactionary the worst enemy of order
too the men who defend the rights of
jproperty have most to fear from the
iwrongdoers of great wealth, and the
!men who are championing popular
rights have most to fear from the
demngopues who in the name of popu
lar rights would do wrong to and op
press honest business men, honest men
(of wealth, for the success of either
ype of wrongdoer necessarily Invites
a violent reaction against the cause
the wrongdoer nominally upholds,
f The opposition to government con
trol of the great corporation make
tta BMwt effective effort ta the efcape
aa rcl te tha old dortrta ef
tat re right.
Tbe erotHieal to mak tbe national
government supreme over, and there
fore te give It eomplet control over,
tba railroad tod other Inetrwmeeta
lb raiiroao aa tner inairomeoi 01
. . . , .
internal, commerce u menu e
cerry M lb. letter 00. of
tbe prim, purpcee aot th. prime
imranu tinn
....
I believe that the mre far. gntea
eorporatloue are themeelve. coming te
recognise tle unwuwora or we vweni
boatlllty they have dl.pl.yed during
the l.at few rrr to rranUttoo aad
control by the national govern ment of
combluaUou. engaged la later. lata bul-
neae.
Ueee.
There are many matter affecting la
bor and the statu of tbe wan-worker
to wblrb 1 abould like to draw your
attention. A far aa poealble I bope
to bm a frank ncoamltlon of the ad
vantaee conferred by machinery, or-
eantxatloD and dlvUlon of labor, ac
companied hf an effort to bring about
a lareer share In tbe ownrrauip Dy
wageworker of rut) way, mill and fac
tory. Is farming thl (Imply mean
that w wlah to ee the farmer own bl
owd land. We de not wlah to eee the
far ma ao lane that tbey becotn. tbe
property of absentee landlorda who
farm tbem by tenant, nor yet ao mau
that the farmer become like a Euro-
Dean pesaant
Th drnoaltor tn our Mvlnge bank
iw.w nnmbtr ever one-trntn 01 our en-
tlra nnnulaMon. These are all capital-
bit who tbroush tbe laving bank
loan tbelr money to the workere-tbai
la. In many case to themeelve to
rrry on their varlou Industrie.
Tostal aavlng bank will make it easy
for the poorest to keep tbelr saving
in absolute eafety. Tbe regulation of
the national highway must be och
that thev aba II serve all people wltD
equal Justice. Corporate finance must
h unrrvlsed so a to make it far
afer than at preaent for the man of
mall raeana to invest bla money In
tock. There must be prohibition of
child labor, diminution of woman la
bor, shortening of hour of all me
chanical labor. Stock watering should
be prohibited, and (tock gambling, o
far as 1 possible, dlwouraged. There
should bo a progressive Inheritance
tax on large fortunes. Industrial edu
cation should be encouraged.
Protection For Wageworker.
There Is one matter with which the
congress should deal at this session.
There should no longer be any palter
ing with the question of taking care
of the wageworkers who, under our
present Industrial system, become kill
ed, crippled or worn out as part of the
regular incidents of a given business.
The object sought for could be achiev
ed to a measurable degree, as far as
those killed or crippled are concerned,
by proper employers' liability lows.
As far as concerns those who have
been worn out, I cull your attention to
the fact that definite steps toward pro
Tiding old age pensions have been
taken in many of our private indus
tries. . Tendlna- a thoroughgoing Investiga
tion and action there is certain legis
lation which should be enacted at
once. The law passed at the last ses
sion of the congress granting com
pensation to certain classes of em
ployees of the government should be
extended to include all employees of
the government and should be made
more liberal m Its terms. In this re
spect the generosity of the United
Sin tea toward It emDloyees compares
most unfavorably with that of every
country in Europe even tbe poorest
The terms or tne act are aiso a
hardship tn prohibiting payment in
The terms of the act are also a
cases where the accident is in any
way due to tue nee lgence or ine em-
ployee. It is inevitable that daily fa-
A., l n,,. Af tho am.
millarlty with danger will lead men to
take chances that can be construed
into negligence.
I renew my recommendation made
in a previous message that half holi
days be granted during the summer to
all wageworkers In government em
ploy. I also renew my recommendation
that the principle of the eight hour
day should as rapidly and as far as
practicable be extended to the entire
work being carried on by the govern
ment The Courts.
I most earnestly urge upon the con
gress the duty of increasing the totally
inadequate salaries now given to our
Judges. On the whole, there is no
body of public servants who do as
valuable work , nor whose moneyed
reward is so inadequate compared to
their work. Beginning with the su
preme court, the Judges should have
their salaries doubled.
It is earnestly to be desired that
some method should be devised for do-tno-
nwntr with the lonsr delays which
now obtain in the administration of
justice and which operate with pecul
iar severity against persons of small
means and favor only the very crimi
nals whom it is most desirable to pun
ish. At the last election certain leaders
of organized labor made a violent and
sweeping attack upon the entire Ju
diciary of the country, an attack
couched in such terms as to Include
the most upright, . honest and broad
minded Judges no less than those of
narrower mind and more restricted
outlook. Last year before the house
committee on the judiciary these same
labor leaders formulated their de
mands, specifying the bill that con
tained them, refusing all compromise,
stating they wished the principle of
that bill or nothing. They insisted on
a provision that in a labor dispute no
Injunction should issue except to pro-
tect a property right and specifically
areetde4 tlut tbe right te eturrf e
btMtaee eboeld aot be eeeetrued M a
property rtgkt, and la a aerod pw
etalua tbelr bUI auide .real la Utw
dtapate a ay 't ee agro-iwet J ee
twtweea t we ee snore pereone mat
would aet have bea unlawful If done
' . .,.
be a lnet nerewa, la other woraa,
. - . ... , .. . . . .. . . .
' ZVZtJ
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br lurv la contempt raare. Ibareby
most wriaiiilr lmuatrlaa tbe aatbority
1 - . - .
I of tha courts. All tbi repreeentea a
counl of ,,, mhtrK rirrtwl cut,
enthronement of claee
pr,rtlt.g , rru,tr.t od nt
jul foroi t
nd tbe destruction
one of the moet eeeenllal function
tba Indlclar In all civilised land.
The waffeworkvra, the worklngmea.
tha iaborlne men of tbe country, by the
way in which they repudiated the ef
fort to eet tlieiu to caat tbelr votre In
rmpouae to an appeal to ctaaa hatred
have enpbaalaed tbelr sound patriotism
and American lew.
Court I moor I lee" by Judgee.
But the extrvuie reactionaries, the
persona wbo blind themeelve. to Ibe
wrong now and then committed by
tbe court, on laboring men. should
also think seriously aa to what sucb
movement sa tbfa portend. Tb
court are jeoparded primarily by tbe
action of these federal and stale
judge who how inability or anwUW
tngtieee to put a stop to tn wrong
doing of eery rich men under modem
Industrial condition.
There are certain decision by va
rloua court, which have been exceed
Inirtv detrimental to tbe flffbta Of
wageworkers. Tbl Is true of all th
decision that decide that men and
women are by tbe constitution "guar
anteed tbelr liberty" to contract to
enter a dangerous occupation, or to
work an undesirable or Improper oum
her of hours, or to work in on healthy
aurroundlna-a. and therefore cannot re
cover damage when maimed In that
occupation and cannot be forbidden
to work what tbe legislature decide I
an exceaaive number of boura, or to
carry on the work under condition
which tbe legislature deckle to be nn
healthy.
There 1 also, I think, ground for
tha belief that substantial Injustice is
often suffered by employee In conse
quence of the custom of courts issu
ing temporary injunctions without no
tice to them and punishing tbem for
contemot of court In instances where.
as a matter of fact, they have no
knowledge of any proceedings. Pro
vision should be made that no injunc
tion or temoorarv restraining order
Issue otherwise than on notice, except
where Irreparable injury would other
wise remit, and in sucb case a hear
ing on the merits of the order should
be hnd within a short Used period.
and If not then continued after hear
ing it shonld forthwith lanse. Decl
slona should be rendered immediately
and tbe chance or delay minimized in
every way.
Tho courts are to be hlchlv com
mended and stanchlv unhcld when
thev set their faces aralnst wrong
doing or tyranny by a majority, but
they are to be blamed when they
fall to recognize under a government
ilka ours the deliberate Judgment of
the majority as to a matter of legiti
mate policy wnen duly expressed Dy
the legislature. The people should
not be Dcrmltted to nardon evil and
slipshod legislation on the theory that
the court will set it right. They should
be taught that tbe right way to get rid
tit a hnd In w Is to have tha legislature
repeal It and not to have tbe courts by
ingenious hair splitting nullify it
People Themaelvee to Blame.
For manv of the shortcomings of
Justice hi our country our people as a
whole are themselves to blame, and the
:- : - , , -- .
111 21
W Ti ',. Z
- . . , . . ..
fP' t there should be difficulty
""""J. " " uioliuu.uiu.b iv no "
convicting murderers or in bringing
to Justice men who as public servants
have been arulltv of corruDtlon or who
have profited by the corruption or pub
lic servants.
The huee wealth that has been ac
cumulated by a few Individuals of re
cent years, in what has amounted to
a social and industrial revolution, has
been as regards some of these individ
uals made possible only by the Improp
er use of the modern corporation. Cor
porations are necessary instruments of
modern business. They have been per
mitted to become a menace largely be
cause the governmental representatives
of the people have worked slowly In
providing for adequate control over
them.
Real damage has been done by the
manifold and conflicting Interpreta
tions of the interstate commerce law.
Control over the' great corporations do
ing interstate business can be effective
oniv if it is rested with full Dower in
an administrative department, a branch
of the federal executive, carrying out
a federal law. It can never be ef
fective if a divided responsibility is
left in both tbe states and the nation.
It can never be effective If left in the
bands of the courts to be decided by
lawsuits.
The courts hold a place of peculiar
nnd deserved sanctltv under our form
of government. Respect for the law Is
essential to the permanence of our in
stitutions, and respect for- the law Is
largely conditioned upon respect for
the courts. But we must face the fact
that there are wise and unwise judges,
Just as there are wise and unwise ex
ecutives and legislators. When a
president or governor behaves Improp
erly or unwisely tne remedy is easy,
for bis term is short Tbe same Is
true with the legislator, although not
to the same degree. With a Judge
who, being human, is also likely to
err. but whose tenure Is for life, there
is no similar way of holding him to
responsibility. Under ordinary condi
tions tbe only forms of pressure to
whkh be la te aay way aateaaWe are
subtle optntae aM Ibe am ef flU
fetluw judge. It la tbe !t wh h U
luoat luiftMrftatety effective aad te
wttb-h e etwriiUt tw. ft tee trtnrm
ef etiaeae.
Per ft
If tbrre te any one duty etW b
than another e ewe It te our ehUdrva
and our children's rblldrea to perform
at oix e It I te eat the f. ef
tula country, for tbey ewuetltute Ibe
first and moet Important element IB
Ibe rtiorfatko of the natural re-
urre ef tbe country.
Khwrtetghted pereona, or (x-rx-rv
blinded to tbe future by drelre to
make money In evrry way out of the
orwwtiL eunM-IIiiM-e apeak a. If no
grrat damage would be doue by Ibe
rocklcM destruction of our forest.
I difficult to have patience with Ibe
argument. t three person. Thanka
to our own rm-kiveam-e In tbe ue of
our splendid foreete, we bare already
rroeaed tbe verge of a timber famine
in tbl. country, and do meaaure. that
we aow take ran, at haat for many
years, undo tbe rulerblrf that ha al
ready been done. Hut we ran prevent
further mlecblrf being done, and
would be tn tbe highest degree repre
benalble lo let any couaideratlon of
temporary convenience or temporary
cost interfere with ucb action, espe
cially a regard tb national foreeta,
which tbe nation can now at tbte very
moment control.
Tbe president here rite In support
of bl contention tb great dee true
tlon wrought In China by tbe denuda
Uon of tbe foreat area.
What baa thua happened In northern
China, what baa happened in centra
Aala. In I'aleetlne, In north Africa, In
parte of tbe Mediterranean couutrlea
of Europe, will aurely happen In our
country If w do not exercise that
wise forethought which should be one
of the chief marks of any people call
Ing itself civilized. Nothing abould be
permitted to stand In the way of tbe
preservation of tbe forests, and It la
criminal to permit individuals to pur
chase a little gain for themeelve.
through the destruction of forests
when this destruction la fatal to tbe
well being of the wbole country In tbe
future.
Inland Waterway.
Action should be begun forthwith,
during the present session of congress,
for the improvement of our Inland wa
terwaya action which will result In
giving us not only navigable but
navigated rivers. We have spent
hundreds of millions of dollars upon
these waterways, yet the tramc on
nearly all of them Is steadily declln
Ing. This condition Is the direct re
sult of the absence of any compre
hensive and farsecing plan of water
way improvement Obviously we can
not continue thus to expend the rev'
enues of the government without re
turn. It is poor business to spend
money for inland navigation unless
we get It
Such shortsighted, vacillating and
futile methods are accompanied by de
creasing water borne commerce and
increasing traffic congestion on land,
by increasing floods and by the waste
of public money. The remedy lies in
abandoning tbe methods which have
so signally failed and adopting new
ones in keeping with tbe needs and
demands of our people.
In a report on a measure Introduced
at tbe first session of the present con
gress the secretary of war said, "The
chief defect in the methods hitherto
pursued lies in the absence of execu
tive authority for originating compre
hensive plans covering the country or
natural divisions thereof." In this
opinion I heartily concur.
Until the work of river improvement
is undertaken in a modern way it can'
not have results that wiU meet the
needs of this modern nation. These
needs should be met without further
dilly-dallying or delay. The plan which
promises the best and quickest results
is that of a permanent commission aa
thorized to co-ordinate the work of alf
the government departments relating
to waterways and to frame and super
vise the execution of a comprehensive
plan. The time for playing with our
waterways is past. The country de
mands results.
National Parks.
I urge that all our national parks ad'
jacent to national forests be placed
completely under the control of the
forest service of the agricultural de
partment instead of leaving them, as
they are now, under the interior de
partment and policed by the army.
Pure Food.
The pure food legislation has already
worked a benefit difficult to overesti
mate.
; Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor
porated in the measure providing for
the secret service which provided that
there should be no detail from the se
cret service and no transfer therefrom.
It is not too much to say that this
amendment has been of benefit only,
and could be of benefit only, to the
criminal classes. The amendment in
question was of benefit "to no one ex
cepting to criminals, and It seriously
hampers the government in the detec
tion of crime and the securing of Jus
tice. It prevents the promotion of em
ployees in the secret service, and this
further discourages good effort In its
present form the restriction operates
only to the advantage of the criminal.
of the wrongdoer.
The chief argument In favor of the
provision was that the congressmen
did not themselves wish to be Investi
gated by secret service men. Very lit
tle of such investigation has been done
In the past, ut it is true that the work
of the secret service agents was partly
responsible for the indictment and con
viction of a senator and a congressman
for land frauds in Oregon. I do not
believe that it is In the public Interest
e aeeaerrt evtaataeJ. ta aay heme at?
the pawu errtoe, and eiartJy aa we
have a gala and again daring (he paet
even yr peaearutad and eeaetrted
t ath criminal wbo were la th tiers
five braaeb eg the goreraaneet a ta
my belief we abould be gives ample
maana te pmetate them If found la
the WgWUUfe branch. But If thl. U
not considered daelrehle a aperlal el
raptlu rouid be made ta the lew pro
hibiting tbe nee of the secret service
force In tnreetigathig member of the
eongreea. It would be far better to de
thl. tha to do wbal actually wa done
and atrtre to prevent or at leaet to
hamper effective action sgalnat crim
inal by the executive branch of the
government
Portal levlng lank.
I again renew my recommendation
fur poetal saving banka, for deposit
ing saving with tbe security of the
government behind tbem. Tbe object
1 to encourage thrift nd economy In
tbe wage earner and person of mod
erate mrana. It 1 believed that to the
aggregate vaat sums of money would
tie brought Into circulation through
the Instrumentality of tbe postal sav
ing back, foetal aavlng banka are
Dow la operation la practically all th
great ctvlllted countries with tbe ex
ceptlon of the United Bute.
Pareel Peet.
Ia my laat annual message I com
mended the postmaster general' rec
ommendation for an extension of tbe
parrel post on tbe rural routes. Tbe
eetabllahment f a local parcel post
on rural routes would be to Ibe mu
tual benefit of tbe farmer and tbe
country storekeeper, and It la deslrabl
that the route, serving more than 15,
000,000 people, abould be utilized to tbe
fullest practicable extent
Education.
The share that tbe national govern
ment should take In tbe broad work of
education ba not received tbe atten
tion and tbe care It rightly deserves.
I earnestly recommend that this un
fortunate state of affairs aa regard
the national educational office be rem
edied by adequate approprlatlona.
Cenaus.
1 strongly urge that tbe request of
the director of the ceusus In connec
tion with the decennial work so soon
to be begun be complied with and that
the appointment to tbe census force
be placed under the civil service law,
waiving the geographical requirements
as requested by the director of tbe
census. Tbe supervisors and enumer
ators should not be appointed under
the civil service law for the reasons
given by the director.
Publie Health.
The dangers to public health from
food adulteration and from many oth
er sources, such as the menace to the
physical, mental and moral develop
ment of children from child labor,
should be met and overcome. This na
tion cannot afford to lag behind in the
worldwldo battle now being waged
by all civilized people with the micro
scopic foes of mankind The first leg
islative step to be taken is that for the
concentration of the proper bureaus
into one of the existing departments.
Statehood.
I advocate the immediate admission
of New Mexico and Arizona as states.
This should be done at the present ses
sion of the congress. The people of
the two territories have made it evi
dent by their votes that they will not
come in as one state. The only alter
native is to admit tbem as two, and I
trust that this will be done without
delay.
Foreign Affairs.
This nation's foreign policy is based
on the theory that right must be done
between nations precisely as between
individuals, and In our actions for tbe
last ten years we have in this matter
proved our faith by our deeds. We
have behaved and are behaving to
ward other nations as in private life an
honorable man would behave toward
his fellows.
Latin American Republics.
The commercial and material prog
ress of the twenty Latin American re
publics is worthy of the careful atten
tion of the .congress. No other section
of the world has shown a greater pro
portionate development of its foreign
trade during the last ten years, and
none other has more special claims on
tbe Interest of the United States.
Panama Canal.
The work on the Panama canal is be
ing done with a speed, efficiency and
entire devotion to duty which make It
a model for all work of the kind No
task of such magnitude has ever before
been undertaken by any nation, and no
task of the kind has ever been better
performed. The men on the isthmus,
from Colonel Goethals and his fellow
commissioners through the entire list
of employees who are faithfully doing
their duty, have won their right to the
ungrudging respect and gratitude of
the American people.
Ocean Mail Lines.
I again recommend the extension of
the ocean mail act of 1891 so that sat
isfactory American ocean mail lines to
South America, Asia, the Philippines
and Australasia may be established.
The creation of such steamship lines
should be the natural corollary of the
voyage of the battle fleet. It should
precede the opening of the Panama
canal.
The Philippines.
Real progress toward self govern
ment is being made In the Philippine
Islands. The gathering of a Philippine
legislative body and Philippine assem
bly marks a process absolutely new in
Asia, not only as regards Asiatic colo
nies of European powers, but as re
gards Asiatic possessions of other Asi
atic powers, and indeed, always ex
cepting the striking and wonderful ex
ample afforded by the great empire of
Japan, it opens an entirely new de-
partara wheel eeespajwa wltk eayUOa-
wfcira ha happened aaeng Mue
power wbkh are tbelr ew asaetera,
We have gtvea the fulpleee eonstlte
CjusI gaterasustit. a gurernment baaed
apon justice, and we have abowa that
w have governed tbeu for their good
nd not for our aggrandisement
At the preeeot time, a during the
past tea year, tba Inexorable !! of
fart, abow that ttl. government
must be aupplird by ns od not by
Ihrtn. We mnat be wise and ganaf
pua. We moat help the FtUploue te
maater tbe difficult art of eelf con
trol, wblcb la aluiply another name fur
alf got erament Hut w cannot five
thrm self goveruiuent aeve la the
aanaa of governing them so that grad
ually tbey may. It tbey are able.
to govern tbemaelve No one cart
prophesy tb eict date when it wUl
be lee to conaider Independence aa
a Cied and definite policy.
Perte Rice.
I again recommend that American
cltlxenablp be conferred upon tb peo
ple of Porto Rico.
Cube,
In Cuba our occupancy will eeaae la
bout two month lima. The Cuban
have la orderly manner elected their
own governmental authorities, and the
Island will be turned over to them.
Our occupatioo ou thl occaaton ha
laated a little over two year, and
Cuba ha thriven and proapered under
It Our earnest hope and one dealra
ta that th people of th bland hall
now govern themseive with juatlca,
to that peace and order may b se
cure. The Fleet's Reoeptlon.
I take tbla opportunity publicly to
state my appreciation of tbe way ta
which lo Japan, in Australia, In New
Zealand and in all the states of South
America the battle fleet baa been re
ceived on it practice voyage around
tbe world. The American government
cannot too trongly exprea its appre
ciation of tbe abounding and generou
hospitality abown our ihlps in every
port they visited.
The Army.
As regards the army. I call attention
to the fact that while our Junior offi
cers and enlisted men stand very high,
the present system of promotion by
seniority results in bringing into the
higher grades many men of mediocre
capacity who have but a short time to
serve. No man should regard tt a
bis vested right to rise to the highest
rank in the army any more than in
any other profession.
The scope of retiring boards should
be extended so that they could con
sider general unfitness to command
for any cause in order to secure a far
more rigid enforcement than at pres
ent in the elimination of officers for
mental, physical or temperamental
disabilities. But this plan Is recom
mended only If the congress dos not
see fit to provide what lu my Judg
ment Is far better that Is, for selec
tion in promotion and for elimination
for age.
Now that the organized mllltla, the
national guard, has been Incorporated
with the army as a part of the national
forces it behooves the government to
do every reasonable thing In its pow
er to perfect Its efficiency.
A bill is now pending before the
congress creating a number of extra
officers In the army, which. If passed,
as It ought to be, will enable more of
ficers to be trained as instructors of
national guard and assigned to that
duty.
There should be legislation to pro
vide a complete plan for organiz
ing the great body of volunteers be
hind the regular army and national
guard when war has come. While
teams representing the United State
won the rifle and revolver champion
ships of the world against all comers
in England this year, it is unfortunate
ly true that the great body of our citi
zens shoot less and less as time goes
on.
To meet this we should encourage
rifle practice among schoolboys and
indeed among all classes, as well as
in the military services, by every
means in our power.
The Navy.
I approve the recommendations of
the general board for the increase of
the navy, calling especial attention to
tbe need of additional destroyers and
colilers and, above all, of the fpur bat
tleships. It is desirable to complete
as soon as possible a squadron of eight
battleships of the best existing type.
The North Dakota, Delaware, Florida
and Utah will form the first division
of this squadron.
I most earnestly recommend that the
general board be by hiw turned Into
a general staff. Then is literally no
excuse whatever for continuing the
present bureau organization of the
navy. The navy should be treated as
a purely military organization, and
everything should be subordinated to
the one object of securing military ''
efficiency. A system of promotion by
merit either by selection or by ex
clusion or by both processes, should be
Introduced.
Nothing bettef for the navy from
every standpoint has ever occurred
than the cruise of tbe battle fleet
around the world. The Improvement
of the ships in every way has been ex
traordinary, and they have gained far
more experience In battle tactics than
they would have gained if they ha3
stayed In the Atlantic waters. I do
not believe that there is any other
service in the world in which the
average of character and efficiency in
the enlisted men Is as high as is now
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.