The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-11-12
MILE > r ePORT.
The General is Out Again with Sugges.
tions aud Recommendation.


Washington. Nov. 1l.-In his annual
report 10 the secretary of war. Major
General Miles, commanding the army,
recommends a liberal appropriation for
replacing the decaying and antiquated
post buildings, especially those on what
was formerly the Indian frontier. Gen.
eral Miles says that the freedom OF the
country of late from Indian outbreaks
Is to be ascribed 10 the fact that the
Indians now receive better treatment
from the government; that they are
more impressed with the power of the
army to punish them, and that their
affairs are in many cases managed by
competent army officers. Therefore. he
recommends that this same policy as
to the Indians be continued. General
Miles again devotes q large portion OF
his report to the consideration of qucs-
tions of coast defense and renews fore
IDLY all the recommendations en- that
subject made in his former reports. IL
Is recommended that liberal appropri-
ations be made for the manufacture OF
guns. their emplacements. quarters
and barracks.
The estimate that General Miles
makes for the next year for the work
Of the ordnance. engineers and quar-
ta'master departments at the different
coast points include the following:
Mobile. Ala, sl50,40o; New Orleans.
s4S9. 400. Galveston, Texas. $l57 ,s25;
San Diego. Cal. S600,002; San Francis
CO, S902,ss0: mouth Of the Columbia
river. S566,325; Puget sound, S76f,050.
General Miles says: IAN unwise ar
gument has been made against the
construction OF modern appliances Of
war. on the theory that IL is danger
and a menace to the laboring classes.
In some instances marked protests
have been made against such a ma
tional policy. The arguments seem
scarcely worthy OF consideration, yet II
Is deemed proper to call attention to
the fact that these national safeguards
are In no sense menace to any class
OF our citizens, not even to the hum
blest individual. but on the other hand
they are a protection to- the life and
property OF all classes from the high
est to the lowest. They protect not
only the commercial ports, with their
accumulations of public debts and pri-
vate dwellings, commerce and ship
yards. but the factory. the foundry.
the workshop and also the savings
banks and the cottages. In fact the de-
struction Of our great commercial and
manufacturing cities would be a ma
tional disaster far more serious and
appalling to the great masses OF the
laboring people than II would be to
any other class of our people"
General Miles renews his former rec
concentrations for an increase Of the
army on the ground that 1t has not
kept pace with the increased wealth
Of public and private interests, and he
suggests that the enlisted strength Of
the army be fixed at one soldier to
every 1000 people. as a minimum. the
maximum strength to be determined
within these limits by the president.
according to the necessities and re-
quirements of the nation. He points
out the importance OF having at least
two stations east of the Rocky noun
tains, and one west suitable for the
accommodation of one regiment OF
cavalry. and renews the recommenda-
tions made last year concerning the
use Of bicycles and motor wagons and
the promotion of competent enlisted
men to the grade Of second lieutenants
after five years' service