The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-22

ALASKA AND IT'S GOVERNMENT.
4 Serious Problem Which Must BE
Solved Imm ediately-NO Fort
for Bismarck.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 21.-In his first
annual report, Secretary Alger makes
may recommendations for the better
ment of the administration of the war
department, based upon conclusions of
his subordinate officers. He asks ia
Vorable consideration for the PROPOSE
ton to add two regiments To the ar
tillery branch, pointing to the valu-
able Notifications now being erected.
which. he says, should not he manned
by a corpOral's guard. He says of
Alaska that as many as 100000 people
will be gathered there next year, and
a military force should be sent to the
territory and large emergency powers
should be granted to the president to
rcpress lawlessness. Probably the ere
alton of additional military reserva-
tions. like that of st. Michaels, may
be the best means to meet the problem.
A boat for the patrol of the Yukon is
also asked for. as well as increased
paw for the enlisted men serving in
Alaska
Secretary Alger recommends the re-
vivaI of the grade of lieutenant gen
erai, saying that all the great nations
give their officers much higher ranks
than does the United States.
He fndorses the recommendation of
the superintendent of the military
academy, that the number of students
at West Point be increased by allow
ing each senator to nominate a cadet.
AS an alternative. he suggests that the
IN annOint ten
cadets at large each year
Favorable comment is made upon the
work of the military colleges of the
country. but it is suggested That the
law be amended so as to authorize de-
tails of army officers only to such col
Ieges as have at least $50 pupils ac-
tually present.
Attention is called to the need Of
ploper system of criminal jurisdiction
over military. reservations ana OF d
hall Of records for the storage OF OF
fetal papers The estimate for army
transportation is increased by $ioV'ooV
TO provide means for moving heavy
ordnance. To provide for the new
posts needed on the sea coast an .es-
innate of 81 900 900 is submitted
Until recently the hospital at Hot
Strings was open only to soldiers of
the regular army, but Secretary Alger
has lust amended the regulations so
as to authorize the admission OF suit
able cases among veterans of the late
war.
In the opinion of the secretary, an
increase in the engineer corps in Of
ficers and enlisted men is indlspensa-
BILE He points to the immense value
and extent of the work now in the
hands of this corps, and contends that
If could be better supervised ana I'M
proved in quantity and quality by the
assignment of more officers, Whlch IS
now impossible.
Secretary Alger transmits without
reduction the estimate of the chief of
engineers for the next fiscal year.
amounting to s4S,728, 160, more than
double the appropriations for the cur
rent year. He says these are largely
in excess of what they should be at a
time when the demands upon the treas
ury are as great as now, therefore he
recommends a large reduction.
In justice to the chief of engineers.
Secretary Alger says that these esti-
mates were made by his own direction,
that the facts might be placed before
congress, showing what the expendi-
lures would be were all the require
mentS of the river and harbor laws
complied with, and he cites the fact
tndC the OuISldHQlHS CONTINUOUS tpli-
tracts for river and harbOr work will
require an expenditure Of over ST.
OOO.0 900 for the next fiscal year. The
secretary indorses the project for the
construction of the ship canal coz
Meeting Lakes Union and Washington
with Puget sound, but states that act
i've operations cannot be commenced
for some time, as the right of way has
not yet been acquired.
Secretary Alger especially commends
for patriotism, generosity and zeal
Col. Burlington and Capt. Crozier, the
inventors of the disappearing gun car
riage, who generously donated the in
vention to the government
The report closes with the renewal
of the recommendation that provision
be made for the erection in Washington
of a statue to Gen. Grant.
The estima tes for the next fiscal year
aggregate 1862 AS, as against $62,
S32, All. the amount of the appropria-
tions for the current year. The prin-
cipal items of increase are in rivers
and karbors. where the estimate is
$4S. rs, 100. as against the appropriation
of S29, 27S0 2S; Notifications and sea-
coast defenses, $13,378.571, as against
$9.517.141, and military posts, parks
and cemeteries $2.55S $50, as against
$3.50, 1857. Regarding the proposed mill
tary post at Bismarck. the report SAYS:
| By act CT congress approved June IL, 1885,