The record-union., 1898-12-03
Practically a History Of the Span
ish-Americdn Conflict.
Makes Public Dispatches Passing Between
His Offlcs and Commanding Officers

Recommends q Permanent In
crease In the Regular Army to
One Hundred Thousand Men
and the Requisite Officers.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.--The annual
report of Secretary Alger is practically
a complete history of the Spanish
American war. The Secretary has
given to the public not only all the Off
cial dispatches that passed directly be-
tween his office and coTuTnanding off,
GERS in the field and camps, but has
supplemented these with short explana-
tory notes, setting forthsthe reasons for
various movements, and then, to COM
plete the record of events, he has in
cluded in the body of his report the re-
port of General Miles, Of all the Cen
erals who participated in the campaign
in Cuba, Porto Rico or the Philippines,
and, finally, the reports of all of the
bureau officers of the War Department.
| Nowhere is there shown disposition
to criticise, the official dispatches being
allowed to tell their own story. and gen.
orally the Secretary finds much to
praise and cause for sincere congratu-
lation in the results obtained.
| The report proper begins with what
may be described as a chronological
history of the war, consisting of
number of short paragraphs beginning
| with the declaration of war on April
| 21st, and setting forth the date upon
which any event of Importance oc-
Cured, but making no comment what
| ha 70 ofx shn nY11U
| ton to this rule is in reference to
| the battle Of Santiago. Some criticisms
having been made that there was lack
of surgeons present, the report says
there were 14O surgeons in attendance,
and that of 1431 wounded, only IL
| died of their wounds.
The Secretary, coming down in his
history to the middle of August, when
an order was issued, which is now in
execution, to muster out 100000 volun-
teers, says:
Thus an army Of about 250O00 vol
unteers and recruits for the regulars
was called into existence from civil life,
and, including the regular army, the
total force was 274717 men. 1t was
organized, armed and equipped no
supplies being on hand other than those
for the regulars, save Springfield mus
kets), and $4,000 men Of this force We're
transported by land and sea to battle
fields in the tropics, 10000 miles apart,
where they won their victories without
a single defeat, and all within the per-
iod of 113 days from the declaration
of war to the signing Of the protocol.
"This great achievement can be cred
tied to no individual; it belongs to the
nation. 1T was accomplished through
| the intelligence and patriotism of all
who served. from the COMMANDMENTS
Chief to the private in the ranks. 1t
also speaks volumes for the prompt,
patriotic and intelligent assistance Of
the people who furnished in SO short a
period the supplies necessary to pre-
pare this great army for the field. To
the heroic men who served in distant
lands the country will ever offer true
need of praise; but the mighty army
in camp, ready and eager to take the
field, should also be given equal credit.
1t was their presence, ready at an
hours notice for any emergency, that
overawed the enemy, and proved to him
that further resistance would be in
vain.
"The deaths in the army from May
1st to October 1st, including killed, died
of wounds and of diseases, were 2,910,
the smallest death rate recorded of any
army in history, a remarkable fact,
when it is considered that over $4,000
of our troops, born and reared in the
temperate zone, were campaigning in
tropical climates, subject to rain and
heat almost unprecedented"
The Secretary says of the volunteers
that to furlough them in winter would
be a hardship, so he recommends that
in lieu of the furlough the officers and
men be given two months pay at the
time of their discharge, thus admitting
of their prompt discharge in their pres
ent camps in the South
Under the head Of increase in the per-
manent establishment, the Secretary
says:
In view of the needs of a military
force in the islands occupied by the
United States it is earnestly recon-
mended that the regular army be per-
manently increased to 100000 men and
the requisite officers; that a portion of
this army be recruited from the inhab-
itants of those islands to be mustered
into the service of the United States,
commanded by officers of our army, dis
cretion, however, to be given to the
President to make appointments of off,
GERS from the force SO recruited"
Another suggestion is that there
should be employed in the United States
service a constabulary force for the
cities Of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines, who have had experiences and
can speak the language of the islands.
Secretary Aiger thinks that the Gov
ernment will be greatly taxed to sup
ply food to the destitute, especially in
Cuba. The effort should be made, he
thinks TO give the people work. instead
of allowing them to dwell in idleness,
living upon charity. He says:
Would it not be wise economy for
the Government of the United States
to construct a substantial railroad
practically the whole length Of the ISL
and of Cuba. with branch roads to the
leading cities of the coast? Such q
road would. Of course cost a large
sum, perhaps $2O.OO0OO0; but it would
give employment to the people of
Cuba, teach them habits of industry.
be an inducement for them to culti-
vate their farms. and thus furnish
supplies for the 1aborers and for the
market when the road is constructed.
This, In my Judgment, is absolutely
essential to the pacification and devel-
opment Of that great island The road