Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
FULL DISCUSSION OF NATIONAL
ISSUES.
A Careful Review of the Conflict With
spain and Its Cnuxes-Urses Withdraw
al of Some Forms of Currency-Aslss
for M increase In the Army nnd Navy.

Washington, Dec. 6.-President Nc
Klnley yesterday sent to Congress his
annual message. 1t is of grent length
and fully covers the important ma
tional issues. We present below n
brlef summary of 1t. The message be-
gins as follows:
"To the Senate and House OF Repre-
scntatives: Notwithstanding the add
ed burdens rendered necessary by the
war, our people rejoice In n very salts
factory and steadily increasing degree
of prosperity evidenced by the largest
volume OF business ever recorded. .Ev-
cry manufacture has been productive.
agriculturall ursuits yieldedabun.
dant returns. revenue Legislation passed
by the present Congress has In
creased the treasury receipts TO the
amount estimated by the authorities,
the finances OF the government have
been successfully administered and III
credit advanced 70 the front rank. while
its currency has been maintained at the
worlds highest standard. Military ser.
vice under common tiag and for
righteous cause Inns strengthened the
national spirit and served to cement
more closely than ever the sraternnl
bonds between every section or the
country. A review Of the relations OF
the United States to other powers, al.
ways appropriate, is this year OF pr!.
mary importance In view OF the mo.
mentous issues which have risen, de.
manding In one instance the ultimate
determination by arms md Involving
far-reaching consequences which VIII
require the earnest attention OF the
Congress-"
The President lauA eAes Mt once into
full recital OF the events leading III
to the war with Spain. and details nt
some length the leading features Of
the campaign.
Regarding the preparations for the
war he snys:
.Our country thus. after an interval oi
half n century Of pence with all ma
tons. found itself engaged In deadly
conflict with a foreign enemy. Every
nerve was strained to meet the cmerg.
cncy. The response to the initial cnll
for 12J.OO0 volunteers was Instant ana
complete. ns was nlso the result of thu
second call OF May 9TH for 5000 add
tional volunteers. The ranks OF the
regular army We're Increased to tn,
limits provided by the act OF April
-. The enlisted force of the navy
on the 18th of August. when II reached
Its maximum. numbered ~. .123 men
and apprentices. One hundred and
three vessels were added to the navy
by purchase. ole was presented to the
government. one leased and the foul
vessels OF the International Navigation
Company. the st. Paul. st. Louis. New
York and Paris. Were chartered. In
addition to these the revenue cutters
and lighthouse tenders were turned
over to the Navy Department and be
came temporarily part OF the nuxil
larry navy.
"Thc maximum effective fighting
force OF the navy during the war scpa
rated into classes was as follows:
-Four battleships OF the first class
one ba.t!cship OF the second class. tive
arinorcd cruisers. six coast defense
monitors. one nrmored ram. twelve
protected cruisers. eighteen gunboats
one dynamite cruiser. eleven torpedo
boats. fourteen old vessels Of the old
navy. including monitors. Auxiliar,
navy: Auxiliary CRUISERS. twcnty-clgh,
converted yachts, twenty-seven con
rcrted tugs, nineteen converted colllcrs
four revenue cutters. four lighthOus,
tenders and nineteen miscellaneous yes
sells.
The national defense. under tn,
S50OOO.OOO fund. was expended In
large part by the army and navy. nnd
the objects for which II was used are
fully shown In the representations OF
the several secretaries. 1t was d
most timely appropriation. enabling
the government to strengthen Its de
iense and to make preparations great
" needed In ease Of war. This fund
being inadequate to the requirements
Of equipment and for the conduct Of
the war, the patriotism of Congress
provided the means In the wnr reve
nue. act OF June by liking n Z
0o,OOO.OOO. and by levying additional
Imports and taxes. or the authorized
loan S2OO.OOO.OOO was offered and
promptly taken, the subscriptions SC
far exceeding the call rs to cover II
many times over, while, preference be
Ing given to tie smaller bids. no sin
gle allotment exceeded $1,000. This
was most encouraging and signifi
cant result, showing the vast re-
sources of the nation and the deter
mination Of the people to uphold theil
country's honor"
Concerning the casualties OF the wal
The President says:
The total casualties in killed nnt
wounded In the army during the wal
was as follows: officers killed, %
enlisted men killed. 25T: total. $50: Off
ccrs wounded, 113: enlisted mer
wounded. 1.4G4; total. 1877: OF the
navy, killed II: wounded. ca: died ns
result of wounds. 1: invalitled from
service. @: totnl, 81.
1t VIII be observed that while oui
nvy was engaged In two great bat.
Ss and In numerous perilous under
akings In the blockndes and BON.
nruments, and more than $4,000 OF
ur troops were transported to distant
mus, and engaged in assault and
ese and battle, and many skirmishes
unfamiliar territory, we lost in botll
rms rms OF the service n total Of LOGS
NED and wounded, and In the entire
dmpaign by land and sea we did not