Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-12-09
The PRESIDENTS SECOND ANNUAL MESSAGE


construed as authorizing the permanent
! increase of the commissioned or enlisted
force Of the regular army beyond that
now provided for by the law In force
prior to the passage of this act, except
as to the increase of twenty-five majors
provided for in section hereof
THE Importance of legislation for the
I permanent Increase of the army is there
| fore manifest, and the recommendation
Of the secretary of war for that purpose
has my unqualified approval. There can
be no questionsthat at this time and prob
ably for some time in the future lOO,OeO
| men will be none too many to meet the
necessities of the situation. At all events
whether the number shall be required
permanently or not, the power should be
| given to the President to enlist that force
If in his discretion it should be neces-
sary, and the further discretion should be
! given him to recruit within the above linn
| it from the Inhabitants of the islands
| with the government of which We are
charged. ar .. -
1T Is my purpose to muster out the
entire volunteer army as soon as the con-
gress shall provide for the increase of
the regular establishment. This will be
only an act Of justice and will be much
appreciated by the brave men who left
their homes and employments to help the
country in its emergency" a
Union Pacific Railway.
| In reference to sale of Union Pacific
| railways. he says: IS Is. ...-' 3,
1T is gratifying fact that the result
| of these proceedings against the Union
| Pacific system and the Kansas Pacific
Line is that the government has received
on account of its subsidy claim the sum
of SEA, ISL, 22375, an increase of $lS991 ,l6S 10
over the sum which the reorganization
committee originally agreed to bid for the
| joint property, the government receiving
it's whole claim. principal and interest.
on the Union Pacific and the principal of
| its debt on the Kansas Pacific Railroad.
Steps had been taken to foreclose the
| governments lien upon the Central Pa
cific Railroad Company, but before action
| was commenced congress passed an act,
approved July I, 1898, creating a commits
sion, consisting of the secretary OF the
| treasury, the attorney general and the
secretary of the interior and their sue
cessors in office, with full power 10 settle
the Indebtedness to the government grow
ing out Of the issue of bonds m aid of
construction of the Central Pacific and
Western Pacific bond-aided railroads,
subject to the approval of the president.
No report has yet been made to me by
the commission thus created. Whatever
action is had looking to settlement of
the Indebtedness in accordance with the
act referred to will be duly submitted to
congress. .,-
Growth Of tho Postal Service.
1.-THE postal service of the country adj
yances with extraordinary growth. With
in twenty years both the revenues and
the expenditures of the postoffice de-
partment have multiplied threefold. IN
the last ten years they have nearly dou-
bled. Our postal business grows much
more rapidly than our population. 1t now
| involves an expenditure OF $lO0, CoO
year, numbers $1,000 postoffices. and en-
rolls 100000 employees. This remarkable ex-
tension of Il service. wilici; is an accurate
index Of the public conditions presents
gratifying evidence of the advancement
of education. Of the increase Of communi-
cation and business activity and of the
improvement Of mail facilities leading to
their constantly augmenting use.
'Hrhe war with Spain laid new and ex-
ceptional labors in the postoffice depart
ment. The mastering Of the military and
naval forces OF the United States re-
uuired special mall arrangements for ey-
| cry camp and every campaign. The com-
r1unication between home and camp was
naturally eager and expectant. In some
| of the larger places OF rendezvous as
many as $4,000 letters day required
handling. This necessity was met by the
| prompt detail and dispatch of expo
| rienceo men from the established force.
| and by directing all the Instrumental
ties of the railway mail and postof1ice
service so far as necessary to this new
need. Congress passed an act empower
| ing the postmaster general to establish
Offices or branches at every military camp
or station, and under this authority the
postal machinery was speedily put into
| effective operation.
"Under the same authority, when our
| forces moved upon Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines, they were attended and
followed by the postal service. Thoug',
| the act Of congress authorized the APP
pointment of postmasters where neces
| sary it was early determined that the
public interests would be best subserve,l
not by new designations but by the de-
tail Of experienced men familiar with ev-
/ cry branch Of the service, and this pol
lev was steadily followed. When the
territory which was the theater of con-
l'flict came into our possession. it became
necessary to re-establish mail facilities
1 for the resident population. as well as to
| provide them for our forces of occupa
ton, and the former requirement was met
through the extension and application OF
the latter obligation. I gave the requi-
site authority and the same general prin.
ciple was applied to this as to other
b, branches of civil administration under
military occupation. The details are more
! particularly given in the report of the
postmaster general and while the work is
only just begun 1t is pleasing to be able
to say that the service in the territory
which has come under our control is al
ready materially improved. &TsFs
Endorses Plans for Increasing Navy.
The following recommendations of the seerc-
tary OF the navy relative to the increase Of the
navy have my earnest approval: ]. Three sea-
. | voinp she's thed and cOpDcred battle ShfpS of
about $500 tons trial displacement. carrying
the heaviest and most lr,,.--ful ord
nance for vessels Of their class. AMI to have
the highest practicable speed and great radius OF
action Estimated cost, exclusive of armor and
armament, 50, 100000 each. 2. Three shcathed
and coppered arnored cruisers Of about 10000
tons trial displacement, carrying the heaviest
arm0r and most powerful ordnance for yes.
sells Of their class, and to have the highest
; practicable speed and great radius Of action
Estimated cost. exclusive Of armor and arma-
mcnt, 81, OOO, 900 each 3. Three shenthed and
coppered protected cruisers of about 5000 tons
trial displacement; to have the highest prac
, ticablc speed and great radius Of action. and
, to curry the most powerful ordnance suitable
for vessels Of their class. Estimated cost, eS
elusive of armor and. armament, 81, 100, 900 each
4. Six sheathed and coppered cruisers of about
$500 tons trial displacement; to have the high
est speed compatible with good cruising quail
ties, great radius of action and to carry the
| most powerful ordnance suited to vessels Of
their class. Estimated cost. exclusive Of ar
mament, 81. 141 800 each join with the secre
, rotary Of the navy in recommending that thu
grades of admiral and vice admiral be TEN
, porarily revived TO be filled by officers wh'
! have specially distinguished themselves in thu
J. war with Spain. l earnestly urge upon con
r gress the Importance Of early legislation pro
) vidinS for the taking of the twelfth census
J This is necessary IN view of the large amour
OF work which must be performed In the prep
! aration Of the schedules preparatory to til,
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