The Monte Vista journal., 1898-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
FULL DISCUSSION OF NATIONAL
ISSUES.
A Careful Review of tho Conflict with
Spain and Its Cans.s-Urgc~ Withdraw.
nj of Some Forms of Currsncy-Asks
for an Increase In the Army aud Navy.

Washington. Dec. 6.-President Nc
kinley yesterday sent to Congress his
annual message. 1t is of great length
and fully covers the important ma
tional issues. We present below Il
brief summary of it. The message be-
gins MS follows:
"To the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatlvcs: Notwithstanding the add
ed burdens rendered necessary by the
war, our people rejoice In II very salts
factory and steadily increasing degree
OF prosperity evidenced by the largest
volume OF business ever recorded. Ev-
cry manufacture has been productive,
Observation-Disclosures yielded dabun-
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 its
credit advanced to the front rank, while
lis currency has been maintained ut the
worlds highest standard. Military ser
Vice under a common flag and for a
righteous cause has strengthened the
national spirit and served to cement
more closely than ever the frnternal
bonds between every section of the
| country. \ review of the relations OF
the United States to other powers. al
ways appropriate. is this year of pri.
mary Importance In view OF the mo-
mentous issues which have risen, de-
manding in one instance the ultimate
determination by arms and involving
far-reaching Consequences which Will
require the earnest attention of the
Congress"
| The President launches nj once into
n full recital Of the events leading up
TO the war with Spain. and details at
some length the leading features Of
the campaign.
Regarding the preparations for the
war he says:
Our country thus. after an interval OF
! half century Of peace with all ma
tions. found itself engaged in deadly
conflict with II foreign enemy. Every
nerve was strained To meet the emerg-
ency. The response to the initial call
| for l2I. 900 volunteers was instant and
complete. ns was alAc the result OF the
second call OF May Ith for 1900 addi-
tionnl volunteers. The ranks OF the
regular army We're increased to the
limits provided by the act OF April
%. The enlisted force OF the navy.
| on the 10th OF August. when II reached
its maximum. numbered ~. l23 men
and apprentices. One hundred and
| three vessels We're added to the navy
by purchase. one WINS presented to the
! government. one leased and the four
vessels OF the International Navigation
Company. the 81. 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 auxil.
larry navy.
"rhc maximum effective fighting
force OF the navy during the war scpa-
rated into classes was as follows:
-Four battlcships OF the first class.
one battlcship of the second class. two
armored cruisers. six coast defense
monitors. one nrmorcd ram. twelve
protected cruisers. eighteen gunboatx,
one dynamite cruiser. eleven torpedo
boats. fourteen old vessels OF the old
navy. Including monitors. Auxiliary
navy: Auxiliary cruisers. twenty eight
converted yachts. twenty-seven con.
vertcd tugs. nineteen converted colliers,
four revenue cutters. four lighthouse
tenders and nineteen miscellaneous ve.s-
sells.
"rhc national defense. under the
&'n.ub.OD fund, was expended In
large part by the nrmy and navy. and
the objects for which II was used are
fully shown In the representations Of
the several secretaries. II was n
most timely appropriation. enabling
the government to strengthen Its de-
fensc and Ia make preparations rrca,.
~ needed In case Of war. This fund
being Inadequate 10 the requirements
Of equipment and for the conduct Of
the war. the patriotism OF Congress
provided the means In the war reyc-
nue. net Of Junc by authorizing n Z
per cent. popular loan not to exceed
kiW.Vn,ND. and by levying additional
Imports and taxes. or III, authorized
loan S2'U.nD.ODO was offered md
promptly fnkcn, the subscriptions 80
far exceeding the cnll ns 10 cover II
many times over. while. preference. be-
Ing given to the smaller bids. no sin.
gle allotment exceeded 5000 This
was u most encouraging and sIynIiI.
cant result. showing the vast re-.
sources Of the nniion. and the deter.
minniion OF the people To uphold their
couniry's honor"
Concerning The casualties Of the war
the President says:
THE total casualties In Killed and
wounded In the army during the war
WINS ms follows: Officers Killed. ~;
enlisted men killed. 2;1: total. 80: OH.
GERS wounded. III: enlisted men
wounded. i.1GA: total. i.571: Of the
navy. killed IL: wounded. ~: died ms
result of wounds. 1: invaiIded from
service. q: total. ~.
1T win bc observed that while our
navy was engaged In two great Int.
Ties and In numerous pcriious under.
takings In the hiockndcs mud lom.
mrdmcni-. and more than 5000 of
Cur troops were transported to distant
lnndu. nnd engaged In assault md
Siege mud battle. nnd many skirinIrhcs
In unfamiliar territory. we lost IN both
arms of the service a total of i.tbis
Killed nnJ wounded. nnd In the entire
campaign by land mud scn We did not
los" gun or n mag. or n transport or
n ship. and with the exception of the
crew ~ th. Mrrrinnr. not n soldier or
. sniior was taken prisoner.
"On August It'll. foriy.six days from
the date " the landing Of General
Rhnfter's army In cuba. nnd twenty.
onr days fron the surrender of Kan.
ilngo. tho United States troops com.
i,Mnccsi cinbnrkntion for home. and
our entire fore" wins returned to the
United States ms early Ms August ?tih.
They were absent from the United
States only two months.
"li fs ftitiuu Tint I shottti lenr tcuii,