Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-12-08
ALGER'S WAR REPORT
SECRETARY REVIEWS MILITARY
OPERATIONS.
Without Criticism He Traces the Move
ment of Army ana Navy = Makes
Recomm endations aud Gives Cost
of Operations.


of Operations.
The annual report of Secretary of War
Alger, reviewing the work of the year,
and especially the operations in the Phil
| ippines, Cuba and Porto Rico, has been
made public. 1t gives a general summary
of the military operations during the war.
''Soon after the declaration of war;" it
says, "a movement was contemplated
looking to the investment of Havana, and
orders to that effect were issued, and also
for reconnaissance in force along the
| south coast Of Cuba, but the movement Of
| the enemy's fleet changed these plans and
eliminated in the campaign of Santiago
OF Gen. Miles share in the Santiago
campaign the Secretary says:
Maj. Gen. Miles arrived off Santiago July
H. and that evening communicated with
| Gen. Shafter by telephone, and on the 18th
| arrived at Gen. Skaters headquarters.
| July ID and IA he, with Gen. Shafter, met
the Spanish commander under flag of truce
between the lines to discuss the surrender
| of the Spanish forces. On the afternoon or
| July IA Gen. Miles left Gen. Skaters head
quarters and soon thereafter went on board
| ship, preparatory to sailing for Porto Rico.
July II the Spanish commander, Gen. Toral,
surrendered the city, including the troops i'll
Santiago and the surrendered district, over
| $4,000 men, upon cur TERMS and at noon
of that date the American flag was, by order
| of Gen. Shafter, hosted over the Governors
palace.
After briefly outlining the operations in
| Porto Rico and the Philippines the report
| continues:
Aug. 1s an order was issued to muster out
| 100000 volunteers, which Is being carried
out. Thus an army Of about 25O, 900 volun-
| teers and recruits for the regulars was
called into existence from civil life, which.
with the regular army, made total of 274,-
1
| equipped (no supplies being on hand other
| than those of the regulars, save the Spring
field muskets), and 1900 men of this force
| were transported by land and sea to battle
fields in the tropics 10000 miles apart where
they won their victories without single de-
| feat, and all within the period of 113 days
from the declaration of war to the signing
| of the protocol. This great achievement can
| be credited to no individuals it belongs to
| the nation.
Smallest Death Rate in History.
The deaths in the army from May to
| Oct. 1, including killed, died Of wounds and
| of disease were 1910, the smallest death
| rate recorded Of any army in history, most
| gratifying 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.
In view of the needs Of a military force In
| the islands occupied by the United States it
/ Is earnestly recommended that the regular
| army be permanently increased to 100000
| men and the requisite officers; that a por-
| tion Of this army be recruited from the in
habitants of those islands, to be mustered
| into the service of the United States and
commanded by officers of our army, discre-
| ton, however, to be given to the President
| to make appointment of officers from the
| force recruited.
| These men are acclimated, understand the
| language and habits Of their countrymen,
and their enlistment will not only give them
! employment, but also have tendency to
l. Government get into
| touch with their people than it would other
| wise be able to do. This would also relieve
| our people from serving In those climates to
| large extent, and would, moreover, enable
! the volunteers to be mustered out Of the ser
| vice and return to their vacations of civil
| life. The distinction between the regular
| and the volunteer Is very sharply drawn.
| The regular enters the service because he
prefers the life of soldier. Not so the vol
| nnteer. He enlists for active campaign;
| when that is over and the enemy has laid
down its arms he at once desires to return
| to civil life.
| In the cities of Cuba, Porto Rico, and the
| Philippines there should also be employed
and sworn into Re service of the United
| States constabulary force for police duty
men who have had experience and can speak
| the language of those islands, thus relieving
our soldiers from that work.
To supply food for the destitute, especial
| ly in Cuba, Is question that must tax this
| Government greatly, for time at least.
| The effort should be made to aid those peo-
| pie by giving them work. so that they may
| feel that they are earning their own bread
| instead Of living upon charity. Would it not
| be wise economy for the Government of the
| United States to construct a substantial
| railroad practically the whole length of the
| island of Cuba, with branch roads to the
| leading cities on the coast? Such a road
would, Of course, cost large sum, perhaps
| $40, 900, but it would give employment
| to the people of Cuba, teach them habits of
| industry, be an inducement for them to Gull
| tivate their farms and thus furnish supplies
| for the laborers and for market when the
| road Is constructed.
| This. in my judgment, is absolutely essen
| tial to the pacifcation and development of
| that great island 1t will bring its minerals,
| lumber and agricultural products to market
| and open up communication with all parts
| of the island with the least possible delay.
| The road would be a good property, and
| when it had served its purpose for the Gov
| eminent could be sold for It's cost. If such
| an Improvement is not made the Govern
! ment will, no doubt expend fully that
| amount in charity. Even if this road be
| built, there is immediate necessity for q
| large appropriation to relieve the destitute.
An appropriation for a monument to
| Gen. Grant and the promotion of the War
| Departments chief clerk to the rank of
lieutenant colonel are recommended.
The report says the supply Of powder
| was most troublesome question at the
outbreak of the war. There are only two
establishments in this country which man
| ufacture smokeless powder, and they own
patents upon the process. These, how
ever, like all other companies called to aid
| the Government, responded with alacrity,
ran the works day and night, and produc-
ed in short time an ample supply.
The expenditures from ordinary appro-
| priations for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1898, aggregated $62, 1874, 7S4, and the
ordinary appropriations for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1899, aggregate $50, 652,-
O35. The estimates Of all amounts re-
quired for the fiscal year ending June 30.
1900 aggregate $195, 250,377. The extra
ordinary war appropriations made avaiia-
BILE until JAM 1, 1899, amounted to $221,-
1913, 112, of which 500, 564, 744 had been
expended prior to July l. 1898. The esti-
mates of extraordinary appropriations re-