The herald., 1898-12-03
Is AN OFFICIAL HISTORY OF
WAR WITH SPAIN
ALGER OFFERS NO CRITICISM
Simply Setting Forth Official Docu-
ments and Leaving the Public
to Draw Conclusions
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2-The annual
report of Secretary Alger is a practically
complete official history of the Spanish
American war. The secretary has given te
the public not only the official dispatches
that passed directly between his own office
and commanding officers in the field and
camps, but has supplemented these with
short explanatory notes, setting forth the
reasons for various movements, and then
to complete the record of events, he has in
cluded' in the body of his report the report
of Gen. Miles, of all the generals who par.
ticipatedJ in the campaign of Cuba, Porto
Rico or the Philippines; and, finaIly, the
reports of all of the bureau officers of the
war department. Nowhere is there shown
a disposition to criticise, the official dis.
patches being allowed to tell their own
story, and generally the secretary finds
much to praise and cause for congratulation
in the results obtained.
THE REPORT PROPER
The report proper begins with what may
be described as a chronological history OF
the war, consisting of a number OF short
paragraphs beginning with the declaration
of war on April 81, and setting forth the
date upon which any event of importance
occurred, but making no comment whatever
upon the facts. The only exception to this
rule is a reference to the casualties of San
tiago. Some criticism had been made that
there was lack of surgeons present, the
report states that there were l40 surgeons
in attendance and that of 143l wounded
only thirteen died Of their wounds.
MUSTER OUT ORDERS
The secretary, coming down in his his
tory to the middle of August, when an order
was issued, which is now in execution, to
muster out 100000 volunteers, says:
Thus an army of about 250, ,00O volunteers
and recruits, for the regulars were called
into existence from civil life, and including
the regular army, the total force wasi274, III
men. 1t was organized, armed and equipped
(no supplies being on hand other than those
for the regulars, save Springfield muskets)
and $1,000 men of this force were trans
ported by land and sea to battlefields in the
tropics, 10000 miles apart, where they won
the victories without single defeat, and all
within the period of ll3 days in the declara-
tion OF war to the signing Of the protocol.
This achievement can be credited to no
individual; it belongs to the nation. 1t
was accomplished through the intelligence
and patriotism of all who served, from the
commander-in-ehief 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 prepare
this great army for the field 70 the heroic
men who served in distant lands the coun.
try 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
such resistance would would be in vain.
DEATHS IN THE ARMY
'The deaths in the army from May l to
October l, including killed, died of wounds,
and of diseases, were 29lO, 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 hard
ship, 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 present camps in the south.
INCREASE OF FORCES.
Under the head of increase in the per-
manent establishment, the secretary says:
Sin view of the needs of 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 portion of this army be recruited
from the inhabitants of those islands to be
mustered into the service of the United
States, commanded by officers of our army ::
discretion, however, to be given to the pres
ident to make appointments of officers from
the force so recruited"
Another suggestion is that there should be
employed in the United States service CON
stabulary force for the cities of Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines, who have had ex.
perience and who speak the language of the
islands.
CUBAN FOOD SUPPLY
Secretary Alger thinks that the govern.
ment will be greatly taxed to supply food
to the destitute, especially in Cuba. The ef-
fort should be made, he thinks, to give the
people work, instead of allowing them to
dwell in idleness Iiyipo uno,, obo,;+,, r.
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 island of Cuba. with branch
roads to the leading cities on the coast
Such road would, of course, cost large
sum, perhaps s2O,O00,C00, but it would give
employment to the people of Cuba, teach
them habits Of industry, be an inducement
for them to cultivate their farms, and thus
furnish supplies for the laborers and for
market when the road is constructed. This,
IN my judgment, is absolutely essential 70
the paclfication and development of chat
great island. The road would be good prop
erty, and when it has served its purpose
for the government, it could be sold for its
cost. If such an improvement is not made
the government will, no doubt, eypend fully
That much in charity"
The secretary says that even if this roac
is to be built, there is necessity for larpf
appropriation to relieve the destitute.
A GRANT STATUE
Some recommendations that occur in the
early portion of the report are that provision
he made for statue of Gen Grant: thot