Evening star., 1898-12-05

| MES, at annual-cost of about two mill
| lions of dollars, steamship lines comnnuni-
| ting with a portion of the worlds mar
! kets. as well as with trade centers Of the
| home government. The United States will
/ not undertake TO do less. 1t is our duty to
| furnish the people of Hawaii with facilities.
under national control. for their export and
! import trade. 1t will be conceded that the
present situation calls for legislat lion which
| shall be prompt, durable, and liberal
| The part which American merchant YES
sells and their seamen performed in the war
with Spain demonstrates that this service,
furnishing both pickets and the second line
| of defense, is a national necessity. and
| should be encouraged in every constitu-
| tional way.
| Details and methods for the accomplish
ment of this purpose are discussed in the
report of the Secretary of the Treasury, to
| which the attention of Congress is respect
| fully invited.
| In my last annual message l recon-
| mended that Congress authorize the ap-
pointment of commission for the purpose
] of making systematic investiga tons with
reference to the cause and prevention of
yellow fever. This matter has acquired an
| increased Importance as result of the
| military occupation of the Island of Cuba
and the commercial intercourse between
| this Island and the United States which We
| have every reason to expect. The sanitary
| problems connected with our new relations
| with the Island Of Cuba and the acquisition
| of Porto Rico are no less important than
| those relating to finance, commerce, and
| administration. 1t is my earnest desire that
| these problems may be considered by COM
petent experts and that everything may be
done which the most recent advances in
sanitary science can offer for the protec-
| ton of the health of our soldiers in those
| islands and of our citizens who are ex-
| posed to the dangers of infection from the
| Importation of yellow fever. 1 therefore re-
| new my recommenda ton that the authority
| of Congress may be given and a suitable
| appropriation made to provide for com
| mission of experts to be appointed for the
purpose Indicated
INCREASE OF THE ARMY.
Under the act of Congress approved April
| 26, 1885, authorizing the President in his
discretion, upon Il declaration of war by
| Congress, or declaration by Congress that
! war exists l directed the increase of the
| Regular Army to the maximum of 62,00O,
| authorized in said act.
There are now in the Regular Army 81 =
| S62 officers and men. In said act it was
provided THAT at the end of any war in
| which the United States may become in
| volved the Army shall be reduced to a
peace basis by the transfer in the same
| arm of the service or absorption by promo
| ton or honorable discharge under such
regulations as the Secretary of War may
establish of supernumerary commissioned
| officers and the honorable discharge or
| transfer of supernumerary enlisted men;
1 md 1toi,o in Act hall In
| construed as authorizing the permanent in
| crease of the commissioned or enlisted force
! of the Regular Army beyond that now pro-
| vided by the law in force prior to the pas
| sage of this Act, except as to the increase
| of tw .nty-fve majors provided for in sec
| ton one hereof"
| The Importance of legislation for the per-
| manent increase of the Army is therefore
| manifest, and the recommen da ton Of the
| Secretary of War for that purpose has my
| unqualified approval. There can be no ques-
| ton that at this time and probably for
some time in the future, one hundred thouS-
| ard men will be none too many to meet the
| necessities of the situation. At all events,
| whether that number shall be required per
| manently or not. the power should be given
| to the President to enlist that force if in
| his discretion it should be necessary; and
| the further discretion should be given him
| to recruit for the Army within the above
| limit from the inhabitants of the islands
with the government of which we are
| charged.
| 1t is my purpose to muster out the entire
| Volunteer Army as soon as the Congress
| shall provide for the increase of the regu-
lar esta ablishment This will be only an act
| of justice and will be much appreciated by
| the brave men who left their homes and
| emplOymeuts to help the country In its
| emergency.
Pacific Railways.
In my last annual message l stated: THE
| Union Pacific Railway Main Line, was
| sold under tbs decree of the United Stats
| court for the district of n, braska on the
1st and I'd of November Of this year. The
| amount due the Government consisted Of
| the principal of the subsidy bonds. S2T236,
| 512, and the accrued interest thereon, S31,-
! 211,Ill75, making the total Indebtedness
| s5S, 44S. .223. 10. The bid at the sale covered
| the first-mortgage lien and the entire mort
| gage claim of the Government, principal
| and interest,"
| This left the Kansas Pacific case uucon-
| cluded. BY n decree of the court in that
| case upset price for the property was
| fixed al a sum which would yield to the
| government only S2,5eO,o0O upon its lien.
| The sale at the instance of the Govern
| ment was postponed first to December 15,
| 1897, and later upon the application of the
| United States was postponed to the 10th
day of February 1893.
| Having satisfied myself that the interes' s
| of the Government required that an effort
| should be made to obtain a larger sum. /
| directed the Secretary Of the Treasury un-
| der the act passed March 3, 1887, to pay
| out of the Treasury to the persons enttl d
| TO receive the same the amounts due upon
| all prior mortgages upon the Eastern and
! Middle Divisions Of said railroad out of any
| money in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
| propriated. Whereupon the Attorney Cen
| eral prepared a petition to be presented to
| the court offering to redeem said prior liens
| IN such manner as the court might direct,
| and praying that thereupon the United
| States might be held to be subrogated to
| all the rights of said prior lien holders and
! that receiver might be appointed 10 take
! possession of the mortgaged premis and
| maintain and operate the same until the
| court or Congress otherwise direcsed
| Thereupon the reorganization committee
| agreed that If said petition was Withdrawn
/ md 10 oil