Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-04
Matters Talked Over at Today's
Cabinet Meeting.
PRESIDENTS TRIP TO OMAHA
Some Recommendations to Be
Made in His Message.
OF 100000 MEN

The cabinet today talked over various
matters, including the Presidents trip to
Omaha, the reception to the Episcopal dele
gates on Friday and the Presidents annual
message to Congress Secretary Gage, who
is in Colorado, was the only absentee.
There has been no change in the program
for the trip to the Omaha exposition. The
President and his party will leave here
next Monday morning for the west. The
cabinet officials who will go with him from
this city will be Secretaries Wilson and
Bliss. Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn will
a'so be of the party. Secretary Alger will
pl obably join the party in Chicago. Secre-
tary Gage and Pos tmaster General Smith
will JOIN the President in Omaha Attorney
General Griggs and Secretaries Hay and
Long will be unable to leave Washington.
Secretary Hay will remain here to watch
developments in Paris Secretary Long
will keep an eye on the situation in the far
east ready to move war vessels to China
at a moments notice. Attorney General
Griggs is compelled to remain in Washing
ton owing to work before the United States
Supreme Court.
The Presidents Message.
The cabinet officials gave the President
an idea of the recommendations they will
make in their annual reports, which will
President, in turn, talked about the work
he will have to do on his coming message
This message will probably be Of great
length. 1t will review the war and make
important recommendations as to the gov
ernment of the islands which have been
acquired.
The recommendations the President will
make as to the future of the new possess
sions VIII neceSSitate a large increase in the
regular army. 1t is understood today on
good authority that the President will sug-
gest to Congress the establishment of a
regular army of 100000 men and will point
out where this many men will be necessary
for the work of the future. Included in
this number, however, will be a provision
Tor native regiments in all of the islands.
Ihls, the President will say, will give the
natives encouragement in showing that
they are to be trusted by the United States
and will give them salaries and money. So
lar as cuba is concerned, this will prob
ably be the first step in the organization of
a stable government for the island. If the
natives take to this plan and maintain good
regiments for police duty they will be in
better position than otherwise to declare
their readiness to become an independent
government, with the power to maintain
peace and order. The President may rec
ommend the organization of five or six reg
1ments in Cuba composed of natives He
VIII probably say that the question of how
long standing army of 200 will be
needed will have to be left to future events
This army will be needed for at least a
year.
Treatment of Soldiers
Chaplain C. S. Bullock of the 1st Illinois
Regiment went to the White House today
He is on his way through the city to his
home in Chicago. He talked to some of
the officials about stories of the fll-treat-
ment of soldiers at Chickamauga, where his
regiment was stationed for four months
and a half Chaplain Bullock was presi-
dent of the Chickamauga Chaplains Asso-
citation and was actively engaged for months
in visiting sick soldiers. There is no
truth in the stories of neglect of sick SOL
diers and the serving of impure food" said
rad weekly meetings at Camp Thomas and
received reports on the condition of affairs.
AT no meeting was there reported many of
the things l have since seen charged.
Il notice that Arcbdeacon Brady of the
1st Pennsylvania Regiment and Chaplain
charges about what they saw at Chicka-
marga. They allege, for instance, that
sick soldiers lay in the mud without atten-
tion, and went for hours uncared for. l
saw none of these things, and remember
distinctly that Chaplains Brady and Car
stenson made no such charges before our
chaplains' association, where they would
have instantly been investigated. Food and
medicines We're plentiful and medical at
tention could be quickly had. My regiment
had fresh meats and fresh bread every
day from the third day after arrival The
soldiers ate hardtack for only three days
after getting to Camp Thomas"
The chaplain said he had not come here
to go before the Investigating commission
and consequently would not appear there
unless summoned. He did not intend to
volunteer as a witness.