The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-03

WASHINGTON Dec. 2.-IAe AnAuHl
report OF Secretary Alger 10 pt tic9ily
complete official history OF the pqnish-
American war. The secretary wen
to the public not only all the oilelal
dispatches that passed directly bgtween
his own office and oommandiu oAleers
in the Held and camp, but hal supple
nented these with short explanatory
notcs setting forth the reason 6of var
ious movements, and then, % conplete
the record OF events, he has inclndea in
the body OF his, report the report Of Cen
eral Miles, OF all the generals who par
tlcIpated In the campaign In c,lba, Por-
to Rico or the Philippines, and Anally
the reports OF all the bureau ollcefS OF
the war department. Nowhetb = there
shown a disposition to criticiss the ofl-
cial dispatches being allowed 70 ten their
own story, and generally the eeerat9ry
finds much to praise and cauac for sin
cefe congratulations in the RESULTS OBJ
tained
The report proper begins With what
may be described as a chrqnolq8 8icat
history OF the war, consisting q num-
her pf short paragraphs, innlng
with the declaration Of war on April q,
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'Fiile y in
the reference to the casualties nc 9anti-
ago. Some criticism having been made
that there was lack OF SURG geQnS pres-
ent, the report states that thQre We're
one hundred and forty surgeons IN at
tendance, and that Of 1,49l Wottnded
only thirteen died OF their wounds.
Touching the surrender at Santiago.
the report shows that Shafter demanded
the surrender on the Bird Of July and re-
newed this demand on the 4th on the
morning Of the 11th another demand
was made. on the evening nf tliaf day,
General Miles arrived, and on the 18th
and 18th Of July, he. with Gem SHAFT
ter, met the Spanish comm under
"a flag OF truce to discuss tho render.
on the afternoon OF the 14tA General
Miles left General shafter's adqt1r-
ters, and soon thereafter went aboard
ship preparatory to sailing lof Porto
Rico. July Il General Toral surrender
ed $4,000 men, upon our terme. and the
American flag was holsted, by order OF
General Shafter.
CaualtIss OF the War.
"The deaths in the army from May
to October !, including killed died OF
wounds and of disease, were aOlO, the
smallest death rate recorded Of any
army in history, remarkable fact when
It Is considered that over $1,000 OF our
troOps, born and reared in the temper
ate zone, were campaigning Ia the trop-
IcaI climates. subject to rain dnd heat,
is most Unprecedented"
In regard to the qualification of Cuba,
the secretary says: Would it not be
wise economy for the govefnmn mt 0f the
United States to construct q Substantial
railroad, practically the whole length Of
the island OF Cuba, with branch roads
to the leading cities on the coa8t3 Such
a road would, OF course, cost q large
sum, perhaps $4,000, 600; but Il would
give employment to the people OF Cu-
ba, teach them habits Of industry. be an
inducement for them to cultivate their
farms, and thus furnish supplies for the
laborerS and for the market when the
road Is constructed, This, IA my tudg-
inent, Is absolutely essential TO the
paclfcation and development OF that
great island. It viii bring III minerals,
lumber and agricultural products to
mOrket, and open up communication
with all parts Of the island with the
least possible delay. The road would
be good property. and when It has
served its purpose for the government
could be sold for It's cost 4 such an
Improvement Is not made the govern
ment will no doubt fully eXpehd that
amount in charity"
The secretary says that even if this
rond IR 10 be built there So Q fe1ee atty
for large appropriation to relieve tho
destitute. The question Of sanitation Of
the cities should also have immediate
attention, and portion Of the taxes
collected in the island should b0 ex-
,,,v,t1AH Fo. t1tnk Nttnp1F