Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-12-07

citizens of the United States pending
against other nations and to the settle
ment of other claims during the past year.
After reviewing the work Of the Paris
| exposition commission the President rec
| ommends that the appropriation for the
exhibit Of the United States at the Paris
exposition be increased to $1,000,000.
Our relations with Great Britain have
continued on the most friendly footing,
| and the President says it would give him
especial satisfaction if he should be au-
| tLorizel to communicate to Congress q
| favorable conclusion of the pending nego-
| tiatiOns with Great Britain in respect to
the Dominion OF Canada
Report or Hawaii.
The President reports that the Ha
Waiian commission has fulfilled it's mis-
sion and that its report will be laid be-
| fore Congress at an early day. 1T lS
| believed that their recommendation will
| have the earnest consideration due to the
magnitude of the responsibility resting
upon you to give such shape to the rela
tiOnship Of these mid-P Pacific lands to our
! home union as VIII benefit both in the
| highest degree"
Referring to the proposal of the Gar of
Russia for general reduction of the
| great military establishments the Presi
| dent says: His majesty was at once in
formed of the cordial sympathy of this
| government with the principle involved
in his exalted proposal and of the readi-
ness of the United States to take part i'll
| the conference"
The President says that the newly-ac-
/ credited envoy of the United States to the
| Ottoman porte carries instructions looking
! to the disposal of matters in controversy
with Turkey for a number of years.
Abiding TO the financial affairs of the
| country the President says in part: The
| secretary of the treasury reports that the
receipts of the government from ali
flfl
30, 1898, including $64. 751 ,223 received
| from sale of Pacific railroads, amounted
to S4O5.321 .335, and its expenditures to
| SAB, 36S 5S2.
1T is estimated upon the basis of pres
ent revenue laws that the receipts of the
| government for the year ending June 30,
1899. will be $577, S74 ,647, and its ex-
| penditures $6S9. .647, resulting in Il de-
| ticiency of $112,000,000.
Needs of the Army.
Under the act of congress approved April
| &c, 1897 authorizing the president in his
! discretion, upon a declaration Of by
congress or a declaration by congress that
| war exists, l directed the increase of the
regular army to the maximum Of $4,000,
! authorized in said act
There are now in the regular army 1862
| officers and men. In said act it was pro-
| vided that at the end of any war in
| which the United States may become in
|
peace basis by the transfer in the came
| arm CT service or absorption by promotion
| or honorable discharge, under such regu-
| lations the secretary of war may es-
| tablish, Of supernumerary commissioned Of
! fcerS and the honorable discharge or
transfer of supernumerary enlisted men,
| and nothing contained in this act shall be
| construed as authorizing the permanent
| Increase Of the commissioned enlisted
| force of the regular army beyond that now
| mr. hyrr- hn lat1y in TD-,inr 10 hn
passage Of this act except as to the in
| crease of twenty-five majors, provided for
! in section IS thereof
The Importance Of legislation for the
| permanent increase Of the army is there
| fore manifest and the recommendation of
! the secretary of war for that purpose has
| my unqualified approval. There can be
no question that at this time, and prob
| ably for some time in the future, 1905 900
| men will be none too many to meet the
necessities Of the situation. At all events,
! whether that number shall be required
| permanently or not, the power should be
| given tC the president to enlist that force
| if in his discretion it should be necessary
| and the further discretion should be given
| him to recruit within the above limit from
| the inhabitants of the islands with the
! government of which we are charged.
| 1t lis my purpose to muster out the en-
| tire volunteer army as soon as the con-
gress shall provide for the increase of the
| regular establishment. This will be only
! an act of justice and will be much appre-
ciated by the brave men who left their
| homes and employments to help the coun-
| try in it's emergency.
Additions to Navy.
| The following recommendations of the
! secretary of the navy relative to the in
crease of the navy have my earnest ap-
| Droval:
l. Three seagoing sheathed and coppered
ahc .
| placement, carrying the heaviest armor and
| most powerful ordnance for vessels of
| their class and to have the highest prac-
ticable speed and great radius Of action.
! Estimated cost, exclusive Of armor and
| armament, SO, SOC, coo each.
2. Three sheathed and coppered armored
| cruisers OF about 1900 tons trial dis
! placement, carrying the heaviest armor
and most powerful ordnance for vessels
| OF their class and to have the highest
| practicable speed and great radius of ac-
| ton. Estimated cost, exclusive Of armor
and armament, $4,000, 900 each.
8. Three sheathe and cOppered pro-
| tected cruisers Of about 5000 tons trial
| displacement; to have the highest practi-
| cable speed and great radius Of action and
| to carry the most powerful ordnance suit
! able for vessels OF their class. Estimated
! cost, exclusive of armor and armament,
| $2,1500 600 each.
! 4. Six sheathed and coppered cruisers
! Of about $500 tons trial displacement; to
| nave the highest speed compatible with
| good cruising qualities, great radius of &C
| ton and TO carry the most powerful ord
| nance suited to vessels of their class.
| Estimated cost, exclusive of armament,
| $1.141 800 each.
I join with the secretary OF the navy
| in recommending the grades of admiral
| and vice-admiral be temporarily revived.
| to be filled by officers who have specially
distinguished themselves in the war with
! Spain.
| The Pension Roll
There were on the pension rolls on June
| &c. 1898, 993,714 names, an increase of
| nearly $4,000 over the number on the rolls
| on the same day of the preceding year.
| The amount appropriated by the act Of
| Dec. % 1896, for the payment of pensions
| for the fiscal year 1898 was $40, 600, 900.
| Eight million, seventy thousand, eight
! hundred and seventy-two dollars and forty
| six cents was appropriated by the act of
| March 81, 1898, to cover deficiencies in
| army pensions and repayment in the sum
| of $12, 020.33 making a total Of $148082,-
! 892.79 available for the payment of pen