Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-12-09
DEATH RATE THE MINIMUM

V~Aof1IN6lON, DcC. O.-1uo uuuual re.
port of Secretary Alger is practically a
complete official history of the Spanish
American war. The secretary has given
to the public not only all the official dis
patches that passed directly between his
own office and commanding officers in
the field and camp, but has supple
mented these with short explanatory
notes setting forth the reasons for
various movements, and then, to COM
plete the record Of events, he has in
cluded in the body of his report the
report of General Miles, of all the gen
erals who participated in the campaign
in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, and, finally, the reports of all of
the bureau officers of the war depart
ment. Nowhere is there shown a dis
position to criticize, the official dis
patches being
Allowed to Tell Their Own Story,
and, generally, the secretary finds much
to praise and also cause for sincere con-
graduation in the results obtained.
The report proper begins with what
may be described as a chronological his
tory of the war, consisting Of q number
of short paragraphs, beginning with the
declaration Of war on April 81, and set
ting forth the date upon which any
event Of importance occurred, but MAX
Ing no comment whatever upon the
facts. The only exception to this rule
is in reference to the casualties at Santi-
ago. Some criticism having been made
that there was a lack of surgeons pres
ent, the report states that there were
14O surgeons in attendance and that of
1,431 wounded only 10 died of their
wounds.
Death Rate Remarkably Small.
"The deaths in the army" the secre-
tary says, ''from May 1 to Oct. 1, in
Guiding killed, died of wounds and of
disease, were 2,01O, the smallest death
rate recorded of any army in history, a
remarkable fact when it is considered
that over 10000 of u troops, born and
reared in the temperate zone, were
campaigning in tropical climates, sub
ject to rain and heat almost unprece.
denied"
Under the head Of increase in the per-
manent establishment, the secretary
says: SIN view of the needs of a mill
tary force in the islands occupied by the
United States, it is earnestly recon-
mended that the regular army be per-
manently increased.to 100, 900 men and
the requisite officers; that a portion of
this army be recruited from the in
habitants Of those islands, commanded
by officers of our army, discretion, how.
ever, to be given to the president to
make appointments of officers from the
force so recruited"
Big Appropriation Needed.
The statement of expenditures and es.
Inmates presents some formidable fig
ures. The expenditures for the fiscal
year ended June 80 last were $62, 534,-
1874 and the estimates for the next fiscal
year beginning July 1, 1899, are $780,
25O,3T. Of this great estimate the sum
OF $$55,43O, 900 is charged to pay of the
army. The estimate of extraordinary
appropriations required for the six
months ending June 80, 1899, are $780,.
1883, and the estimates for that pc.
Rod, combined with those for the next
fiscal year, reach a total Of s2255, 427, 917.
Secretary Alger thinks that the gov.
eminent will be greatly taxed to supply
food to the destitute in Cuba and rec.
ommends that the United States build
a line of railroad there, estimated tc
cost $4,000, 900. This would furnish
needed employment and could easily be
disposed of at cost after it had served
its purpose for the government.