The Mena star., 1898-12-07
administration.
increase of tho Army.

rected the increase of the regular army to tho maximum of e. 000 authorized in said act. There arc now in the regular army ESQ, ohi- cers and men. In said act 1t was provided that at the end of any in which the United States may become involved the army shall be reduced to a pc ace basis by tho transfer in the same arm of the service or absorption by promo tion or honorable discharge under such regula- lions as the secretary Of war may establish of su pernumerary commissioned officers and the hon. orable discharge or transfer of suaernumerary enlisted men, and nothing contained m this act shall be construed as authorizing the porma- nent increase of the command or enlisted force of the regular army beyond that now provided by the law in force prior to the passage of this uct except as to the increase of 25 majors pro- vided for in section hereof"
 Tho importance of legislation for the per- ranent increase of the army is therefore mani- fest, and the recommendation of the secretary Of war for that purpose has my unqualified ap- pIoval There can be no question that at this lime and probably for some time in Inc future lOJ, 100 men will be none too many 10 meet tho necessities of the situation. At ali 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 dis eretion. 1t should b. neces ary aud the further discretion should be given him to recruit with in the above limit from the inhabitants Of the islands with the governm mt of which we arc charged
 It is my purpose to muster out the entire vol- unteer army as soon as the congress shall pro- vide for the increase of the regular establish ment This will be only act Of justice and will be much appreciated by the brave men who left their homes and emp.oymcnts to help the country in its emergency.
 Pacific Ratlroads
 In my last annual message I stated: 'srhn Union Pacific railway, main line, was sold under tho decree of the United States court for the district of Nebraska the ist and a of No- vember of this year The amount duo the government consisted of the principal Of the subsidy bonds. s21, ,236 5l2 and the accrued in- terest thereon, F3i, .5tl07, making the total indebtedness 5s. AIS 22475 The bid at the sale covered the first mortgage lien and the entire mortgage claim of the government principal and interest"
 This left the Kansas Pacific case uucon- cluded- By decree of the court in that case an upset price for the property wns fixed at a sum which would yield to the government only 2.5U0,0 900 upon it's lien. The sale at tho in- stance of the government postponed first to December f5, 1897, and later. upon tho appli- cation of the United States was postponed to February i6. 1898
 It IS gratifying fact that the result of these proceedings against the Union Pacific system and the Kansas Pacific line Is that ths govern ment has received ou account of it's subsidy claim the sum of s64. 75I, 223 n an increase of Sls,997, l6a 75 over the sum which the reorgan- ization committee originally agreed to bid for the joint property. the government receiving It's whole claim. principal and interest, in Union Pacific and the principal Of it's debt on the Kansas Pacific railroad.
 Department of Justice Ruiiding, deem 1t my duty to call to the attention of congress the condition of the present building occupied by the department of justice The business of that department has increased greatly since 1t was established in it's present quarters The building now occupied by tis neither large enough nor of suitable arrange ment for the proper accommodation of the business of the department The su- pervising architect has pron ounced it unsafe and unsuited for the use to which it is put I may likewise refer to the inadequate accommodations pro- vided for the supreme court in the capitol and suggest the wisdom Of making provision for the erection of separate building for the court and it's officers and library upon available ground near the capitol
 The PostaI Service.
 The postal service of the country advances with extraordinary growth. Within 70 years both the revenues and the Expenditures of the post office department have multiplied three- fold In the last ten years they have nearly doubled Our postal business grows much more rapidly than our population It now involves an expenditure of HOO. o00.0OO year, numbers 7300O post offices and enrolls 201 00J employees lnlS reHhrKaDle extension or a service which IS an accurate index of the public conditions presents gratifying evidence of the advance ment of education. of the increase of commu- nication and business activity and of the isn. provement of mail facilities leading to their constantly -augmenting use.
 It is pleasing to be able to say that the serv- ice in the territory which has come under our control is already materially improved
 Naval secretary's Recommendations Urged.
 The following recommendations of the secre- tary of the navy relative to the increase of the navy have my earnest approval:
 l. Three sea-going, sheathed and coppered battleships of about f3, 5g0 tons trial displace- ment, carrying the heaviest armor and most powerful ordnance for vessels of their class and to have the highest practicable speed nnd great radius of action. Estimated cost ex- elusive of armor and armament a, 800 900 each
 Z Three sheated and coppcred armored cruis- CTS of about 12 eco tons trial displacement carry- ing the heaviest armor and most powerful ordnance for vessels of their class and to have the highest practicable speed and great radius of action Estimated cost, exclusive of arnof and armament, B. 000, GOO each
 B. Three sheated and coppered protected cruisers of about 6 600 tons trial displacement: to have the highest practicable speed and great radius of action and to carry the most power ful ordnance suitable for vessels of their class Estimated cost, exclusive of armor and arma- ment s2. l50 900 each
 4 Six sheathed and coppered cruisers of about 25OO tons trial displacement to have the highest speed compatible with good crus- ing qualities, great radius of action and 10 carry the most powerful ordnance suited to vessels of their class Estimated cost exclu- sive Of armament, ii, Al 800 each.
 join with tho secretary of the navy in rec onirnending that the grades Of admiral and r1-ad m ira1 Ina farsa ffxr