Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-02
Vi the Secretary Of War Is
Made Public.
THE WORK OF THE YEAR
IS Reviewed and the Hero.sm of the
volunteers is Pointed Out-Oper-
ations of Our Army in the Various
1slands-Reference to Otis.

washington. Dec. 1.-Dwelling as II
"oes with large questions of public mol
ICY, army organization. the future ri
Iupa and of the campaign in the Phil
lpplhes. the first annual report of Sec
rotary Root, just made public. is of ax-
eeptonal interest. FREQUENT reference
IS made to the report of General Otis IA
sAo" mat the task set for hin, in tha
fhlllppines. with the INADEQUATE forces
at the outbreak Of the reyolution and
pays hlg tribute to that officer as we'll
as 10 the volunteers. who remained in
the philippine service after t.,eir term
or enlistment expired.
Inc history of the operations of the
past season is recounted and the secra-
tary outlined the plan of the present
campaign, which began in October. This
involved the movement of three sanar-
ate forces. One was to proceed I'M the
filo GIande, along the northeastern hor-
lefs OF the plains and strike across to tha
sun OF ~Lingayen. Another was TO land
on the gulf shores by transports and nro-
ceeu along the coast road to unite with
the first force. A third column was to
strike straight along ,ne railroad 70
Dagupan. The secretary saws these
movements were executed with energy
ra2ldlty and success, Notwithstanding
deluges of rain.
A cnapter tells of what has been done
IN cuba by the army during the mast
year. Order has been maintained. So
clal distress has been alleyiated. SANTA
ton has been instituted and in all re-
speets satisfactory progress has been
made and the part played by our troons
now IS but the restraining influence of
tlelr presence. AS order has been re-
stored the force of troops has been re-
moved and orders nave recently bean
given FOR the withdrawal of eight COM
panies of infantry and eight troons Of
cavalry.
In Porto Rico the year has been devot-
ed to administering and improving the
clNll government of tn" islanu a1d in
stfuctins the people in i.e rudlments of
self government at every step in confer
ence with the leading citizens.
tribute is paid to the administration
OF the quartermaster S department by
General L~udington, under whose iuris-
diction fell the equipment of TRANSPORTS.
transportation of supplies ana provision
for clothing, etc, of the soldiers in the
olllereht campaigns. The clothing was
satisfactory and furnished promptly.
Va Iii% u n q pSGi1 lGiildIh-
ably good and the report shows that the
death rate among the soldiers in the
Philippines from disease is only 17.1O,
considerably less than in Washington,
Boston, san Francisco, New York and
Baltimore. The soldiers killed in battle
and dying of ounds numbered Al and
the entire mortality was S;43 for the past
10 months.
The secretary deals at great length
with the problem of ms liar government.
He recalls the fact tina: ute treaty of
Paris places in congress alone the deter
nination of the civil representative in
habitants of the territories coded to the
United States. He argues that this linn
itation completely deprives these people
OF the right to have the islands treated
as states or as territories previously ac-
quired had been treated, or even to as
sert a legal right under the provision of
the constitution which was established
for the people of the United States. New
ertheiess he assumes that the intention
is to give them to the greatest possible
extent Individual freedom, self govern
ment in accordance with their capacity,
just and equal laws, an opportunity for
education, for profitable industry and
for civilization.
Turning to the volunteer element, who
must be relied upon to supplement the
regular army in case of war, the secre-
tary lays stress on the choice of preserV-
ing the same forms of discipline, using
the same arms and generally ensuring
that the united body should be holnoge-
neous When ssembled This matter
should receive the especial consideration
of the war college. which should invite
the confidence and cooperation of state
and military authorities and open its in
struction to national guard officers. In
this way the secretary f%oresees an elastic
machinery which will be provided SO that
when war threatens and long before it is
declared the multitude of men who are to
do the work of organization may know
without waiting for an act of congress
what will be required of them When the
hour strikes and may be ngaged IN the
quiet and deliberate pref afation for .e-
cessity in advance o. act!ca 10 prevent
confusion and mistakes.
The secretary declares that the faith
full and efficient service of the West Point
graduates since the declaration of war
With Spain have more than repaid the
cost of the military academy since it's
foundation. and he asks for a consider
able increase of capacity of the institu-
ton and the Number of its graduates.
The report draws to a conclusion with a
splendid tribute to the army as shown
during it's operations during the past two
wears. and also gives credit to the Off
GERS of the volunteer force for a large
share in this achievement.
NnY,yI,E