The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1899-12-12
of American citizens against Spain by this
government be enacted.
! Tha naa.o ron...


Our connection with the peace congress
Is reviewed at length, and the president
says that the results of the conference
the part Of many Of the American s ' people H
OF our particular part In this conference
the president says:
establishing a permanent. international
tribunal, the delegation of the United
states was not unmindful of the lncon~
veniences which might arise from an OBJ
trusiye exercise of mediation, and In sign
| ing the convention carefully guarded the
historic position Of the United States by
the following declaration:
| Nothing contained In this convention
shall be SO construed as to require the
| United States OF America to depart from
its traditional policy OF not intruding upon,
interfering with. or entangling itself in
| the political questions or policy or inter
nal administration of any foreign state;
| convention be construed to imply a re-
linquishment by the United States Of
America Of its traditional attitude toward
purely American questions"
Thus interpreted, the convention for the
pacific settlement Of international conflicts
may be regarded as realizing the earnest
desire of great numbers of American cit
| liens whose deep sense of justice. ex-
| pressed Numerous resolutions and memo
rials. has urged them to labor, for this
ter of this convention. already signed by
the delegates OF more than 20 sovereign
states STAT, further eommends it 70 the favor;
States. whose ratification 1t still awaits.
The War Department.
A history of the operations of the war
department Is given, including the work
Spanish war and the Organization OF new
troops In compliance with legislation enact
cd by the last congress. He commends
NAMED in service after the conclusion of
the treaty of peace with Spain, and says of
our army now in the Philippines:
The force now in Manila consists Of 905
officers and sO.57S regulars, and sci officers
and 1883 Of the volunteers, making an
aggregate OF 1889 officers and 1896 men.
reach Manila, the force in the archipeIaTo
will comprise 2,051 officers and 3,4S3 men.
The muster out of the great volunteer
army organized for the Spanish war and
the creation Of new army. the transpor-
tation from Manila to San Francisco of
those entitled to discharge, and the trans
portation OF the new troops to take their
tude well and ably done, for which too
much credit cannot be given the war de-
OF that portion OF the army now serving
In Cuba and Porto Rico he says:
During the past year we have reduced
our force IN cuba and Porto Rico. In
enlisted men; in Porto Rico, 81 officers and
2,S55 enlisted men and a battalion of 400
men composed, Of native Porto Ricans;
while stationed throughout the United
States are $40 officers and 1897 men, and in
Hawaii IL officers and 455 enlisted men.
The Postal service.
The work of the postal service both at
home and in the colonies is spoken OF at
length, and the operations of the depart
ment in both places pronounced satisfac-
tory OF the service in the colonies he says:
The appointment Of director general of
posts of Cuba; was given to an expert, who |
had been chief post Office Inspector and as
sistant postmaster general, and who united |
large experience with administrative ca |
q m a G q rebi m at
ana, the range of skilled and available men /
was scanned, and the choice fell upon one |
who had been 20 years In the service as
large city, This principle governed and |
determined the selection Of the American |
officials sent not only to Cuba, but to Porto
Rico and the Philippines, and they were |
instructed to apply II so far as practicable |
In the employment Of the natives as minor |
tenn in Cuba, though remaining under the
general guidance of the postmaster gem
eral was made essentially Independent II |
posa Service 6 nj
and provision was made that any deficit in /
the postal revenue should be a charge
Por6 Rice ana
held a different relation to the United |
States, yet, for convenience of admins
tration, the same princ lple Of an autono-
The development of The service in all OF
the Islands has been rapid, and success
lines with free delivery, money order and
registry systems, and has given the peo-
pile mail facilities far greater and more re-
liable than any they have ever before en-
joyed. II Is thus not only a vital agency
of Industrial, social and business progress,
but an important Influence In diffusng
Just understanding OF the true spirit and
character of American administration.
Domestic Postal Service.
The domestic postal service continues to
grow with extraordinary rapidity. The
Expenditures and the revenues will each
exceed 500 100000 during the current year.
since the revival of prosper
Gus times the revenues have grown much
faster than the expenditures, and there
will witness the obliteration OF the annual
deficit. In this connection the report of
the postmaster general embodies state
ment of some evils which have grown
up outside of the contemplation OF law
In the treatment OF some classes of mail
matter which wrongly exercise the privi-
This matter, had been properly classified
and had paid the rate which II should
ave paid. instead OF Postal Sst deficit foI
ave been on one basis q surplus OF 49,
iS7, $40. and on another OF s5733,S36 The
'eform thus suggested, In the opinion Of
'ut the postal service at once on self
ustaining basis, but would permit great
md valuable improvements, and COM
mend the subject TO the consideration Of
The Navy.
He concurs In the recommendation made
W the secretary OF the navy for the in
,rease of that branch OF the public service
md legislation that will provide for armor
late for the vessels now building, and says:
II cannot be doubted that congress will
Il once make necessary provision for the
amor plate for the vessels now under
contract and building. Its attention Is re-
,pectfully called 20 the report OF the sec
.etary Of the navy. in which the subject is
'ully presented. unite in his recon-
nendation that the congress enact such
special legislation as may be necessary
o enable the department 20 make con-
racts early In the coming year for armor
" the best quality that can be obtained In
his country for the Maine, Ohio. and Mis-
oun, ana that the provision OF the act
u March 3, 1899, limiting the price OF armor J
o $500 per ton be removed.
In the matter OF naval construction, Italy
nd japan, of the great powers, laid down
ess tonnage In the year 1899 than this
COUNTRY, and Italy alone has less tonnage
inder construction I heartily concur In
he recommendations for the increase OF
he navy as suggested by the secretary. /,
Our future progress and prosperity de- :
'end upon our ability to equal n not sur
PASS other nations In the enlargement and )
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