The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-02
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
The Secretary of War Reviews
Present Conditions.
TASK IN THE PHILIPPINES
High Tribute to the Troops-Satis-
factory Progress Made in Cuba.
Porto REQ Is Learning
Sell Government.

Washington, Dec. 1.-Dealing as it
does with large questions of insula,
policy, the army reorganization of the
future of Cuba and of the campaign
in the Philippines, the first annual re-
port of Secretary Root, just made pub
lie, is of exceptional interest
Frequent reference is made to the re-
port of General Otis to show the mag
nitude of the task set for him in the
Philippines with the inadequate forces
at his command when the outbreak
came, and high tribute is paid to the
courage of the troops, who in the face
of great hardships, voluntarily con-
sented to forego an immediate return
to their homes upon the expiration Of
their terms of service. The history of
the operations Of the past season is re-
counted, and the secretary outlines the
plan of the present campaign, which
began in October. This involves the
| movement of three separate forces. One
was to proceed up the Rio Grande along
the northwestern borders of the plains
and strike across to the gulf or Lin
| gayen. Another was to land on the
gulf shores by transports and proceed
along the coast road to unite with the
| first force. A third column was to
straight along the railroad to Dagupan.
The secretary says these movements
| We're executed with energy, rapidity and
success, Notwithstanding deluges of
rain.
A chapter tells of what has been done
! IN cuba by the army during the past
year. Order has been maintained, So
! cial distress has been alleviated, SANTA
| ton has been instituted, and in all re-
| spects satisfactory progress has been
made. and the part played by our
troops now is but the restraining influ-
ence of their presence. AS order has
been restored, the force of troops has
| been removed, and orders have recently
been given for the withdrawal of eight
companies of infantry and eight troops
of cavalry.
In Porto Rico the year has been de-
voted to administering and improving
| the civil government of the island and
/ lnStructlng the people in the rudiments
of self-government at every step in
| conference with leading citizens
A compliment is paid to General Lud-
! ington's administration of the quarter
! masters department. and 1t is said
| that owing to the experience acquired
| the entire movement involved in the
transportation of a large army to the
Philippines has been accomplished
practically without loss of life, disease
| OF injury to health
The clothing of the army, too, was
satisfactory, and the food of good quail
| lty furnished promptly. The health of
| the army has been remarkably good
and the report shows that the death
rate among the soldiers in the Philip
! pines from disease is only 1920 CON
sidera bly, less than in Washington, Bos-
ton, San Francisco, New York and
Baltimore. The soldiers killed in bat
tie and dying from wounds numbered
All, and the entire mortality was s43
for the past 10 months.
The Government Problem
The secretary deals at great length
with the problem of insular govern
ment. He recalls the fact that the
treaty of Paris places in congress
alone the determination of the civil
representatives and political status of
the native inhabitants of the terri
tories ceded to the United States. He
argues that this limitation completely
deprives these people of the right to
have the islands treated as states or
as territory previously acquired has
been treated, or even to asert a LEGAL
right under the provision of the con-
stitution which was established for
the people Ct the United States them
selves. Nevertheless. he assumes that
the intention is to give them to the
greatest possible extent individual
freedom. self-government in accord
ance with their capacity, just and
equal laws. an opportunity for educa-
tion for profitable industry and for civ
ilization. He takes up Porto Rico first
as presenting the simplest problem.
and after discussing the present con-
ditions there, emphasizing the ignor-
ance of the people of any modern sys-
tenn of government. he holds that they
should be provided with the kind of
administra ton 70 which we have Seen
accustomed, with just as much partic
~ bai,. nDy-+ ;c t>1n
without enabling their inexperence to
make it ineffective. and with oppor-
tunitieS for them TO increase their ca
pacity for government. The secretary
lays stress upon past failures because
of the refusal of defeated minority
to participate further in government,
which, he says, is precisely the cause
of the continual revolutions in the
West Indies and Central America and
marks a rudimentary stage of poNi-
cal development
To meet the case he suggests a stat
utory declaration as to what laws shall
be extended to the Porto Ricans with
provision for federal officers to exc
cute them and for a federal judiciary,
with appeal to the United States su-
preme court. There should be form
of lGcal insular government, subject
to congressional limitation. a governor
appointed by the president and con-
GERS appointed in like manner and a
legislative council composed of the
chief officers of the state. and a minor
ity selected by the president from the
citizens of the island. The municipal-
tiles are to be governed by mayors aud
councils elected by them. with officers
subject to removal by the governor
1t would be better to wait for a time
before an elective legisla ture is per-
mltted. Suffrage should be limited to
those who read and write or own a
small amount of property Porto Ri
cans should be chosen for offices they
are able to fill American officials |
should be limited IN number to .he |
barest necessities and should then be |
chosen by civil service methods. Ed
ucatiGn should be at the cost of the |
community betrayed from the inSular
treasury. and. if necessary, assisted |
by the United States. The Spanish
civil code should be continued in force,
with such radical notifications as eX-