Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-02

WIN encrHy, fapidity and success, not
withstanding deluges OF rain.
a chapter tells OF what has been done
In Cuba by the army during the past
year Order has been maintained. au-
cial distress has been nllcvlntcd. pnnI-
station has been Instituted. and In all
Respects satisfactory progress has been
made. and the part played by our
troops now Is but the restraining infiu-
encc 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
,he elvll government OF the island. and
inHtfueunR the people In the rudlmcnts
of self-govcrnmcnt at every step in
conference with leading citizens.
n compliment " paid to Gen. LudlnE-
tons administration OF the quartermas-
tcrH department. and II In said that ow.
Ing 10 the experience acquired, the en-
ure movement Involved In the trans
ppftntiun OF a large army TO the Phillip
pines has been accomplished prncti-
cally without loss of life. disease or in
jury TO health.
The clothing Of the army, too. WINS
satisfactory, and the food Of good quail
ny and furnished promptly. The
health of the army has been remark
ably good and the report shows that
the death rate among the soldiers in
the Philippines from disease IL only
ld2o considerably less than In WASH
lnRton, Boston. San Franclsro New
YORK and baltimore. The soldiers Killed
IN battle and dying ~ wounds num-
bcrcd ~, and the entire mortality was
hiJ for the past ten months
strong recommendation is made
IA
matter Of great military and political
Importance. The cost ~ such a cable
N placed at not exceeding s. 500 900
running by way OF Hawaii. Wake
Island and Guam from San Francisco
TO Manila.
The secretary denis in n foreefui
manner with the subject OF post OK
changes. He expresses his agreement
with the construction Of the statute
on this polnt laid down by the nttor-
ney general. and produces statistics
from the United States forces at posts
aud elsewhere to show that the over
whclming testimony Of the army il
20 the cncct that the present regulation
has pf.moted the temperance. dlscl-
nline, Morals and health Of the enlisted
men, ana that In the interest ~ moral
ny ana effective service II should be
fVtninod. The secretary rays:
The principal question 20 be con-
drink or not drink but whether they
should he permitted to drink beer In
camp, surrounded by restraining lntiu-
"ncea OF discipline and good nssocia-
ton, or whether they should be driven
TO drink bad whisky In the vile resorts
which cluster around the limits NJ
every military post and camp, and ea.
pccinlly around those In which pro-
hiblilou II maintained. have no
doubt that the present regulation fur
nishes the wise answer to this quos-
tlon."
Under the head Of river and harbor
improvements the secretary. while
chafncterixing the estimates as gem
orally morltorious states that he has
felt II necessary In view Of cxtraordl-
nary appropriations for military pur-
poses, TO reduce the estimates ~ the
chief Of engineers from s2i.9O6.s2i to
other recommendation are that Gen.
Shaftcr should be- retired with the rank
~ major general. and that a statue OF
Gen. Grant be erected In the national
capital.
one ~ the most important chapters
Of the report deals with the subject Of
army reorganization. and ON this point
the secretary makes some most rad
teal recommendations, pointing out the
inadeguncy Of the present system and
insuillclcncy Of the force. Starting with
the promise that the real object ~ hnv-
ing an army II to provide FOR war. and
that the regular army would never be
by itself the whole machine with which
war would b. fought the secretary
proceeds to outline scheme Of r,form
supported al each stage by succlnct ar
gument to demonstrate It, necessity.
The report draws to a conclusion with
n eplendld tribute to the army as
shown during It's operations during the
past two years. and also gives credit to
the officers of the volunteer force for a
large share In this achievement.