Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-05

winch tley went 10 Mania ana are now
ell of them out of the service and in the
ranks of citizenship. l recommend that
congress provide a special medal of honor
for the volunteers, regulars, sailors and
marines remaining on duty in the Philip
pines after the terms Of enlistment lac
expired. BY the act of March 2, 1899, con-
gress has authority to increase the reg
ular army to a maximum not exceeding
SIS, eco enlisted men and to enlist a force
OF 50 GOO volunteers, to be recruited from
the country at large. BY virtue of this
authority the regular army has been in
creased to the number of g.. 1893 enlisted
men and 2,24S officers and new volunteer
re gii2aents have been organized aggregat-
Ing 33.G5O enlisted men and 1924 officers.
Two of these regiments are
made up of colored men, with colored line
officers. The new troops to take the
places of those returning from the Phil
iyp:ncs have been transported to Manila
to the number of 5S1 officers and 1922
enlisted men of the regular army and
494 officers and 1888 enlisted mel Of
the new volunteer force, While 404 officers
and l4,44G men are en- route.
The force now in Manila consists of 905
officers and 30,50S regulars and 594 Off
GERS and LASS of the volunteers, making
an aggregate of 1.499 officers and a., 1856
men. When the troops now under orders
shall reach Manila the force in the archi-
pelago will comprise 2.O5I officers and 3d.
4S3 men. The muster out of the great
volunteer army organized for the Spanish
wal and the creation of a new army. the
transportation from Manila to San Fran
cisco of those entitled to discharge and
the transportation of the new troops to
their places. has been a work of great
magnitude we'll and ably done, for which
too much credit cannot be given the war
department. During the wal we have re-
uuced our force in Cuba and Porto Rico.
In Cuba we now have 1884 officers and
1876 enlisted men. In Porto Rico 81
officers and 1855 enlisted men and a bat
TALON OF 400 men composed Of native
Porto Ricans, while stationed throughout
the United States are 941 officers and 17,717
men and in Hawaii II officers and 312
enlisted men.
Icannot withhold from officers and men
the highest commentator for their SOL
dierly conduct in trying situations, their
willing sacrifices for their country and
the interest and ability with which they
nave performed unusual and difficult
duties in our island possessions. In the
organization of the volunteers authorized
by act of March 2, 1899, it was found that
no provision had been made for chaplains.
This omission was doubtless from mad
vertence. I recommend the early author
ization for the appointment of one chap
lain for each officer in the regiment.
In restoring peaceful conditions, orderly
rule and civic progress in Cuba. Porto
Rico, and, so far as practicable. in the
Philippines, the rehabilitation of postal
service has been an important part of the
work. 1t became necessary to provide
mail facilities both for our force of occu-
patton and for the native population. To
meet this requirement has involved a
substantial reconstruction. The existing
systems were so fragmentary and made
quate that a new n comprehensive or
ganization had to be created. American
trained officials have been assigned to
the directing and executive positions,
while the natives have been chiefly en-
ployed in making up the body of the
force. In working out this plan. the merit
rule has been Vigorously and faithfully
applied.
The appointment of director general of
posts of Cuba was given to an expert who
had been chief postoffice inspector and
assistant postmaster general and who
united large experience with capacity.
For the postmastership at Havana, the
range of skilled and available men was
I'M and the choice fell to one who
mad been 20 years in the service as
deputy postmaster and postmaster of a
large city. This principle governed
the selection of the American Of
1lc!ais sent not only to Cuba, but to
Porto Rico and the Philippines and they
We're instructed to apply it so far as prac-
'lcaole IN the employment of the natives
as minor postmasters and clerks. The
postal system in Cuba though remaining
under the general guidance of the post.
MASTER general, was made essentially
independent. 1t was felt that it should
not pc a burden Oh the postal service of
the United states and provision was
made that any deficit in the postal reve-
nue. should be a charge upon the general
revenues of the island.
Though Porte Rico and the phi,in-
pines held a different relation to the
tnlted states, yet for convenience Of
administration the same principle of an
autonomous system has been extended
to them. The development of the serv-
ice in all of the islands has been rand
and successful. 1t has moved forwar d
on American lines With free delivery
money order and registry system. 1t is
thus not only a vital agency of indus
portant influence in diffusing a lust un-
~derstanding of the true spirit and char
acter of the American administration.
Inc domestic postal service continues to
grow with extraordinary rapidity. The
expenditures and revenues will each ey-
coed 500, 600, 600 during the current wear
fortunately, since the revival of pros
perlty the revenues have grown much
faster than the expenditures and there
IS every indication that a short period
"i'i VIC Lie oUlllcIdLlOn OF the an
nual deficit. In his connection the 1a-
port OF the postmaster general embodies
a statement of evils which have grown
up outside of the contemplation of the
aW in the treatment of some classes Of
mail matter which wrongly exercises the
privilege of pound rate and shows that
If this matter had been properly classi-
fled and paid the rate which it should
have paid, instead of a postal deficit the
last fiscal year of Sc, $4,000, there would
nav hnAn IN ono hncic ,a.1- . /
ST ,c37 $40, and on another, S., 733;. S36. The :
refGrm thus suggested. in the nninion of