The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-02

and honestly administered. Any at
tempt TO substitute in these southern
islands a system of laws based on the
experience and characteristics of a New
England community should be both OPP
pressive and futile.
The secretary says x is essential that
Porto Rico should receive substantially
the same treatment at our hands as
she received from Spain while a colony.
and that the markets of the United
States should be opened 10 her, asswere
the markets of Spain = nd Cuba before
the transfer of allegiance.
Concerning Cuba, the report says the
control which we are exercising IN trust
for the people OF Cuba should not, ana
of course will not, be continued any
longer than is necessary to enable them
TO establish a suitable government, 10
which the control shall be transferred,
which shall really represent the people
of Cuba and be able to maintain order
and discharge international obligations
That government, when esta bilshed,
must solve for Cuba. the problems We
are to solve as TO Porto Rico
The conduct of the Cuban people is
said to be admirable. There have been
agitators, but the substantial body or
educated Cubans have shown them,
selves to be patriotic. appreciative and
helpful, while the great body or I'M
educated Cubans have been patient ana
law-abiding.
Slow Work In Cuba.
1t is pointed out that the inability of
two-thirds of the people TO read and
write, their lack OF experience IN gov
eminent and the factional feeling ieft
by bloody conflicts make it necessary
TO proceed somewhat slowly in the for
nation of government 1t is SAID py
the termination of the year allowed by
treaty for the Spanish population to
elect whether to become Cubans or re-
main Soaniards, II will be for the first
time possible to determine who are Gu
ban citizens entitled 10 take part I'D
that government By that date-April
II next-the census will have been On
pleted, and we shall be ready to pro-
vide for municipal elections, placing
local government in the hands of the
citizens, and these local governments
will form a representative convention
to frame a constitution and provide Tor
a general government of the island, 10
which the United States will surren-
der the reins of government.
Extended statements as TO govern
ment in the Philippines are waived be-
cause of the full report which will be
presented by the Philippine commits
sion. Reference is made to the nego-
tiations between General Bates and the
sultan of Sulu, and it is pointed out
that it is not only subject TO congress
sional approval, but the sultan has been
informed that such approval should not
carry with it the consent of the United
States to the existence of slavery in the
islands.
Laying of Pacific Cable.
A strong recommendation is made for
the laying of Pacific cable as mat
ter of great military and political i'm
portance The cost of such a cable is
placed at not exceeding SS.500,000, run
ming by way of Hawaii. Wake island
and Guam from San Francisco to Ma
Mia.
The secretary says: "a political
question TO be considered is not whether
soldiers should drink or not drink, but
whether they should be permitted to
drink beer in camp, surrounded by the
restraining influences of discipline and
good association, or whether they
should be driven to drink bad
whisky in the vile resorts which clus-
ter around the limits of every military
port and camp, and especially around
those in which prohibition is main
tanned l have no doubt that the pres
ent regulation furnishes the wise an
swer to this question"
Other recommendations are that Gen.
eral Shafter should be retired with the
rank of major general. and that
statue of General Grant be erected in
the national capitol.
Reorganization of Army.
One of the most important chapters
of the report deals with the subject
of army organization, and on this
point the secretary makes some most
radical recommendations. pointing to
the inadequacy of the present system
and insufficiency of the force.
Starting with the promise that the
real object of having an army is to
provide for war, and that the regular
army would never be by itself the
whole machine with which war would
be fought, the secretary proceeds TO
outline scheme of reform supported
at each stage by succinct argument to
demonstrate its necessity.
II first lays down the necessity of
a systematic study of responsible Of
fcers of plans of action under all con-
of possible conflict, and
points out the lamentable disadvan-
tage we ara under in this respect, as
shown by our past experience, more
with regard to the mobiliZa-
ton and encampment and training Of
volunteer troops
Next. there S1OtIQ Dt dulpit piepdId-
ton of material for war. keeping pace
with the progress of military science
and avoiding the state of unprepared-
ness in which we were found al the
outbreak of the last war. This should
he the business of competent men.
There should be an adequate process of
selection according 10 merit and effect
iveness among the officers Of the army
so that men Of superior ability and
power may be placed in positions of
responsibility and authority. Fourth.
there should be ample experience and
training Of the army in the movement
of large bodies approXimating war
An Army War College.
1t Is recommended that an army war
college be established. including the
major general commanding, and COM
posed of the heads of staff departments
and a number of the ablest high rank
ing officers of the army, and TO this
college should be entrusted the execu-
ton of the plans laid out under the
above four heads.
Every officer below the field officers,
not a graduate of the service schools,
should receive instruction at this col
lege. All staff appointments should
thereafter be made from the line OF