Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-06


until their places could he filled by new
troops. They were, returned home In the
order in which they went ~ Manila and
are now all Of them out of the service
and In the ranks of citizenship. ! recon-
mend that the Congress- provide a specinI
medal of honor for the volunteers, regtl-
lars sailors, and marines On duty IN th..
Philippines who voluntarily remained IN
the service after their terms Ut enlist
BY the act of March .. 1899, Congress
gave authority tor increase the regular
army to "A maximum not exceeding G5,0tO
600 volunteers. to be recruited from the
country at large. by virtue Of this ,,u-
thority the regular army has been in
creased 70 the number of 6l,9s9 enlisted
men and 22fS officers, and new volunteer
regiments have been organized aggregat-
ing 49, $50 enlisted men and 1924 officers.
Two of these volunteer regiments arr.
made up OF colored men. with colored
line officers. The new troops to take the
places of these returning from the Philip
pines have been transported to Manila to
the number Of ISL officers and 6,322 en-
listed men of the regular army and 59i
officers and 15,3SS enlisted men of the
new Volunteer force, while 5Vi officers
and 4ll9 men of the volunteer force are
on the ocean en-rOute to Manila.
The force now in Manila consists OF
90J officers and 30.51S regulars, and ,9i
officers and l5.;SS of the volunteers. MAX
ing an aggregate of l4.9 officers and a.
966 men. When the troops now under or
dcrs shall reach Manila the force in the
archipelago will comprise 2Ujl officers
and g. iS1 men.
The muster out of the great voluntoer
army organized for the Spanish war and
the creation of new army, the trans
portation from Manila to San Francisco
of those entitled TO discharge, and the
transportation Of the new troops to take
their places have been Il work of great
magnitude well and ably done for which
too much credit can not be given the war
department
During the, past year We have reduced
| our force in Cuba and Porto Rico. In
Cuba we now have 1874 officers and io1%;
| enlisted men: in Porto Rico. 81 officers
| and 2S',, enlisted men and IA battalion of
| 4W men composed of native Porto
| Rcans; while stationed throughout the
| United States are 80 officers and ISL
men. and in Hawaii IL officers and io1 en-
| listed men.
The operations of the army are fully
! presented III the report of the secretary
of war. ] cannot withhold from officers
and men the highest communication for
| their Soldicrly conduct in trying situa
! tons their willing sacrifices for their
| country. and the integrity and ability
! with which they have performed unusua!
| and difficult duties in our island posses
| sonS.
| In the organization of the volunteer
| regiments authorized by the act of March
| , 1880 il was found that no provision hal
| been made for chaplanS. This omission
| was doubtless from inidNertence-
recommend the early AUTHORIZATION FOR
| the appointment of ON chaplain Tor eacr
| nf said regiments. The" regiments are
| now in the Philippines. and ii is imp0r-
tant that immediate action be had.
NEEDS OF POSTAL SERVICE.
! In restoring peaceful conditions. orderly
| rule. and civic progress in Cuba. Porto
| Rico. and, 50 far as practicable. III th,
| Philippines. The rehabilitation nj the
| postal service has been an essential and
! important part of the work. II became
| necessary II provide mail facilities both
| for our forces of occupation and for the
native population. To mrct this require
ment has involved a substantial recon
Structon. The existing ~ stems were So
| fragmentary. defective. ,tnd Inadequate
| that i new and cuYnprr hcnSiVe organiZd-
| ton had 10 he. created American trained
| officials have been assigned 10 the direct
| ing and executive positions. while ma
lives have ben chiefly Employed in max
! ing up the body of the force. In w0rkins :
| out this plan the merit rIle has been rig
ornusly and faithfully applied.
| The appointment Of lirector-SenrraI ~
| post Of Cuba was given 10 an expert who
| had been chief postoiv,. inspector and
| assistant postmaster general. ana who
| united large experience with adminstra-
| tive capacity. For thu misunderstanding at
! havana the range of skilled and available
| men was scanned. and the choice fell ~
| on one VINO had been twenty years i'm TIN.
! service as deputy postmaster ana post
master Of Large city. This principl.
1
| The American officials sent not only TO
| cuba. but to Porto Rice and the Philip
| pines and they wer" instructed To apply
4 IL so Tar as practicable in the employ
| ment of the natives as minor postmas
| ters ana clerks. The postal system in
| CuDa, though remaining under Lac gen
eral suIuahce OF the postmaster general.
WAS made essentially independent. IL
| WAS felt that ii should not be a burden
| upon the postal service of the Tinted
S.a .,' ana provision was made that any
| deficit in the postal revenue should be a
| charge upon the general revenues of the
| island.
| Though Porto Rico and the Philippines
| noid "A different relation to the United
| tratlon. the same principle of s.utoB-
| ofnou' system has been extended to them.
| the islands has been rapid and successful
IL mas moved forward on American lines
with free delivery. money order. and reg
| lstty systems, and has given the people
man tacinties Tar greater and more re-
| iiablc than any they have ever before en-
| Joyed. Ii Is thus not only a vital agency
| OF industrial. social. and business prog
! fcss, but an important influence in tiffus-
| ing Just undcrst anding of the true
spirit and character of American admin
iStration.
The domestic postal service continues to
grow VITA extraordinary rapidity The
! expenditures and the revenues will each
exceed $lU,o1.0E0 during the current
year Fortunately, since the revival of
| prosperous times the revenues have
grown much faster than the expenditures.
ana there is every indication that IA short
period VIII witness the obliteratio of the
annual deficit. In this connection the re-
port OF the postmaster general embodes
a statement of some evils which have
grown up outside of the contemplation OF
law in the treatment of some classes If
mail matter which wrongly exercise the
privilege OF the pound rate. and shows
TINT If this matter had been properly
CLASSIFIED and had paid the rate which IL
should have paid. instead of Il postal de-
hclt for the last fiscal year of S5.6l0O tp.
there would have been on one basis "a sur
plus of Sl1.d3..51o. and on another OF 81
$3.50. The reform thus suggested in
the opinion OF the postmaster general.
would not only put the postal service a;
once on a self-sustaining basis. but would
permit great and valuable improvements.
ana commend the subject to the CON
sideratio of the Congress.
TIE NAVY.
The navy has maintained the spirit and
high efficiency which have always char
acteriZed that service. and las lost none
OF the Sallantry in heroic action which
has signalized its brilliant and glorious
past. The nation has equal pride i'll its
early and later achievements It's ha hit
llal readiness for every emergency has
won the confidence and admiration of the
country. Tie people are interested in the
continued preparation and prestige %:
the and will