New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-02

h e ,e o,,sn,aers should be prescribed and the
parts should be so assigned that the new orsanl
cation shall have the fullest possible oe"'"' -
| the preparation OF the Regular Aftn!. ,.,r,
| There are other respects In which the eA!stins
system can be improved In the dlIec.s" 80 ~ go
plicity and effectiveness, out resaiu 80 -,
less vital than the matters which i nave men
.Sonad hone 10 make specific recommends
| lions regarding them before the time comes ioi
sucb action as Congress may see III 10 TAKE,
These suggestions for the improvement % ,n
Arnov organization should not be taken as VI
| yolving condemnation or disparagemeht oi ere
system generally. Such conclusion cou'u to-, D
reached only by a narrow ana pIeJuaiS.u ~
| iooSing for the defects and refusing 10 see the
merits.
PRAISES REGULARS AND VoLONIbh'ho'
No organization could have produced ,ne re re,
suits exhibited by the Army during tre las' wv
| yaars which was not in the main sound ana
efficient. with its handful OF Regular oilicels
and its small body OF trained ltoops n mr,
ga combined with large forces or new VII.
| trained volunteers IL has In surprisingly shoI'
| nar,ods NJ time produced great BODY or men;
| unifornlv well disciplined, or good cOnouCt anu
id ratient in endurance of hardships,
steady indomitable and heroic In acuon, anu
Who against the facilitating influences OF uopi-
| cal climates, against physeal opstacies MiIi f
see med insurmountable. and against enemies OF
! sunerior numbers and approved courage anu
armed with weapons Of modern warfare nave
won a long series OF victories unproKen py
single defeat 49,, o o.,tt,ad
20 their full share Of the credit Of this achieve
ment Without the splendid vrility and COURAGE
~ the enlisted men 1t could not nave peeh az
coronshed: but Il is fair TO all to say that the
cbief formative power-the dominating influence
which made the achievement posslple-"as me
organization the training, the discipline ana the
example of the officers and men of the Regular
Armv THE officers Of that Army have main
tanned the honor advanced the interests ana ex-
allied the reputation of our country In the disci'
Milne and command Of our troops on the pattie-
fold and in successful civil and military auiillh-
istration under most difficult circumstances
where failure would have been National hu-
initiation.
Secretary Roots report begins with recital
OF the policy followed in recognizing the Army
in accordance with the necessities arising from
the discharge OF the State volunteers ana VI
the men enlisted for the Spanish-American war
and gives statistics Of the past ana present
strength Of the organization. covering IN tiiat
respect matters dealt with in the Reports %
the Major General commanding and OF the Au-
infant General 1t is said that at present all
the new regiments Of volunteers are IN the
Philippines or on their way there
OPERATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The operations in those islands are next taken
up and the report points out that the out
break OF last February provoked by the
insurgents. and was unavoidable Frequent rel
erence Is made 10 the reports Of General Gus
TO show the magnitude Of the task SET TOT MN,
with the inadequate force al his command WneH
the outbreak came and high tribute is palu 70
the courage OF the troops. who, in the race OF
great hardshps, voluntarily consented 10 loreso
an immediate return TO their homes on the eA-
piration Of their terms OF service me opera
tons of the last season are reviewed. and the
Secretary outlines the plan OF the present cam,
paign which began in october. This involved
the movement Of three separate forces one
was to proceed up he Rio Grande. along the
northeastern borders Of the plains. and strike
across to the Gulf of Lingayen Another was
TO land on the gulf shores by transport anu
proceed along the coast road to unite with the
first force A third column was to strike
straight along the railroad to Dagupan the
Secretary says these movements were executed
with energy, rapidity and success, notWith-
standing deiuges Of rain. 1t Is said that wher-
ever the permanent occupation by the troops
has extended in the Philippines civil law has
been put into operation, courts have neen estaD-
lished, and education introduced, until at pres
ent there are better facilities for primary edu-
cation in Manila than ever before.
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.
A chapter tells Of what has been done In
Cuba by the Army in the last year. Order has
been maintained. social distress has been al
leviated sanitation has been instituted, and IN
all respects satisfactory progress has been made,
and the part played by the troops now is only
the restraining influence Of their presence Inc
revival of industry has been slow, but has also
made gratifying progress. and the reconcentra-
dos have returned to the cultivation or their
lands though the complete restoration OF the
sugar industry has been seriously hampered by
the lack Of capital. AS order has been restored
the force of troops has been reduced, and or
ders have recently been given Tor the WIN,
drawal Of eight companies or infantry anu
eight troops Of cavalry.
In Porto Rico the year has been devoted TO
administering and improving the civil govern
ment of the island and instructing the people
in the rudiments of self government, at every
step in conference with the leading citizens.
This work has been retarded by the unfortunate
industrial conditions owing to lack of markets
for the products. and to the distress caused by
the great hurricane Nevertheless. much has
been done to correct abuses-the courts have
been reorganized the writ Of habeas corpus has
been restored and arrangements have been
made for taking the census
HEALTH OF THE ARMY GOOD
A compliment is paid to General Ludington's
administration Of the Quartermasters Depart
ment and it is said that owing to the experience
acquired the entire movement involved in the
transportation OF large army to the Philip
| pines has been accomplished practically without
| loss of life. disease or injury TO health. The
| clothing of the Army. too, was satisfactory, and
| the food of good quality and furnished promptly.
The health Of the Army has been remarkably
good, and the report shows that the death rate
among the soldiers in the Philippines from dis
| ease is only liZO, CONSIDERABLY less than In
Washington, Boston. San Francisco, New York
and Baltimore The soldiers killed in battle and
| dying from wounds numbered All, and the en-
tire mortality S43 for the last ten months
INsULAR GOVERNMENT
The Secretary deals at great length with the
problem Of insular government He recalls the
fact that the Treaty Of Paris places in Congress
alone the determination Of the civil rights and
political status Of the native inhabitants Of the
territories coded 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 ac-
qured has been treated. even to assert a lega
right under the provisions of the Constitution
which was established for the people OF the
United States themselves. Nevertheless. he as