The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-02


chosen by civil service methods. Edu-
cation should be at the cost Of the
community, betrayed from the insular
treasury, and, If necessary. assisted by
the United States. The Spanish civil
code should be continued in force, with
such radical notifications as experience
suggests. The Secretary says that the
trouble has not been that the law was
defective or vicious, but that it was
never fairly and honestly administered.
Any attempt to substitute in these
southern islands system of laws based
on the experience and characteristics of
New England community should be
both oppressive and futile.
1t is pointed out that a similar course
to that above outlined was successfully
followed by ourselves in Louisiana and
by the English in Lower Canada Much
stress is laid on the industrial distress
resulting from the inability of the Porto
Rlcans to market their goods, owing to
the withdrawal of the Spanish market,
which was their former reliance, and
to our own tariff
The Secretary says it 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 to her, as were
the markets of Spain and Cuba before
the transfer of allegiance.
Concerning Cuba. the report saws the
control which we are exercising in trust
Tor the people of Cuba should not, and,
OF course, will not be continued any
longer than is necessary to enable the
people to establish suitable Govern
ment to which the control shall be
transferred, which shall really repre-
sent the people of Cuba and be able to
maintain order and discharge interna-
tional obligations. That Government
when established 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
agltators, but the substantial body OF
educated Cubans have shown them
selves to be patriotic, appreciative and
helpful, While the great body of I'M
educated CubanS have been patient and
law-abiding. 1t is pointed out that the
inability of two-thirds of the people to
read and write, their lack of experience
in government, and the factional feel
ing left by bloody conflicts make it
necessary to proceed somewhat slowly
in the formation of a government. 1t
Is SAID that by the termination Of the
year allowed by treaty for the Spanish
population to elect whether to become
Cubans or remain Spaniards, it will be
for the first time possible to determine
who are Cuban citizens, entitled to take
part in that Government. BY that
date, April 11th next, the census will
have been completed, and we shall be
ready to provide for municipal cleo
tons. placing local government in the
hands of the citizens, and these local
governments will form a representa-
tive convention to frame a constitution
and provide for a general government
OF the island, to which the United
States will surrender the reins of gov
eminent
The Secretary devotes some attention
to the unfortunate plight of the Cuban
sugar producers, owing to the competi-
ton OF European beet sugar, with pos
sible free sugar from Porto Rico and
discriminating duties in favor of West
indian sugar. He shows that paving
our duty the Cuban sugar would real
ize but 2.69 cents per pound for the
producer, against 271 cents for the
German, and suggests as a. curative
measure some tariff ARRANGEMENTS bv
which Cuban products may be imported
into the United States on the same
terms as those proposed for Jamaica
in the pending reciprocity treaty
Extended statements as to govern
ment in the Philippines is waived, be-
cause of the full report which will be
presented by the Philippine Commits
sion. Reference is made to the neeotia-
lions between General Bates and the
Sultan of Sulu, and it is pointed oat
that it is not only subject to Congress
siona1 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.
A strong recommendation is made for
the laying of a Pacific cable as a mat
ter of great military and political i'm
portance. The cost of such a cable is
placed at not exceeding So, J'n. coo, run
ming by way of Hawaii, Wake Island
and Guam from San Francisco to Ma
Mia.
The Secretary deals in a forceful man.
ner with the subject of post exchanges
HE expresses his agreement with the
construction of the statute on this point
laid down by the Attorney General, and
produces statistics from the United
States forces at posts and elsewhere to
show that the overwhelming testimony
OIL the army is to the effect that the
present regulation has promoted the
temperance, discipline, morals and
health OF the enlisted men, and that in
the interest of morality and effective
service it should be retained. The
Secretary says:
The political question to be consid-
cred is not whether soldiers should
drink or not drink, but whether thew
should be permitted to drink beer in
camp, surrounded by the restraining in
huences of discipline and good associa-
ton, or whether they should be driven
to drink bad whisky in the vile resorts
which cluster around the limits of every
military post and camp, and especially
around those In which prohibition is
maintained. / have no doubt that the
present regulation furnishes the wise
answer to this question"
Under the head of river and harbor
improvements, the Secretary. while
characterizing the estimates as eener-
ally meritorious, states that he has
1eit 1t necessary, in view of the ex-
traordinary appropriations for military
purposes. to reduce the estimates Of
the Chief of Engineers from sol q06 :