The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-12-13


unteers. regulars, sailors ond marines on duty
in the Philippines who voluntarily remained
In the service after their terms Of enlistment
had expired.
The message renewed the work OF the de-
partments, and specially commended the work
done by the postoffice department in organic
ing mail service in Cuba Porto Rico and the
Philippines.
The message recommended legislation for
Hawaii AMI AIIsll to meet defects which
have appeared in the operation of existing
laws.
recommendations For Porto Rico.
Tho system of Jurisprudence and municipal
governments in Porto Rico will need little
change, but legislation is needed with refer.
ence to public administration and the rela-
tions OF the island to the federal government.
Our plain duty is to abolish all customs tar
ifs between the United States and Porto Rico
and give her products free access to our mar
kets.
In addition to the private charity of our
people, the war department has expended for
the relief of the distressed from the hurricane
t3g2 54l.6j. which does not include the cost OF
transportation
The president further said in part:
For present purposes recommend that con.
gress pass law for the organization OF
temporary government, which shall provide
for the appointment by the president subject
to confirmation by the senate, of governor
and such other officers as the general admin
istration Of the island may require, and that
fer Legislative purposes upon subjects of To-
cal nature, not partaking of federal charac'
TER, a legislative council composed partly of
Porto Rcons and partly of citizens of the
United States, shall be nominated and ap-
pointed by the president subject to contirma'
tion by the senate, their acts to be subject to
the approval OF the congress or the president,
prior to going into effect. For ths munich
palities and other local subdivisions | recon-
mend that the principle of local self f-govern-
ment be applied at once, so as to enable the
intelligent citizens of the island to participate
in their own government and to learn by prac-
teal experience the duties and requirements
of selfcontained and self-governing peo-
ple
have not thought it wise 10 commit the en-
tire government of the island to officers se
lected by the people because doubt whether
in habits, training and experience they are
such as to fit them to exercise at once so large
a degree of self-government but it is my
judgment and expectation that they will soon
arrive at an attainment Of experience and
wisdom and self-control that will justify con-
ferring upon them much larger participa'
ton in the choice of their insular officers.
The fundamental requirement for these
people, as for all people, is education. The
free school house is the best preceptor for
citizenship. In the introduction of modern
educational methods care, however, must be
exercised that charges be not made too alb
ruptly and that the history and racial peculi-
arities of the inhabitants shall be given due
weight
The navy has maintained the spirit and high
efficiency which have always characterized
that service, and has lost none Of the gallantry
In heroic action which has signalized its bril-
liant and glorious past
Armor Plate Recommendation.
1t cannot be doubted that congress will at
once make necessary provision for the armor
plate for the vessels now uuder contract and
building. Its attention is respectfully called
to the report of the secretary of the navy, in
which the subject is fully presented.
unite in his recommendation that the con-
gress enact such special legislation AS may be
necessary to enable the department to make
contracts early in the coming year for armor
of the best quality that can be obtained in the
country for the Maine, Ohio and Missouri, and
that the provision of the act of March 3, 1899,
limiting the price of armor to 1870 per ton, be
removed.
On the 30th of June 1899 the pension roll of
the United States numaered 99l 5l9. These in
clude the pen soners of the army and navy in
all our wars. The number added to the roll
during the year was IO,0Jl. The number
dropped by reason Of death, re-marriage,
minors by legal limitation, failure to claim
within three years and other causes, was
l3l ls6 and the number of claims disallowed
was l01 ,gl0
During the year S0,Oj4 pension certificates
were issued, Of which 32O17 were for new or
original pensions. The amount disbursed for
army and navy pensions during the year
was sl3S, 55j.0,2 which was Sl.Gjl, i6l6l less
than the sum of the appropriations.
The Grand Army Of the Republic, at its re
cent national encampment, held in Philadel-
phia has brought to my atten ton and to that
of congress, the wisdom and justice of modi
fication of the third section of act of June g.
1890
With the approval of the secretary of the
interior the commissioner of pensions recon-
mends that, in order to make the practice at
all times uniform and to do justice to the de-
pendent widow the amount of income allowed
independent of the proceeds of her daily
labor should be not less than $2jJ per annum,
and he urges that the congress shall 30 amend
the act AS to permit the pension office to grant
pensionable status to widows under the terms
of the third sections of the act of June q, 1891
whose income aside frem the proceeds of daily
labor is not in excess OF $3.50 per aanum. 1 be-
lieve this to be a simple act of justice and
heartily recommend il.
In "A ccOrdance with the act of congress au-
proved March 3, 1853, the preliminary work in.
connection with the twelfth census is now
under way.
The Philippines Question.
On the 10th of December, 1898, the treaty
of peace between the United States and
Spain was signed. 1t provided, among
other things, that Spain should cedc to
the United States the archipelago known
as the Philippine islands, that the United
States should pay to Spain the sum of
$4,000 600, and that the civil rights and
political status of the native Inhabitants
of the territories thus cedcd to the United
States should be determined by congress-
The treaty was ratified by the senate on
the 9th of February, 1879, and by the gov
ernmcnt Of Spain on the 18th of March
following. The Publications were ex-
changed on the l1th Of April, and the
treaty publicly proclaimed. On the I'd Of
March the congress voted the sum con-
templated by the treaty, and the amount
was paid over to the Spanish government
on the lst of May.
In this manner the Philippines came
70 the United States The islands were
ccdcd by the government of Spain, which
had been in undisputed possession of
them for centuries. They were accepted
not merely by our authorized commission
crs in Paris, under the direction of the
executive, but by the constitutional and
wcll-cOnsldcred action of the representa-
tivcs Of the people of the United States
in both houses Of congress I had every
tca,on to- briicic. aud / still believe, nat
this transfer ui sovereignty was in ac-
tordancc with the wi,hc, and aspirations
pf the grrai nIa~s of Filipino people.
From the earliest moment no uppur-