The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-02

WASHINGTON. Dec 1.-Dealing as II
does with large questions OF insular policy.
of army reorganization, OF the future of
Cuba and Of the campaign in the Philip
pines. the first annual report Of Secretary
Root. just made public. is Of exceptional In
terest.
Mngniture OF the Task In Philippines
Frequent reference is made to the report
Of Gen. Otis. to show the magnitude of the
task set for him in the Philippines, with
the inadequate forces at his command,
when the outbreak came, and high trib-
ute is paid to the courage Of the troops who,
in the face Of great hariships. voluntarily
consented to forage an Immediate return
to their homes upon the expiration of their
terms Of service. The history Of the opera
tions Of the past season Is recounted and
the secretary outlines the plan Of the pres
ent campaign which began in October. This
involved the movement of three separate
forces. One was to proceed up the 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 transports and 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, notwithstand-
ing deluges Of rain.
What Has Been Done I'm Cuba.
A chapter tells Of what has been done
in Cuba by the army during the past
year. Order has been maintained, social
distress has been alleviated, sanitation has
been instituted and in all respects satis-
factory progress has been made and the
part played by our troops now is but the
restraining influence OF their presence. This
order has been restored. the force of troops
has been removed and orders have recently
been given for the withdrawal Of eight CO n.
panies of infantry and eight troops Of cav
airy.
The Year In Porto Rico.
In Porto Rico the year has been devoted
to Misunderstanding and improving the civil
government Of the island and instructing
the people in the rudiments of self-gov-
ernment, at every step in conference with
leading citizens.
auartermaster's Good Work.
compliment is paid to Gen. Ludipg-
toms administration of the quartermas-
ter's department. and 1t is said that owing
to the experience acquired, the entire
movement involved in the transportation of
a large army to the Philippines has been
accomplished practically without loss Of
life, disease or injury to health,
The clothing OF the army. too, was sat
sfactory 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 disease
is only 17.00, considerably less than in
Washington, Boston, San Francisco. New
York and Baltimore The soldiers killed
in battle and dying Of wounds numbered
Az. and the entire mortality was S43 for the
past ten months.
Problems Of Insular Government.
The secretary deals at great length with
the problem of insular government He re-
calls the fact that the treaty of Paris
places in congress alone the determination
of the civil representatives and political
status of the native inhabitants of the ter
ritories ceded to the United States. He ar
CUES that this limitation completely de-
prives these people of the right to have
the islands treated as states or as territory
previously acquired has been treated. or
vision of the constitution which was estab-
lished for the people of the United States
themselves. Nevertheless he assumes that
the intention is to give to them the great
est possible extent of individual freedom,
self-government in accordance with their
capacity, just and equal laws, an opportun-
ity for education, for profitable industry
and for civilization. He takes up Porto Rico
first as presenting the simplest problem,
and after discussing the present conditions
there, emphasizing the ignorance of the peo-
pie Of any modern system of government,
he holds that they should be provided with
the kind of administration to which they
have been accustomed. with just as much
participation on their part as Is possible
without enabling their inexperience to
make 1t ineffective, and with opportunities
for them to increase their capacity for gov
ernment The secretary lays stress upon
past failures because of the refusal of
defeated minority to participate further in
government which he says Is precisely the
cause Of the continual revolutions In the
West Indies and Central America. and