The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-12-04

gress. ~
IN my last annual message I dweit at
sfrairs IN The Phiiinn,G Gonoi',Sh h,a tnen 1t
ing to impress upon you that the grave
responsibility OF the future government
OF the United States. I abstained from
recommending at that time a specific and
iiral form or government for the terri
forces. and as long as insurrection con-
t1nues, the military must necessarily Be
supreme. 1 stated my purpose. until the
congress shall have made known the for
NAL expression of its. viii, TO use the au-
thority vested In me by the constitution
.no At me s.a.utes 70 upnoio the sovereign
places where. our flag rightfully floats,
placing TO that end at the disposal of the
crafty of congress and the people have
provided No contrary expression of the
congress having been made, steadfastly
Ing the civil arm as well. toward the &C
complfshment OF pacifcation and the in
stitutton of local governments within the
lines of autfiorityIan law.
Progress In the hoped for direction has
been favorable. Our forces have success
islands, overcame the Organized forces OF
the insurgents and carrying order and
administrative regularity TO all quarters.
What opposition remains is for the most
part scattered. obeytng no concerted plan
OF strategic action, operating only by the
methods common TO the traditions of
tive to alter the general control now es-
tablished, are still sufficient to beget in
security among the populations that have
felt the good results of our control and
thus delay the conferm tnt upon them of
the fuller measures of local self govern
ment, of education and of Industrial and
agricultural development which we sta nd
ready to give to them.
BY the spring of this year the effective
.uAf Hos - 81 l.
the authority of the United States was
virtually ended. thus opening the door
for the extension Of q stable administra-
archipelago. Desiring to bring this about.
appointed in March last a civn commits
sion composed OF the Hon. w. H. Tat
Michigan. Hon. Luke E. Wright of Ten
nessee: Hon. Henry c. Ide OF Vermont
The aims of their mission and the scope
of their authority are clearly set forth
in my instructions of April z. 1900, ad-
dressed to the secretary OF war to be
The commissioners named will meet and
act as q board and the Hon. VIM. H.
board 1t is probable that the transfer
of authority from military commanders
to civil officers will be gradual and will
occupy considerable period. Its success
full accomplishment and the maintenance
of peace and order in the meantime will
require the most perfect cooperation be-
in the island and both should be direct
ed during the transition period by the
same executive department The COM
mission soon Will, therefore. report to the
secretary of war and all their actions
will be subject to your approval and con-
troll.
Considerably with the entrance of the
commission upon its labor, 1 caused to
be ISSUED by Gen. Macarthur. the MILL
/, 1900, a proclamation of amnesty in gen.
erous terms, of which many of the insur-
gents took advantage. among them q
mission has made great progress from
the outset
1 would impress upon the congress that
whatever legislation may be enacted In
respect to the Philippines should be along
generous lines. The fortunes OF war has
trust which should be unselhshly dis
charged and devolved upon this govern
ment moral. as well as material re-
spcnsibility toward these millions whom
we have freeds from an oppressive yoke.
The civil government Of Porto Rico
provided for by the the act Of congress; ap-
Grafton. The courts have been estab-
lished. The governor and his assistants
are working intelligently and harmoni-
cusly and are meeting with commendable
success.
Puerto Rico.
recommend that legislation be enact
ed by the congress comforting upon the
secretary of the interior supervision over
the public lands in Porto Rico ami that
and quantity of land the title to which
remained in the crown Of Spain at the
f4a date g OF &C cession. Of Porto Roco E to the
necessary for surveys be made and that
methods of disposition of such lands be
prescribed by law.
Disposition of Cuba.
On the 18th OF July, 1900, directed that
a call be issued for an election IN Cuba
n a
ton to frame constitution on basis
for a stable and independent government
in the island In pursuance thereof. the
military governor issued the Instructions
The election was held the eth of
September and the convention assembled
on the 5th of November, 1900, and is now
in session. In calling tine convention to
order, the military governor of Cuba
made the following statement:
representing the president of the United
States, 1 call this convention to order
1t will be your duty. first to frame and
adopt a constitution for Cuba, and when
that has been done, to formulate what
in your opinion ought to be the relations
DetTeen yTS Gu Cuba and the United es States,
Dor 1 WIFI transmit to the congress the
constitution by the convention for its
may be deemed advisable.
The Army.
The presen. personnel strength OF the
army Is 100000 men-65, 600 regulars and
IS. 600 volunteers. Under the act Of
March 2, 1892 on the 3oth of June next
the present volunteer force will be dis
charged and the regular army will be
reduced to 2447 officers and 29,02S enlisted
men.
In 1885 q board of officers convened by
President Cleveland adopted a compre-
hensive scheme of coast defense fortih-
cations which involved then an outlay Of
something over S100, 100000. This plan re-
ceived the approval of the congress and
since then regular appropriations have
been made and the work of fertilization
has steadily progressed
More than $60. .000. 900 have been invested
in a great number Of forts and guns with
all the complicated and scientific ma
chinery and electrical appliances neces-
sary for their use. The proper care OF
this defensive machinery requires is, 40
men trained in its use.
There are So or more military posts in
the United States other than the coast
defense fortificattons. More than $50. .000.-
0c0 have been expended on these posts
and to garrison them requires 5000
troops.
1t must be apparent then that we win
require an army OF about so. 900 and that
during present conditions in Cuba and
the Philippines the president should have
authority to increase the force to the
present number of 100, ,000 Included in
this number authority should be given
TO raise native troops In the Philippines
up to Is, 600 which the Taft commission
believes will be effective IN detecting and
suppressing guerrtllas. assassins and Ia
drones than our own soldiers
The full discussion of this subject by
the secretary of war In his annual re-
/ - 4. nroI a. ake