Evening star., 1900-12-03

representative government and dictatorship
is that in the former every representative
Of the people, in whatever office, confines
himself strictly within the limits OF his de-
| fined powers. Without such restraint there
| can be no free constitutional government.
| Under the order pursuant to which you
| have been elected and convened you nave
no duty and no authority to take part IN
the present government Of the island. Your
powers are strictly limited by the terms OF
| that order.
| When the convention concludes It's Ia
| bors / will transmit to the Congress the
constitution as framed by the convention
| for It's consideration and for such actloh as
| it may deem advisable.
| l renew the recommendation made IN my
Special Message of February 10, 1899, as to
| the necessity for cable communication be-
tween the United States and Hawaii, with
extension to Manila. Since then circum-
stances have strikingy emphasized this
| need. Surveys have shown the entire feas-
| ibility of a chain Of cables which at each
| s,oppine place shall touch on American ter
ritory. so that the system shall be under
| our own complete control. Manila once
| within telegraphic reach, connection with
| the systems of the Asiatic coast would open
| increased and profitable opportunities for
| more direct cable route from our shores TO
| the Orient than Is now afforded by the
| transatlantic. continental and trans-Asian
lines | urge attention to this important
matter.
STRENGTH OF THE ARMY.
The present strength Of the Army Is 1OO.-
GOO men-65, 600 regulars and $4,000 volun-
teers Under the act Of March 2. 1899. on the
10th of June next the present volunteer force
will be discharged and the Regular Army
will be reduced to 2,447 officers and @.O25
enlisted men,
In 1888 a Board of officers convened by
President Cleveland adopted comprehen-
sive scheme of coast-defense Notifications,
which involved the outlay of something
over one hundred million dollars. This plan
received the approval of the Congress. and
since then regular appropriations have been
made and the work Of fortitication has
steadily progressed.
More than sixty millions of dollars have
been inves,ed in a great number of forts
and guns with all the complicated and
scientific machinery and electrical ap-
plances necessary for their use. The proper
care of this defensive machinery requires
men trained in its use. The number OF
men necessary to perform this duty alone is
ascertained by the War Department, at
minimum allowance, to be 1920.
There are fifty-eight or more military
posts in the United States other than the
coast-defense fortifcations.
The number of these posts is being con-
stantly increased by the Congress. More
than $22,O0O,OOO have been expended IN
building and equipment, and they can only
be cared for by the Regular Army The
posts now in existence and others to be
built provide for accommodations for. and
if fully garrisoned require, 10000 troops.
Many of these posts along our frontier
or at important strategic points, the occu-
patton of which is necessary.
We have in Cuba between 5000 and 5000
troops For the present our troops in that
island cannot be Withdrawn or materially
diminished, and certainly not until the con-
clusion of the labors of the constitutional
convention now in session and govern
ment provided by the new constitution shall
have been established and it's stability as
sured.
In Porto Rico we have reduced the garri-
sons to 1886 which includes S79 native
troops. There is no room for further reduc-
ton here.
We will be required to keep a considerable
time to come. From the best information
obtainable we will need there for the imme
date futur, from $1,000 to GOOOO men. 1
am sure the number may be reduced as the
insurgents shall come to acknowledge the
authority of the United States, of which
there are assuring indications.
1t must be apparent that we will require
an army Of about 10000, and that during
present conditions in Cuba and the Philip
pines the President should have authority
to increase the force to the present number
of 100000 Included in this number author
ity should be given to raise native troops in
the Philippines Up to 5000, which the Taft
Commission believe will be more effective
in detecting and suppresSng guerrillas,
assassins AMI ladroneS than own SOL
diers.
The full discussion Of this subject by the
Secretary of War in his Annual Report is
called to your earnest attention.
1 renew the recommendation made in my
last Annual Message that the Congress pro-
vide q special medal of honor for the vol
unteers, regulars, sailors, and marines on
duty in the Philippines who voluntarily re-
mained In the service after their terms of
enlistment had expired.
favor the recommendation of the Secre-
tary OF War for the detail OF officers from
the line of the Army when vacancies occur
in the Adult ut4nt-GeneraTs Department, In
spector-GeneraPs Department. Quartermas-
ter's Department, Subsistence Department,
Paw Department, Ordnance Department,
and Signal Cops.
The Army can not be too highly COM
mended for its faithful and effective service
in active military operations in the field
and the difficult work of civil administra-
ton.
The continued and rapid growth of the
postal service is a sure index of the great
and increasing business activity of the
country. Its most striking new develop
ment is the extension of rural free delivery.
This has come almost wholly within the
last year At the beginning OF the fiscal
year 1S99-19OO the number Of routes In ope-
ration was only 391 and most Of these had
been running less than twelve months. On
the 18th of November. 1900, the number had
increased to 2.614. reaching into forty-four
States and Territories, and serving pop
ulation Of ,SO1 ,524. The number of appli-
cations now pending and awaiting action
nearly equals all those granted up to the
present time, and by the close Of the cur