Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-12-11


sideration and for such action as it may
deem advisable.
] renew the Recommendation made In nv
special message of Feb. 10, 1899. as to the
necessity for cable communication between
the United States and Hawaii with exten-
sion to Manila. Surveys have shown the
entire feasibility of chain of cables which
at each stopping place shall touch on Amer
under our own complete control.
Orr Military Condition.
The present strength of the army is 100
Coz men-oo, 600 regulars aud $4,000 yolun-
teers. Under the act OF March ,, 1899. on
June 80 next the present volunteer force will
be discharged and the regular army will be
reduced 10 :, 44i officers ana 20 Uzo ENLISTED
men.
In 1883 a board OF officers convened by
PRESIDENT Cleveland adopted a comprehen-
siye scheme or coast defense fortihcations,
winch involved the outlay of something over
one hundred miillen dollars. This plan re-
eeived the approya! OF the Congress. and
since then regular appropriations have been
made and the work of fertilization has stead
lily progressed.
In great number of forts AMI guns, with
all the complicated and scientific machinery
and electrical appliances necessary for their
use. Inc proper care Of this defensive ma
cAlnefy requires men trained in its use The
number OF men necessary TO perform this
duty alone is aScerTained by the Mar De-
partment at minimum allowance to be 1S,-
40. There are nifty or more military
posts IA Ihe United States other than the
coast defense fOrtidcatioaS. The number
OF these posts Is being constantly increased
by the Congress. More than SD coo 600 have
been expended IN building and equipment,
and they can only be cared for by the regular
army. The posts now ia existence and 9th
ers to be Quilt provide Tor accommodations
troops.
We have IN Cuba between 5000 and e,ooo
troops. For the present our troops in that
island cannot be withdrawn or materially
diminished, and certainly not until the con
elusion of the labors of the constitutional
convention now In session and q government
pfoYlded Oy the new constitution shall! have
been established and its stability assured.
In Porto Rico we gave reduced the garri-
sons TO l,636, which includes S96 native
troops. There Is no room for further reduc-
non mere, We wiil;be required to keep a
considerable force in the Philippine Islands
for scme time to come. From the best in
formation .obtalnabie we shall need there
Tor the immediate future from so 600 to co.
uuO men, am sure the number may be re-
Quced as the insurgents shall come to ac-
knowledge the authority of the United
states, OF which there are assuring indlca-
tions.
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 nualber authority
shoulu pc given 70 ra.se native troops in the
Hhihpplnes UP to 1900, which the Taft COM
mission believes viii be more effective in
deteetlng ana SURPRISING guerrillas, assas-
sins and ladrones than cur own soldiers
Postal Service Grows.
Inc continued and rapid growth of the
postal service is a sure index of the great
anu increasing business activity of the coun-
ma o,1s,r.v ID
the extension of rural free delivery AT the
beginning of the fiscal year 1899 1900 the
number of routes In operation was only 39I
tIu most OF these had been running less
yember. 1900, the number had increased to
z,dl4, reaching into fOrty-four States and
territories and serving a population of
I,su1,o24 by the close of the current fiscal
year about 1000 routes viii have been es-
tablished, providing for the daily delivery of
mails at the scattered homes of about 3. 50O-
geo OF rural population. This service amel-
lOrateS the isolation of farm life cOnduceS
70 GOOD roads and quickebs and extends the
of general information Its
actual application'haS shown that il increas-
es postal receipts and can be accompanied
by reductions In other branches of the ser
vice, so that the augmented revenues and
the accomplished savings together material
~ reduce the net cost
Very efficient service has been rendered by
the navy In connection with the nsurrection
IN the Philippines and the recent disturb
anee in China. A very satisfactory settle
ment has been made of the long-pendlng
question of tile manufacture Of arnor plate
reasonable price has been secured and the
necessity for a government armor plant
avoided.
| approve of the recommendations Of the
Secretary of the Navy for new vessels and
for additional officers and men which the
required Increase Of the navy makes neces-
sary.
Public Land Areas.
The total area of public lands as given by
the secretary CT tne interior is approx
mately 1,07l,SS1, GG2 acres, Of which 911,-
30, $50 acres are undisposed of and 154 14J,
49, acres have been served for various pur-
poses. The public lands disposed of during
the year amount to 10, 453, SsT. 96 acres in
Guiding 62, 1900 acres of Indian lands, III
increase of 4,271, 474.S0 over the preceding
year. The total receipts from the safe or
lands during the fiscal year were S4,3T9-
1910. an Increase Of S1,309,620.i6 over tue
year
Ar the end of the fiscal year there were on
the pension roll 1913, 225 names net in
crease of 2.010 over the fiscal year 1893
The number added to the rolls during the
year was 49,344. The amount disbursed Tor
army pensions during they year was $751;
1O0,59 "a, and Tor navy pensions So fGl.-
o33 IL, total of.$13S, 1872 $3.50, leaving an
balance Of $5,542, T6s2J 10 be
covered into the treasury, which shows an
Increase over the previous years expendi-
ture of $1s7,077.TG There were 6S4 names
added to the rolls during the year by special
acts passed at tne first session of the nifty
sixth Congress.
Progress of Hawaii.
Much interesting Information Is gwen in
the report Of the Governor of HaNdii as 10
tie progress and Development ct the slani
during the period from july Z, 1895 the date
OF the approval of the joint resolution Of
the Congress providing Tor their anneXa
ton, mp to April ~, 1900 the date 81 tAe
approval of the act providing a g0yernmuut
for the territory, and thereafter
The latest Hawaiian census. taken ID the
year 1916, gives q total population Of 100,
GO, OF when Blob were native HaWalaAs
The number Of Americans reported was
taken this year, shows the islands 10 have
a total population Of 154, col, showing an
Increase over that reported in 1896 of AZ ISL.
or 4l.2 per cent. There has been marked
progress in the educational, agricultural and
railroad development of the islands.
The Director Of the Census states that the
work In connection with the twelfth CEN
sus Is progressing fayorably. This national
ordered by the Congress each
decade. has fually resulted in the collection
Of an aggregation OK statistical facts TO de-
termine the Industrial growth Of the coun
try, its manufacturing and mechanical re-
sources, its richness In mines and forests
the number Of its agriculturists, their farms
and products, its educational and religious
as well as questions pertain
ing to sociological conditions. The growth
Of population during the last decade
amounts o over 13,000,000. gerater nnlner-
ical increaNe than In any previous census In
the history IF the country.
Department of Agriculture.
The Department Of Agriculture has been
extending Its work during the past year.
making progress In meteorological work re-
lafing to lines Of wireless telegraphy and
forecasts for ocean going vessels; contlBa-
ing inquiry as to animal disease; looking Into
the extent and character Of food adHlIera-
ton. outlining plans for the care, preserva-
ton and Intelligent harvesting Of our wood.
lands: studying soils that producers may
With better knowledge Of cOndi-
with grasses suitable 10 our arid regions.
Our island possessions are being considered
that their peoples may be helped to produce
the tropical products nOw 50 extensively
brought into the United States. Inquiry
into methods Of improving cur roads has
been active during the year; help has been
given 10 many localities and scientific lnves-
tigatio1 Of material n the States and Terri
tories has been iuaugurated. An extensive
exhibit AZ Paris OF the products Of agricul-
ture Eas made the peoples " many Countries
mere familiar with the varied products Of
our fields aud their comparative excellence
That tsieSe may he secured the best service
possible IN The Philippine Islands. ] have IS
SEED. under date OF Nov. To- 1900, the follow
Ing order:
The United States Civil Service Commits
sion i directed 70 render such assistance as
may be practicable 20 the Civil Service
Board created under the act - Tie United
states Phi ipfli1r - omission. for tbs esia b.