The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-04

Secretary Of the Treasury has kindly fur
| nished memorandum upon the subject.
/ urgently recommend that Congress shall
give authority to follow one of the two
courses mentioned. agree with the SEC
rotary Of the Treasury in inclinirg to-
ward the second course
Cuban Self-Government.
Many pages are devoted to Cuba, and
the following is said as to self-govern-
| mcnt:
The conduct of affairs in Cuba during
| the year has been a continuance Of the
| process of aiding the Cuban people in the
| development of a Cuban government in
| such way that when fully organized it
| shall be stable and efficient. This has
| been by guiding the Cubans in the first
steps of systematic selfgovernment and
by Introducing. mainly through the instru-
mentality of Cuban officers. such reforms
in the various branches of administration
| as shall serve to put the business of gov
! eminent in fairly good condition when a
| complete Cuban administration finally as
sUEes control of government in the island.
"0n the whole this exhibits rather bet
| ter material for government than had
| beer anticipated. although if &c per cent of
| the people were to continue illiterate, the
permanence of free constitutional govern
| ment could hardly be expected. and de-
| finite ascortainment of the facts empha-
| sizes the urgent necessity for popular edu-
cation. The work of the census was done
| within the estimate of cost. and is highly
creditable to all concerned in its perform
ance.
In concluding his remarks on Cuba the
Secretary says:
Cautiously enough. now tina, Spanish
| sovereignty has departed from the island
| a current of Spanish immigration is setting
! in. More than 10000 Spaniar6s, chiefly
, hardy and industrious people from the
| north of Spain. have come to the island
| during the year. and it is estimated that
| before the end of December the number
will have reached $4,000. They are useful
| and welcome additions to the industry of
| the island.
only doubt as TO the stability of the
| future government and uncertainty as to
| the continuance of a market for her prod
ucts retards the influx Of capital and the
| development of Cuha's extraordinary re-
sources. 1t is to be hoped that the wise ac
| tion of the present constitutional conven-
/ ,ion Will speedily resolve these uncertain
| ties and establish the prosperity of Cuba
upon firm foundation"
In speaking of Porto Rico II is shown
that prosperity exists, and great praise is
given General Davis for his good work.
The Seaconst Defences.
Under the head of seacoast deferces. the
following recommendation is made:
1.-THE inadequate number of artillery
troops now authorized by law has not been
able 10 fully care for The guns as rapidly
as they were mounted and ready to be
! turned over to them and consequently a
considerable sum drawn from the engineer
appropriations has necessarily been ex-
pended by the engineer officers who have
built the batteries in caring for the guns
and carriages. 1t is urgently necessary
that the artillery should be increased, so
that they can properly care for the eX-
pensive and efficient weapons now contided
tc them
Praise is given the army transport serv-
ice, which is referred to as the best in the
world. as England France Germany. and
Russia have asked for figures on the mat
ter, that they may do as well as the United
States.
The West Point Academy.
Speaking of the West Point Academy,
many recommendations are made, as fol-
lows:
THE additions to the number of stu
| dents at West Point authorized by Con-
gress al It's last session we're made in
time to permit the new cadets to become
members of the present fourth class. /
have no doubt that the result will demon
strate the wisdom of this action by Con-
gress. The addition to the officers Of the
| Regular Army by the appointment of sec
ond lieutenants during the past year have
been as follows: Graduates of West Point,
"a; appointments upon examination of en-
listed men. Is; appointments from civil
| life. a.
The appointees from civil life require
! TO be educated in the special duties of the
| officer after their appointment The great
er part of this education is received by
| the West Point graduate before his ap-
| pointment. Both classes of appointments
are from civil life. The difference is be-
tween an appointment as cadet at West
| Point and a commission after course OF
education on the one hand and a commits
| sion before the officers education on the
! other hand. / have no doubt that the
method of educating the officer before he
| is commissioned is the more effective and
| economical 1t is more effective because
the cadets are instructed at an age when
| their character and habits are forming.
and are subjected TO methodicaI training
and discipline which are impracticable in
the case of a commissioned officer and it
is more economical because the pay OF
cadet is but $40 while the pay OF a second
| lieutenant is 81 400 and the allowances.
know of no institution in the country
| where influences over young men tend
| more strongly to make them good and pa
triotic citizens than those Of the Military
, Academy.
Il wish to renew my recommendation
that the present limitation upon the char
acter of the examination of candidates for
! admission to the Academy should be re-
moved. and that subject be left to regu-
| laticns to be established by the Secretary
of War. The present examination is lin
tied by statute to reading. writing. and
arithmetic. and a knowledge Of the ele-
ments of English grammar. of descriptive
geography particularly that Of the United
States. and of the history of the United
States.
Army REORGANIZATION.
Under the head OF army reorganization
the report says:
Under the existing provisions Of the
act of March 2, 1899, on the Goth of June
| next the present volunteer force will be
discharged and the Regular Army will be
roduced IN . 1i7 officers and % OPS enlist