The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-04

latlons which in your opinion ought tc
exist between Cuba and the United
States the government of the, United
States Will doubtless take such actor
OIL its part as shall lead to n final and
authoritative agreement between the
people of the two countries to the pro-
motion of their common interests.
"All friends Of Cuba Till. follow your
deliberations with the deepest interest
earnestly desiring that you shalllreact
just conclusions. and sthaejby tho dig.
nifty, individual self-restraint. and wise
conservatism which shall characterize
your proceedings the capacity OF the Gu
ban people for representative govern.
ment ma be signally illustrated
1.-THE fundamental distinction between
true representative government and
dictatorship is that In the former ev-
cry Representatives of the people, In
whatever office. confines himself strict
~ within the limits OF his defined pow-
ers. Without such restraint there can
be no free constitutional government.
Powers Limited.
Under the order pursuant to which
you have cen elected and convened you
have no duty and no authority to take
part in the present government OF the
island. Your powers are strictly limit
ed by the terms of that order"
When the convention concludes its
labors ! Will transmit TO the Congress
the constitution as framed by the con-
vention for its consideration and Tor
such action as II may deem advisable.
/ renew the recommendation made II.
my special message Of February 10,
1899 as 10 the necessity for cable CON-
inunication between the United States
and Hawaii. with extension to Manila.
| Since then circumstances have striking
! ly emphasized this need. Surveys have
shown the entire feasibility of chain
OF cables which at each stopping plpcc
shall touch on American territory. SO
that the system shall be under our own
complete control. Manila once within
Geographic reach. connection with the
SYSTEMS of tho Asatic coast would
opea Increased and profitable opportu-
mites tor n more dlrcc. cable route
from ONT shores to the Orient than Is
now afforded by The transatlantic,
continental. and trans.AsiaE lines /
urge attention to this important matter.
Thu present strength OF the army Is
| 10000 men-s5,C00 regulars and 5000
| volunteers. Under the act OF March >,
| 1899, on the $Oth of June next the pres
| ent volunteer force will be discharged
and the regular army viii be reduced
| TO 2.ii7 officers and 29025 enlisted men.
In 1888 n board of officers convened by
! President Cleveland adopted n compre-
| hcnS!ye scheme Of Coast-defenSe forth
GCa tons. which involved the outlay II
something over one hundred million
dollars. This plan received the approx
nj OF The Congress, and since then reg
/ uiar appropriations have been made
and thu work of fertilization has
| steadily progressed.
Millions Invested.
More than sixty millions Of dollars
have been invested in n great number
OF forts and guns. with all the COM
pllca,ed and scientific machinery and
! electrical appliances necessary for their
use. The proper care OF this defensive
machinery requires men trained In its
lusc. The .number OF men necessary to
Ipq-form this duty alone Is asccrtainGd
by the war department. al minimum
allowance. to be 1890.
There are lifty-cight' or more military
POSTS In the United States other than
tho coast defense Notifications.
The number Of these posts Ia being
constantly Increased by the Congress
More than $22000,0OD have been tex.
pended In building and equipment. and
they can only be cared for By the reg.
uIarl army. The posts now In existence
and others to tie built provide for nc.
commOdatlons for. and II fully garrl-
soncd require, $4,000 troops. Many OF
thcsn posts are along our frontier or nj
! Important strategic points, the occu.
| uatiOn of which ts necessary.
z Wo have In Cuba between 5000 and
1 GOOD troops For the present on
troops In that island cannot be with
drawn or materially diminished. mad
certainly not until the conclusion OF Tho
laborS Of the constitutional convention
now in session. and n government pro-
vIird by the new constitution shat
! tavc been established and It's stability
assured.
| In Porto Rico wc have reduced the
y1rrlsrgs to 1896. which Includes So
| nntlva troops. There IL no room for
| further reduction here.
n W. Will lie required 10 keep n CunSld-
cradle force In the Philippine Islands
for come time 10 come. From the best
Information ob;aInuhlc wr will need
there FOR the immediate future from
5000 TO $4,000 men. ] am sure tho
! number may be reduced ny tn, inmlr-
| gents shall come TO acknowledge thu
authority Of the United States, OF which
there nrc assuring Indications,
Necessity for mn Army.
II must be apparent TINT we viii rc-
duira IN army OF about GO,OtO. mud
that durillG present conditions in Cubn
J and the Philippines the President