The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-12-07

| recommend that legislation be enact
ed by the congress comforting upon the
secretary of the interior supervision over
the public lands in Porto Rico. and that
he be directed to ascertain the location
and quantity of lands the tide To which
remained in the crown of Spain at the
I date of ccSsion of Porto Rico To the Unit
ed States, and that appropriations ncceS-
sary for surveys be made, and that the
methods of the disposition of such lands
be prescribed by law
On the 18th of July. 1900, | directed
/ that Il call he issued for an election in
+ Cuba for members of constitutional
convention to frame Il constitution as Il
basis for stable and independent gov
eminent in the island. The election was
held on the 18th of September. and the
convention assembled on the 9Th of No
vemhrr, 1900 and is ROW in session.
When the convention concludes its la
bors, | will transmit To the congress the
constitution rs framed by the convention
for its consideration and for such action
as it may deem advisable.
renew the recommendation made in
my Special message of Feb 10. 1899. as
TO the necessity for cable communication
between the United States and Hawaii,
with extension to Manila.
The Army.
The present strength of the army is
100000 mon $4,000 regulars and 10000
volunteers Under the act of March =
1892 on the 3nth of June next the pres
cnt volunteer force viii be discharged.
and the regular army viii be reduced TO
2.l41 officers and 29u25 enlisted men.
H,.1. %. a
COCO troops For tine present our troops
in that island cannot b" withdrawn or
mat rally diminished and certainly not
until the conclusion of the lahms of the
constitutional convention now in session
and government provided 10y the new
constitution shall have been established
and its stability assured
In Porto Rico we have reduced the
garrisonS to lG36. which includes $40
native troops. There is no room for fur
thcr reduction here
We Will hc required to keep Il consid-
cradle force i'm thr Philippine Islands for
somr time o. come. From The best iufor-
nation ohtainah,r We will need there foI
the Immediate future from 5000 To
Gu,GnO mcu ann ~Hr The number may
be reduced aus tho.iu~urgrut~ shall come
I
ed States. of which there are assuring in
dications.
II must be apparent that we VIII re-
quirc an army Of about GOO00 ana that
dulin- present conditions I'm cuba ana
the Philippines the president should have
authority To increase the force 10 tn,
present number of 100000. Included in
this number authority should be given tc
a.
to $4,000, which the Taft commission he
licvcs viii he more effective in detecting
and SupprcS>iug gucrrilaS. aSsaSsins and
ladroneS than our own soldiers
| favor the recommendation of the sec
rotary of war for the detail of officers
from the line of the army when vacancies
occur IN tn" adJutant generals depart
mcnt, Inspector generals department.
quartcrmaStcr'S department. subsistence
department, pay department., ordnance
department and signal corps.
The president speaks of the rapid
growth Of the postal service and approves
the recommendations of the secretary of
the navy for new vessels and for more
officers and men. The pension roll shows
net increase of 2.olO names. Action is
recommended in the way of increasing
the number of schools in Alaska. Prog
rcSs IS noted IN the educational agricul-
tural and railroad development of the
Hawaiian Islands The president in
connection with labor says;
In my annual message of Dee. ., 1888,
l called attention TO the necessity for
some amendment of the alien contract
law Iherc Stlll remain important fed-
lures of the rlShttul Application of the
eight hour law for the beneht of labor
and OF the prlhciplc of arbitration, and |
again commend these SUBJECTS to the
careful attention of the congress.
CiNi service.
The civil service commission is greatly
embarrassed IN its work for want of an
adequate permanent force for clerical
and other assistance.
Its needs are fully set forth in it's re
port invite attention to the report and
especially urge upon the congress that
this important bureau of the public serv-
ice. which passes upon the qualifications
and character of so large number of
the officers and employees of the govern
mcnt. should be supported by all needed
appropriations to secure promptness and
efficiency.
am very much impressed with the
statement hladr by th' h'adS OF all the
departments of the urgent necessity Of a
hall OF public records. In every depart
mental building in Washington, SO far as
| am Informed, the space for official rec
ords is not only exhausted, but the walls
of rooms ar" I"cd with shelves, the mid
w, "Vg' 'P''' - 'i'''''' '"''''H - "'''u
mnnts which ,cern ncvc, intondod an1
are untitled for their accommodation, are
crowded with them.