Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-04

| toial law
The election was held on the 18th Of
| September and the convention assem-
! bled on the 5th of November. 1900. and
is now in sesa iof In calling the conven-
ton to order, the military governor Of
| Cuba made the following statement:
hon AS military governor of the island,
representing the president of the United
| States call this convention to order. 1t
| VIII be your first duty to frame and
adopt IA constitution for Cuba and when
| that has been done, to formulate what,
! In your opinion, ought to be the relations
| between Cuba and the United States.
The constitution must be adequate to Sc
cure stable, orderly and free govern
ment. When you have formulated the
relations which, in your opinion, ought
to exist between Cuba and the United
states the government of the United
states Will doubtless take such action on
its part as shall lead to a final and author
1tative agreement between the people OF
the two countries to the promotion OF
their common interest. All friends of
Cuba will follow your deliberations with
the deepest interest, earnestly desiring
that you shall reach just conclusions,
and in both the dignity, self restraint
and wise conservatism which shall char
acterize your proceedings the capacity
OF the Cuban people for representative
government may be hignally illustrated.
The fundamental distinction between
true republican government and dicta-
torship is that the former is representa-
tive of the people. In whatever office he
confines himself strictly within the linn
it's of defined powers. Without such re-
straint there can be no free constitu-
tional government. Under the order
pursuant to which you have been elected
and convened you have no duty and no
authority to take part in the present gov
ernment of the island. Your powers are
strictly limited by the terms of that or
der. When the convention concludes it's
labors I will transmit to congress the
constitution as framed by the conven-
tion for it's consideration and for such
action as it may deem advisable
NEED OF HAWAIIAN CABLE.
1 renew the recommendation made in
special message of February 10, 1899,
as to necessity for cable communication
between the United States and Hawaii,
with extension to Manila. Since then cir
cumstances have strikingly emphasized
this need. Surveys have shown the en-
tire feasibility of chain of cables which
at each stopping place shall touch an
American territory, so that the system
shall be under our own complete control.
Manila once within telegraphic reach, con-
nection with the systems of the Asiatic
coast would be increased and profitable
opportunities for more direct cable
route from our shores to the Orient than
is now afforded by the trans Atlantic,
continental and trans-Asiatic lines. I
urge attention to this important matter.
Ia
! 100000 men; $1,000 regulars and $4,000
! volunteers. Under the act of March 1889,
on the 30th of June next the present VOL
unteer force will be discharged and the
regular army will be reduced to 2,4lI
| officers and 29025 enlisted men. In 1888 a
board Of officers convened by President
Cleveland, adopted comprehensive
scheme of coast defense fortifications
which involved an outlay of something
over one hundred million dollars. This,
plan received the approval of the con-
gress and since then regular approprla-
| tions have been made and the work OF
fortification has steadily progressed.
More than sixty millions of dollars have
been invested in a great number of forts
| and guns with all the complicated and
scientific machinery and electrical appli-
ances necessary for their use. The
proper care of these defensive machines
requires men trained in it's use. The
number of men necessary to perform this
duty alone is ascertained by the war de-
partment at a minimum allowance to be
1S,42O. There are 5S or more military
posts in the United States other than the
| coast defense fortitications. The number
of these posts is being constantly in-
creased by congress. More than $22 O00,-
900 has been expended in building and
euuipping them 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 II
fully garrsoned, require $4,000 troops.
Many of these posts are along our from
tier or at important interior points. We
have in Cuba between 5000 and 5000
troops. For the present our troops in
that island cannot be withdrawn or ma
terially diminished and certainly not
until the conclusion of the labors of the
constitutional convention now in session,
and a government provided by the ma
tional constitutional shall have been es-
tablished and it's stability assured In
Porto Rico we have reduced tie garri-
sons to ,636, which include S95 native
/ troops. There is no room for further re-
! duction here. We will be required to
| keep a considerable force in the Philip
pine islands for some time to come. Fros.,
| the best information obtainabie we CssAta
| require for the immediate future fr0ls1
! 500 600 to 60 900 men. l am sure the nuns,
| ber 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 re-
| qure an army of about 10000 and that
| during present conditions in Cuba and
| the Philippines the president should
! have authority to increase the forces to
| the present number of 100000. Includ-
| ed in this number, authority should be
given to raise native troops in the Phil
| irpines up to $1,000, which the Taft COM
| mission believe will be more effective in
| suppressing guerilas, assassins and Ia
! flrnnpS than Ollr own soldiers.