Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-12-05
BY Associated Press.

Secretary of War Root says that 1t re-
qures over 400 different posts in the
Philippines because the Tagalogs, who
are in rebellion, have adopted the pol
icy of numbering their countrymen
who are friendly to the United States.
He thinks that the most efficient meas
ures for the reduction of the number
of posts and of troops in the Philip
pines will be the construction of roads,
making possible rapid communication
and the establishment of personal re-
lations between our officers and the
people, so we can tell who are trust
worthy sources of information, the
gradually growing appreciation of AM
erlcan control and good intentions fol-
lowing good civil government and fin
ally the organization of native troops
under American officers.
The campaign of the United States
troops in China is treated at some
length in the report. The Secretary re-
views in detail rapid and effective steps
by which American forces were trans
ferred in great emergency from the
Philippines and from this country to
Taku, thence how they have forced
their way to Peking.
He speaks in terms of praise of the
splendid conduct of the troops and
their able officers.
The progress achieved during the
year in the erection OF civil govern
ment in the Philippines is made the
subject of special chapter in the re-
port. Beginning with the chaos left
by the withdrawal of the Spanish auth
critics which always controlled, Secre-
tary Root Shows how the principles of
Civil Government by easy steps may be
put in operation.
The Secretary speaks of the serious
embarrassment caused by the defective
currency system in the Philippines,
owing to the fiuctuating price of Mexi-
can dollars, and he submits two sug-
gestions: one that the United States
coin special dollar for use in the ISL
ands, of the same weight and ffneness
of the Mexican dollar which Shall take
It's place with the fluctuating market.
The other suggestion is that we coin
the insular dollar, which we will under
take to redeem in gold ait fifty cents.
Tn,,ohfptor C,t,ho tha rnnnrt h,a Z
the conduct of affairs there during the
year has been continuance of the pro-
cess of aiding the Cuban people in the
development of the Cuban government
in such a way that when fully organ
lied it shall be stable and efficient.
This was done by guiding the Cubans
in the first steps of systematic govern
ment and by introducing such reforms
in administration as shall serve to put
the business government in a fairly
good condition, then complete the Gu
ban administration, and finally assume
control of the island.
In Porto Rico, where the army con-
trolled up to the first of May, its prin-
cipal function was the improvement of
civil administration accus'toming peo-
pie to the exercise of powers of gov
ernment and continuing the work of
relief made necessary by the deplor-
able condition in which the island had
been left by great hurricane. The
Secretary accepts as his own General
Davis's statement as to the creditable
manner in which the army discharged
the trust committed to it in Porto
Rico.
The report treats Alaskan conditions
very briefly, the main point of interest
in that connection being recommen-
d1tion that a moderate appropriation
be made for the relief of the native
esqulmauX who Qare afflicted by a series
of fatal epidemics and are in danger OF
determination.
The Secretary says that military re-
quirements in the Philippines may be
summed up as follows: For immediate
future about 10000 men. This number
may be progressively decreased
by the gradual disappearance of a
real insurrection, the restoration of
order and by the substitution of native
troops costing less than half to sup
port.
At NO distant day the islands them
selves will be able to oay for their
own police protection. Provision
should be made, therefore, for a mini
mum force of 6O,0OO with authority for
a maximum of one hundred Thousand,
and authority to use native troops in
place of American soldiers.