The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-12-07


and to profit by knowledge. He would
be rash who, with the teachings of con-
temporaneous history in view, would AZ
limit to the degree of culture and adj
vancement yet within the reach of these
people if our duty toward them be faith
fully performed.
Porto Rico and Cuba.
The civil government of Porto Rico
provided for by the act of the congress
approved April II, 1900, is in successful
operation. The courts have been estab-
lished. The governor and his associates,
working intelligently and tremendously,
are meeting with commendable success.
On the 9th of November a general cleo
ton was held in the island for members
Of the legislature, and the body elected
has been called to convene on the first
Monday of December
l 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 title to which
| remained in the crown of Spain at the
| date of cession of Porto Rico to the Unit
ed States, and that appropriations neces.
sary for surveys be made, and that the
methods of the disposition of such lands
be prescribed by law.
| On the 25th of July, 1900, I directed
! that a call be issued for an election in
| Cuba for members of a constitutional
convention to frame a constitution as
basis for a 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
vember, 1900, and is now in session.
When the convention concludes it's la.
bors, l will transmit to the congress the
constitution as 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 men-65,O00 regulars and $4,000
volunteers. Under the act of March 9,
1899, on the Both of June next the pres.
ent volunteer force will be discharged,
and the regular army will be reduced ia
2,447 officers and 29,025 enlisted men.
We have in Cuba between 5000 and
5000 troops. For the present our troops
in that island cannot be withdrawn OF
materially diminished and certainly not
until the conclusion of the labors of the
constitutional convention now in session
and government provided by the new
constitution shall have been established
and its stability assured.
In Porto Rico we have reduced the
garrisons to 1876, which includes S79
native troops. There is no room for fur.
Their reduction here.
We will be required to keep a consid.
cradle force in the Philippine Islands for
some time to come. From the best infor'
nation obtainable we will need there for
the immediate future from $4,000 to
10000 men. l am sure the number may
be reduced as the insurgents shall come
to acknowledge the authority of the Unit.
ed States, of which there are assuring in.
dications.
1t must be apparent that we will re.
Quire an army of about 10000 and that
during present conditions in Cuba and
the Philippines the president should have
authority to increase the force to the
present number of 100000 Included in
this number authority should be given ia
raise native troops in the Philippines up
to $1,000, which the Taft commission be.
lieves will be more effective in detecting
and suppressing guerrillas, assassins and
ladrones than our own soldiers.
l favor the recommendation of the Sec
rotary of war for the detail of officers
from the line of the army when vacancies
occur in the adjutant generals depart
ment, inspector generals department,
quartermaster'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
a net increase of 2,010 names. Action is
recommended in the way of increasing
the number of schools in Alaska. Prog
ress 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 Dec. 5, 1898,
l called attention to the necessity for
some amendment of the alien contract
law. There still remain important fea-
lures of the rightful application of the
eight hour law for the benefit of labor
and of the principle of arbitration, and
again commend these subjects to the
careful attention of the congress.
Civil 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 its 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 a number of
the officers and employees of the govern
ment, should be supported by all needed
appropriations to secure promptness and
efficiency.
l am very much impressed with the
statement made by the heads of all the
departments of the urgent necessity of
hall of public records. In every depart
mental building in Washington, so far as
l am informed, the space for official rec
ords is not only exhausted, but the walls
of rooms are lined with shelves, the mid
die floor space of many rooms is filed
with file cases, and garrets and base
ments, which were never intended and
are untitled for their accumulation, are
Il