The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-12-06
Porto Rico and Cuba.

date Of ces-ion of Porto Rico tO ihr / n.i.
ed States. and shat appropriations nccc,-
sary for surveys be- uadc. and that ihD
methods Of the disposition ot suDA lpui
be- prescribed hy law
On The 18th of July. 1860, / directed
that cali be- issued f0t au election in
Cuba for members OF q cpu. fifutIYuHI
convention to frame constitution a- H
basis for stable and independent COVE
eminent I'm the island The election Uas
held ou the 18th of September fnd .he
convention assembled ON the Jth of Soc
vemher. 1900. and }. now iu session.
when the convention conclude, i's ia-
bors. / will transmit to the congress Cue
constitution as Trained by tho convention
for los consideration and for such action
as IL may deem advisable.
renew the recommendation made in
my special message of Feb. 10. $500 as
10 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 5000 regulars and 3''Hu
volunteers Under the act OF March -.
1880. on the Both oi June next che pres
cnt volunteer force will he discharged
and the regular army viii he reduced Co
24i7 officer. and 21u3J enlisted men.
We have ln cuba between 1000 and
5000 troops Tor the present our troops
in that island cannot be Withdrawn or
materially diminished and certainly not
until the conclusion OF thc iaboI, pf the
constitutional convention now n session
and government provided by The new
constitution shall have been established
and its stability assured.
In Porto Rico We have reduced ihe
garrisons To- 1886 which includes 80
native troops There is no room FOR FUR
Their reduction here.
We will bc required to keep q con~id-
cradle force in thc Philippine lslr P, FOR
some time TO come. From the stmfor-
nation oblainab'c we will need ...sfc for
the immediate future from 5000 Co.
10000 men am sure the numb.r may
be- reduced as ihr insurgents shall come
10 acknowledge thc authority ~ the Unit
cd States. OF which there are assuring in
dicaton~.
II must Doe apparent that Wc will re-
ouire an army of about GOOoO and that
during present conditions in cuba and
The Philippines thr president should have
authority 90 increase the force TO the
present number OF 100000 lnrludod iu
this number authority sho..d De- given &C.
raise naiivc ttorp- in the Philippines mn
To 1000. which the TAFT commission be-
Hcves will be- more effective in detecting
and -uppressing guerrillas. assassins ana
ladroncs than our own soldiers.
/ favor the recommendation of the sec
Rotary OF war FOR The detail Of officers
from the line of the Amy when vacancies
occur in the adjutaut generals depart
ment inspector generals departments.
quartcrmastcr's department. subsistence
departments 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 f0I more
officers and men, The pension roll shows
a net increhsc of 2O1O names. Action is
recommended IN the way of increasing
the number of schools I'm Alaska Prog
ress is noted in the educational. agricul-
mral and railroad development of the
Hawaiian Islands. The president in
connection with labor says:
In my annual message of Dee. .. lc'i6.
| called attention tO the necessity for
SOME amendment of the alien contract
law. There still remain important fea.
lures of the richtful application OF the
eight hour law for the benefit OF lnboI
and of the principle of arbitration, and
again commend these subjects TO the
careful attention Of the congress.
CiVii service.
The civil service commission is greatly
embarrassed In its work for want of am
adequate permanent force for clerical
and other assistance.
Its needs are fuily set forth in its re
port. invite attention 10 the report and
especially urge upon the congress that
this important bureau of the public scry-
ice. which passes upon the qualifications
and character Of ~ large number OF
the officers and employees OF the govern
ment. should be supported by all needed
to secure promptness and
efficiency.
| am very much impressed with the
statement made 10y the heads Of all the
Of the urgent necessity Of a
hall Of public records In every depart
mental building in Washington 50 far as
| am informed. the space for official rec
ords is not only exhausted. but the walls
Of rooms are lined with shelves. the MD
die floor space Of many rooms is filled
with file cases. and garrets and base
...o,ts xrhiah MORO npVpr intended and /
are untitled for their accommodation, are
crowded with them.
In our great prosperity we must guard !
against the danger il invites Of extrava
gance in government expenditures and |
n ppropriations. and the chosen repre- |
Of the people will. | doubt not. |
furnish an example in their legislation Of |
that wise economy which in season Of |
plenty husbands for the future. in this |
era OF great business activity and 0pp0r |
tunity caution is not untimely. IL viii |
not abate, but strengthen. confidence; il |
will not retard. but promote, legitimate |
industrial and commercial expansion.
Our growing power brings with il |
and perils requiring con-
slant vigilance 10 avoid. II must not lie |
used 10 invite conflicts nor for oppres- |
sion. but for the more effective mainte |
nance Of those principles Of equality and |
iustice upon which our institutions and |
happiness depend. Let US keep always |
m mind that tie foundation Of orr gov
,rnment Is liberty; its superstructure,
,eace. WILLIAM MKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, Dec. 4.