The Iola register., 1900-12-07

the Asiatic coast would open 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-Asian
lines. | urge attention to this important
matter.
AN ARMY OF 100000 MEN.
The personal strength of the army is
100000 men-65,0D regulars and 1900 vol
unteers. Under the act of March 2, 1889,
on the 30th Of June next the personal
volunteer force will be discharged and
the regular army will be reduced to q
A7 officers and 29.O25 enlisted men: In
1898 board of officers convened by Pres
ident Cleveland adopted comprehensive
scheme of coast defense fortihcations
Svef '9f outlay SAX 1 4eceTSd h
approval Of the congress and since then
regular appropriations have been made
and the work of fortihcatlon has steadily
progressed. More than $50 900. coo have been
invested in great number of forts and
guns, with all the complicated and sci
entiiic machinery and electrical appliances
necessary for their use. The proper care
of this defensive machinery requires men
necessary TO perform this duty alone is
ascertained by the war department at
minimum ALLOWANCE to be 1920. There
are 5S or more military posts in the Unit
ed States other than the coast defense
fortifications. The number OF these posts
is being, constantly increased by con
gress. More than $22, 600 600 have been eX-
pended in building and equipment, and
they can only be cared for by the regular
bTTnN. ne DOSIS now III existence ana
others to be built provide for accommo-
dations for, and if fully garrsoned, re-
quire 2G000 troops. Many of these posts
are along our frontier or at important
strategic points, the occupation OF which
Is necessary. We have in Cuba between
5000 and G,OOO troops. For the present
drawn or materially diminished. and GER
tainly not until the conclusion of the la
bors of the constitutional convention now
In session and government provided by
the new constitution shall have been es-
tablished and its stability assured.
In Porto Rico we have reduced the gar
risons to 1886, which include 500 native
troops. There ls no room for further re-
duction here, We will be required TO keep
considerable force in the Philippine Is
lands for some time to come. From the
best Information obtainable we shall need
there Tor the immediate future from 3D.
600 to 6OOO men. ] am sure the number
may be reduced as the insurgents shall
come to acknowledge the authority Of the
United States. OF which there are as
surfing INDICATIONS. II must be apparent
that we will require an army Of about
5000 and that during present conditions
IN cuba ana the philippines the president
should have authority to increase the
force 10 the present number of 10000 men.
Included I'm this number authority should
be given to raise native troops In the
Philippines up to 5000. which the Taft
commission believes will be more effective
I'm detecting and supprcSsing gucrrilas.
assassins and ladrOnes than our own sol
diers The full discussion Of this subject
10y the secretary Of war I'm his annual re-
port Us 'Nllt' 10 YOUR earnest HlltUlltlllt
HONOR MEDALS FOR VOLUNTEERS.
! renew the recommendation made in
my last annual message that the con-
gress provide special medal Of honor
for the volunteers. regulars. sailors and
marines on duty I'm the PHILIPPINES who
voluntarily remained I'm the service after
their terms Of enlistment had expired.
] favor the recommendation of the sec
rctary Of war for the detail of officers
from the line Of the army when vaCan-
cieS occur in the ad1utant generals de-
partment inspector generals department,
quartcrmaster generals department, sub
sistcncc department.. pay department.
ordnance department and signal corps,
The army cannot he too highly com
mended for it's faithful and effective serv-
ice in active military operations in the
field and the difficult work OF civil ad-
ministration
RURAL FREE DELIVERY OF MAIL.
The, continued and rapid growth of the
postal service Is a sure index of the great
and increasing business activity of the
country. It's most striking new develop
ment is the extension of rural free de
livery This has come almost wholly
within the last year. At the beginning
of these had been running less than Il
months On the 18th of November. 1900
the number had increased to 2.6l4, reach
ing into "A states and territories and
serving population OF 1901. .5A The
number OF applications now pending and
awaiting action nearly equals all those
granted up to the present time. and by
the close of the current fiscal year about
1000 routes will have been established
providing for the daily delivery OF mails
az the scattered homes of about $500. .O0C
Of rural population. This service anne
Iorates the isolation of farm life. con
duceS to good roads and QuiCkCnS and eN-
tends the dissemination Of general infOr-
nation. Experience thus far has tended
TO allay the apprehension that it would
be so expensive as 10 forbid its general
adoption or make n q serious burden.
us actual aunlicaton has shown that il
compnnicd by reductions In other branch
cs of the service. so that the augmented
revenues and the ACCOMPLISHED savings
together materially reduce the net cost
The evidences whioh uuiut to these CON
cmsions are presented I'm detail in the
annual rtnor of the postmaster general
which, with It's accommodations Is rec
commended 10 the consideration Of the
congress. The fun development Of this
special service. however. requires such a
large outlay OF money that IL should he
undertaken only after "A careful study and
ihor.urh understanding Of an that il
involves.
NEEDS or THE NAVY.
Very efficient service has been rendered
by the navy in connection with the in
surrection IN the Philippines and the re-
cent disturbances I'm China, \ very sat
istactory settlement has been made OF
the long pending question of the manu-
facturc of armOr plate. a reasonable
price has been secured and the necessity
Tor a government armOr plant avoided
l approve the recommendations OF the
secretary Of the navy for new vessels
and for additional officers and men which
the required Increase of the navy makes
/ necessary. ! commend to the favorable
action OF the congress the measure now
| pending for the erection Of a statue Ia
| the memory of the late David ID. Porter
| ! commend also the establishment Of a
! naval reserve ana Of the grade Of vice
| admiral Provision should be made, as
| recommended by the secretary, for suit
| able rewards for special merit. Many
| officers who rendered the most distin-
| guished servtse during the recent wa
! with spain nave received in return nc
recognition from the congress.
AREA OF PUBLIC LANDS.
The total area Of public lands as given
! by the secretary of the interior Is APP
| proximately l.01l, SS1. .G62 acres, of which
| 9llg35,SS0 acres are undispused of and
| l54, 745,7 7S2 acres have been reserved for
various purposes. The public lands dis
! posed of during the year amount TO 49,
! 453,SS796 acres, including 62, i23.09 acres
of Indian lands, an increase of 4.27l, 47I Il
over the preceding year. The total re-
| ceipts from the sale of public lands dur
! ing the fiscal year We're I,379, S5S. 10, an
| increase of $l30A go 70 over the preceding
year. The results obtained from