Abilene weekly reflector., 1900-05-17
THE ARMY MEASURE.
Secretary Root Explains the Advan-
tages Of Reorganization Bill.
The MONROE DOCTRINE MEyACED.


Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow to Take Charge In Cuba.
Washington, May l5.-Secretary
Root yesterday explained to the house
military committee the advantages
that would accrue from the passage
OF the senate army reorganization
bill. He dwelt especially on the pro-
posed increase of the artillery arm
and the increased rank given Gen.
Miles and Gen. Corbin, He said that
the effect of the bill was to increase
the army 5000 or 5000, entirely in the
artillery, this increase extending over
q period of years. While differing
from the provision originally recon-
mended, Mr., Root approved the senate
amendment as it would permit the
war department to go to work and
put the artillery in shape.
The situation now, in caring for
sea coast Notifications, was just as
foolish and impracticable, the sccre-
tary said, as that would be of a man
who built u fine house, equipped 1t in
the most perfect manner and then
went away and left it to take care of
itself. There are millions invested in
Notifications, he said, with no one to
take care of them, involving deprecia-
tion from lack of attention.
As to giving Gen. Miles rank as a
lieutenant general, he said that n
major general commanded division
and he did not know of another coun-
try in the world with large army
that gave the commanding officer of
the whole army rank below lieuten-
ant general or that did not recognize
that he should outrank division
commander. As to the adjutant gen
eral, he said that all European armies
recognized the Importance Of the po-
dtion as the center of military adj
ministratlon and gave rank accord
ingly. He thought the provision for
this increased rank should be general
and not apply only to Gen. Corbin,
though the latter's services the past
two years merited the special recog- |
milton.
The Monroe Doctrine Msnacad
Washington, May 15.--In view Of
the significant references to the en-
forcement of the Monroe doctrine by |
Secretary Root, Senator Lodge and
other prominent men, the state de-
partment has taken steps to secure
data on the subject. The burden OF |
these speeches has been the startling
increase Of the German colonies In
South and Central America, which |
have been regarded as menacing the
Monroe doctrine. 1t also has been
asserted that these German colonists
maintain their home customs in the
new land, deal almost exclusively with
Germany, use only the German Ian
guage, have almost autonomous gov
ernments within the limits of Ameri-
can republics and are in fact little
Germanies wherever located. The
state department has addressed an
instruction to every minister and CON
sui in South and Central America to
inform the department fully on all
the points to which reference has
been made.
Bristow to Take Charge In Cuba.
Washington, May 15.-'The post.
master general, after protracted in
terview with the president yesterday,
announced that Joseph l.. Bristow,
fourth assistant postmaster general,
will proceed to Havana next Wcdnes-
day to take charge of the postal af-
fairs of the island of Cuba. The post
master general declined to say wheth-
er or not Director General of Posts
Rathbone would be suspended. 1t is
said, however, that the fact that Gen.
Bristow will assume these duties does
not necessarily indicate that Mr..
Rathbone will be relieved of all CON
nection with the service. Gen. Bris-
tow outranks the director of posts
and the latter might operate as sub
ordinate, though on this point no
statement is vouchsafed. Further
than the announcement that Mr., Bris-
tow would go to Havana, the post
master general said there were no
new developments in the situation. lie
said that there had not been an init.
nation that there had been any
wrong doing in the postal affairs of
either the Philippine islands or Porto
Rico.