The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-04

ksAa - N1Afs l0I " AtfF Netet - +-s3 q
The posts now IN existence and others to
be built provide for accommodations for.
and II fully earrisonsd require, B,pH
sto0ps. Many OF these posts are along cur
fronlier Or at important strategic points
the occupation OF which II necessary
We have Ia Cuba between $3.50 and s.e5
troops. For the present our troops IN
that island cannot be Withdrawn or ma
terially diminished. and certainly not TN
/ I'll the conclusion OF the iabOrs of tee con-
stitutional convention now in session ard
a government provided by the new con-
| stituti0n shall have been establishes anu
us stability assured.
In Porto Rico we have reduced the gar
| rtsons 20 1856. which includes s9s native
troops. There Is no room for further re-
ductiOn here.
We will be required to keep a considera-
Die force In the Philippine Islands for
| some time 20 come, From the best infor-
nation Obtalnable we viii need there for
| the immediate future from 500 20 5000
men. ] am sure the number may be re-
duced as the insurgents shall come %
! acknowledge the authority OF the United
States. OF which there are assuring indi-
| cations.
| II must be apparent that We viii require
| an army OF about 60,000. and that during
present conditions in Cuba and the Philip
| pines the President should have authority
! 10 increase the force 10 the present num-
Der OF l00.eo Included in this number
/ authority should be given 20 raise native
troops in the Philippines up to 15.of9.
| which the Taft commission believe VIII De
more effective in detecting and suppress
| ing guerrillas, assassinS. and ladroncs
| than our OWL soldiers.
The full discussion Of this subject by
! tine Secretary Of War in his annual report
/ Is called 10 your earnest attention.
| / renew the recommendation made IN
my last annual message that the Con-
Z gress provide a special medal or honor
/ for the volunteers, regulars. sailors, and
| marines on duty in the Philippines who
| voluntarily remained in the service after
| their terms of enlistment had expired.
! ] favor the recommendation of the Sec
| retary Of war for the detail of officers
| from the line OF the army when vacancies
| occur I'm the Adjutant Generals Depart
ment, Inspector Generals Department,
| Quartermaster' Department Subsistence
| Department. Pay Department, Ordnance
! Department. and Signal Corps.
| The army cannot be too highly COM
/ mended for its faithful and effective SER
| vice in active military operations in the
| field and the difficult work of civil admin
/ istration.
Postal Service.
The continued and rapid growth Of the
| postal service is a sure index Of the great
and increasing business activity of the
| country. Its most striking new develop
ment is the extension OF rural free deliv-
/ cry. This has come almost wholly with
| in the last year. At the beginning of the
! fiscal year 1S99-19OO, the number Of routes
| in operation was only 391, and most sof
| these had been running less than twelve
months. On the 18th of November, 1900,
! the number had increased to 261i, reach
/ ing into forty-four States and Territories,
and serving a population Of 1901, ,52i. 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
| 1900 routes will have been established
| providing for the daily delivery of mails
at the scattered homes Of about three and
a half millions of rural population.
This service ameliorates the Isolation of
! farm life, conduces 10 good roads, and
| quickens and extends the dissemination
Of general information. Experience thus
| far has tended 10 allay the apprehension
| that it would be so expensive as TO forbid
| its general adoption or make IL a serious
| burden. Its actual application has shown
that IT increases postal receipts, and can
be accompanied by reductions in other
branches of the service, so that the aug
mented revenues and the ACCOMPLISHED
| savings together materially reduce the
net cost The evidences which point to
| these conclusions are presented in detail
| in the annual report of the Postmaster
| General, which, with its recommendations
| is commended TO the consideration of the
Congress. The full development of this
| special service, however requires such n
| large outlay of money that 1t should be
| undertaken only after a careful study and
thorough understanding OF all that il in
| wolves.
| The Navy.
Very efficient service has been rendered
| by the navy in connection with the insur-
reetion in the Philippines and the recent
disturbance in China.
A very satisfactory settlement has been
made of the long-pending question of the
manufacture of armOr plate. A reasonable
price has been secured and the necessity
for government armor plant avoided.
| approve of the recommendations of the
! Secretary for new vessels and for addi
tiOnal officers and men which the reouir-
ed increase of the navy makes necessary.
/ commend TO the favorable action of the
| congress the measure now pending for
| the erection of statue TO the memory of
the late Admiral David ID. Porter. 1 com
| mend also the establishment of a national
naval reserve and of the grade Of vice
| admiral. Provision should be made. as rec
| commended by the Secretary, for suitable
rewards FOR special merit. Many officers
/ who rendered the most distineuiShed cor.
| vice during the recent war with Snain
| nave received in return no recOgnition
from the Congress.
Public Lands.
The total area of public lands as given
| by the Secretary of the Interior is an
proximately LOIS .e62 acres. of which
Sl7,155. $50 acres are undisposed of and 154.
| I4a.ISJ have.
Gus purposes. The public lands disposed
of during the year amount to Il, ,45S, ,SS3. .96
acres, including G., ,42S.O9 acres of Indian
lands, an increase of 4,21, ,474SO over the
preceding year. The total receipts from
the sale Of public lands during the fiscal
| year were Sass, ,75Sl0 an increase OF
Sl,SOs,62o.76 over the preceding year
| The results obtained from our forest
policy have demonstrated its wisdom and
| the necessity in the interest of the pub
| lie for its continuance and increased an
preparations by the Congress for the car
/ ryinS on OF the work. On June so, 1900
1 there were thirty-seven forest reserves
| created by Presidential proclamations un-
| der section "a OF the act OF March g. 1881
| embracing an area OF 4, 425,529 acres.
| During the past year the Olympic re-
/ serve, in the State of Washington, was
| reduced 265,040 acres, leaving its present
4
| serve, in Arizona, was inc ,eased from
| 1920 acres to 423 $50 acres, and the Big
| Horn reserve, in Wyoming, vas increas-
| ed from l,lZl,6S9 acres TO 1.1e0.S19 acres A
| new reserve, the Santa Ynez. in Califor-
mia, embracing an area of 1900 acres
| was created during this year. On Oc-
| tober 10. 1909. the Crow Greek Forest re-
| serve, in Wyoming, was created, with an
| area of $500 acres.
| At the end Of the fiscal year there were
! on the pension roll 99S, ,529 names, net
| increase Of 20l0 over the fissal year 1899
| The number added 10 the rolls during the
/ year was 45,3A The amount dfsbursed
| for army pensions during the year was
/ 1854, Ie0, ,597.24, and for navy pensions S,76l,
| 53S.4l, a total of slSS, 49,. 1906. leaving an
| unexpended balance of $.5i2.76S25 TO be
| covered into the Treasury, which shows
/ an increase over the previous years eX-
| penditure of Sl07.0T7.70. There were 6sl
/ names added TO the rolls during the year
/ by special acts passed at the first ses-
/ sion of the Fifty-sixth Congress.
| The act of May 9. 1890 among other
/ things provides for an extension OF Income