The citizen., 1900-12-07

MOuudy OF l'eceinneT.
recommend that legislation be enact
ed by the congress coufcrring 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 neccs-
sary for surveys be made, ana that the
methods Of the disposition of such lands
be prescribed by law.
On the 10Th of July. 1900, | directed
that a call he issued for an election in
Cuba for members of Il constitutional
convention to frame constitution as Il
basis for a stable aud independent gov
ernment in the island. The election was
held on the 18th of September and the
convention assembled on the 9Th of No
vembrr, 1900. and is now in session
When the convention concludes its la
borS, | 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 10 Manila.
The ARMY.
Tho proscut strength of tbc army is
100 600 mcn-c5 uOO roruIors and n unO
volunteers Under the act Of March =.
1890 on tho 3ntb of limo ucvt tbn ures-
emf yolunterr force win hr DISCHARGED
and tb. r,,tll.,r ul1uy win II, rrlu,ed to
2147 officers and 2D'Oo5 enlisted mon
We have in Crb, between 5Ono and
G ono troops T,r. fin, ,,r..rrt ,fi. trnn,,.
in that island cannot be Withdrawn or
mat riolly diminished and certainly NOT
until tbn corclusiou ,f fin, I,b,rs of tb,
constitttiou,I cnnv,utinn no,v iu sessinu
and 81 ,-,v.rpinrpt .pruvid,J L, tho nov,
constitution shall have been established
and IFS Stability assured
In Porto Rico we have reduced thc
garrisons To l.G26. which includes so
native tvoons. There is mo- room for fur
thor reduction here.
We will he rruuircd to kccp q cousid.
cradle force i'm the phflippiuc Islands for
sou,a tiulc IA, como Irrnr, tho host inror.
matinn obiYin;Illr yyr.,,iII mood tLnlr fan.
thr imIprli,tc ruturn from n 0o0 IN
go GnO mo-, M, .,,rg th, u,,,,t..,, ,,,,.
be reduced 1s thr INSURGENTS sham como
to ocLuny,l,I.r Tho ,uthn,.iiv nf tb, INIT
ed Stlt... nr which thor, ,rc ,ssurin,r in.
dicotinus
If mlst bn oro,r.nt tbot ,,c win r,.
ouirr an army of obnut. Go0un and tbot
duip.e prrSrnt conditions i'm Cub, oud
thr rhilirpinrs thn. rrosiJrnt. shnulJ have
authority to increase thn force to IN,
prr.cut uunbnr of t00 Oon Tn,lrdnd in
this nuubcr authority sbouIJ he ,ivcn tc
raise native troops i'm tLr pbilinniucs ur
to 1IuOO. which thc Taft commission be-.
licvcs will hc more effective in detecting
and supurcs-fnr gucrrillas ossassins and
ladropcs tbap our. own solIicrs
favor the recommendation of the sec.
rctarv of war for the detail of officers
from the line of the army when vacancies
occur in the admtant generals depart
mcnt. inspector generals department.
uuartermaStcr'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.O10 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 saws:
In my nnuuol n,pssoge of Dec ! 1SoS
| called attention to the necessity for
some amendment of the alien contract
IaW' mere sun remain important lt'-
o;rEt nan J ra :" ~ ,'p,oafo" hst y, u tnu
and of tbo n,,;ncirIc If orhitration an1