Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-04
PERMANENT ARMY INCREASE.
The President Commends the Sugges
lions of Secretary of War Root.

PERMANENT ARMY INCREASE.
The President Commends the Sugges-
tions of Secretary of War Root.
The present strength of the army is
100000 men-65, coo regulars and $4,000
volunteers. Under the act of March 2,
1899, on the 30th of June next the pres
ent volunteer force will be discharged
and the regular army will be reduced
| to 2,447 officers and 29,025 enlisted men.
In 1883 a Board of Officers convened
by Pres ident Cleveland adopted a COM
prehensive
Scheme of Coast Defense
Notifications. which involved the out
lay Of something over one hundred
million dollars. This plan received the
approval of the Congress, and since
then regular appropriations have been
made and the work of fertilization has
steadily progressed.
More than sixty millions of dollars
, have been invested in great number
of forts and guns, with all the compli-
Gated and scientific machinery and
electrical appliances necessary for their
use. The proper care of this defensive
machinery requires men trained in its
perform this duty alone is ascertained
by the War Department, at minimum
allowance, to be 1920.
There are fifty-eight or more military
posts in the United States other than
the coast-defense Notifications.
The number of these posts is being
constantly increased by the Congress.
More than $4,000 have been ex-
pended in building and equipment.
and they can only be cared for by the
regular army. The posts now in ex-
istence and others to be built provide
for accommodations for, and if fully
garrisoned require $4,000 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 5000 troops. For
the present our troops in that island
can not be Withdrawn or materially di-
( minished, and certainly not until the
conclusion of the labors of the consti-
tutional convention now in session and
a government provided by the new
constitution shall have been establish
ed and its stability assured.
In Porto Rico we have reduced the
garrisons to 1,636, which includes $40
! native troops. There is no room for
further reduction here.
We will be required to keep a con-
siderable force in the Philippine Islands
for some time to come From the best
information obtainable we will need
there for the immediate future from
900 to 10000 men. / am sure the
hn ha
gents shall come to acknowledge the
authority of the United States, of which
| there are assuring indications.
1t must be apparent that we will re-
quire an army of about 10000, and
that during present conditions in Cuba
and the Philippines the President
should have authority to increase the
force to the present number of 100,-
coo. Included in this number author
ity should be given to raise native
troops in the Philippines up TO $4,000,
! which the Taft commission believe will
be more effective in detecting and sup
pressing guerrillas, assassins, and lad
rOnes than our own soldiers.
The full discussion or this subject by
the, Secretary of War in his annual re-
port is called to your earnest attention.
l renew the recommendation made IN
my last annual message that the Con-
gress provide
A Special Medal of Honor
for the volunteers, regulars. sailors, and
marines on duty in the Philippines who
voluntarily remained in the service af-
tel their terms of enlistment had ex-
PRED
l favor the recommendation of the
Secretary of War for the detail of Off
GERS from the line Of the army when
vacancies occur in the Adjutant Gener-
ais department, Quartermaster's de-
partment. Subsistence department, Pay
department Ordnance department, and
Signal Corps.
The army can not be too highly COM
mended for its faithful and effective
service in active military operations in
the field and the difficult work of civil
! administration.