The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-03

troops.
that island can not be Withdrawn or ma
terially diminished and certainly not I'M
til the conclusion Of the labors OF the con-
stitutional convention now IN session ana
a government provided by the new constl-
tuition shall have been established and its
In Porto Rico we have reduced the gar
risons to 1886 which include 1886 native
troops. There is no room for further re-
duction here We will be required to keep
a considerable force in the Philippine IS
lands for some time TO come. from IRON me me
best Information obtainable We shall need
there for the immediate future from 3D.
may be reduced as the insurgents shall
come to acknowledge the authority of the
United States, of which there are assuring
It must be apparent that we will require
army of about 10000, and that during
present conditions in Cuba and the Philip
pines the president should have authority
Der of 100, 900. Included in this number
authority should be given to raise native
troops in the philippines up TO 15Vg0;
which the Taft commission believes will
be more effective in detecting and sup
pressing guerillas, assassins and LadroneS
than our own soldiers.
The full discussion of this subject by the
secretary of war in his annual report is
the recommendation made IN my last an
nual message that the congress provide
regulars. sailors and marines on duty in
the Philippines who voluntarily remained
in the service after their terms of enlist
ment had expired.
I favor the recommendation of the Sec
rotary of war for the detail of officers
from the line of the army when vacan-
cies occur in the adjutant generals de-
partment. inspector generals department,
quartermaster generals department, sub
sistence department. pay department, ord
nance department. and signal corps. The
army can not be too highly commended
for its faithful and effective service in
active military operations in the field and
the difficult work of civil administration.
POSTAL SERVICE.
The continued and rapid growth of the
postal service is a sure index of the great
and increasing business activity OF the
ment is the extension of rural free de-
livery. This has come almost wholly
Of i' the fiscal s'S Year 1Sss-1sOo the number
of routes in operation was only 391, and
most of these had been running less than
Y months On the 18th of November, 1900
the number had increased to 2,614, reach
ing into forty-four states and territories
and serving population OF 1,S01, 524 The
number OF applications now pending anc
granted up 70 the present t1me, ana Dy
the close of the current fiscal year about
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 to good roads, and
quickens and extends the dissemination of
has tended to allay the apprehension that
1t would be so expensive as to forbid its
burden. Its actual application has shown
that it increases postal receipts, and can
pc accompanied by reductonS IN oIher
branches of the service, so that the aug
mented revenues and the accomplished
savings. together materially reduces the
net cost. The evidences which point to
these conclusions are presented in detail in
the annual report of the postmaster gen
era1 which with its recommendations is
recommended to the consideration of the
congress. The full development of this
special service, however, requires such a
large outlay of money that it should be
undertaken only after a careful study
and thorough understanding of all that
Very efficient service has been rendered
by the navy in connection with the in
surrection in the Philippines and the re-
cent disturbances in China
made of the 1ong-pending question of the
manufacture of armor plate. A reason
able price has been secured and the neces-
sity for a government armor plant
1 approve of 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
action of the congress the measure now
pending for the erection of a statue to the
memory of the late David D. Porter. I
commend also the establishment of a ma
tional naval reserve and of the grade of
vice admiral. Provision should be made
as recommended by the secretary, for
officers who rendered the most distin-
guished service during the recent war
with Spain have received in return no
recognition from the congress.
PUBLIC LANDS.
by the secretary Of the interior, is ap-
proximate1y lois .662 acres, of which
745,7S2 acres have been reserved for var
ious purposes. The public lands disposed
acres. including 81 5,09 acres Of indian
lands, an increase of 4,271, 474.S0 over the
preceding year The total receipts from
the sale of public lands during the fiscal
year were $4,379, 10. an increase of 81
309, rs 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 APP
preparations by the congress for the car
there were 81 forest reserves, created by
presidential proclamations under section
"a of the Act Of March g. 1891, embracing
During the past year the Olympic re-
reduced 265;040 acres, leaving its present
area at 1923 $40 acres. The Prescott re-
serve in Arizona was increased from 10 240
acres to 423. $50 acres, and the Big Horn
reserve, in Wyoming, was increased from
1,127 $50 acres to 1,1S0 800 acres. A new re-
serve, the Santa 4nez, in California, em>
bracing an area of 145,000 acres. was ere
the CROW Creek forest reserve in WON on
acres.
At the end of the fiscal year there were
on the pension roll 993225 names, a net
increase of 700 over the fiscal year 1899
The number added to the rolls during the
year was 1914. The amount disbursed for
army pensions during the year was s134,-
a total of s1SS, 461, 100, s., leaving an unex-
pended balance of S5,542, 76S. 25 to be COW
cred into the treasury. which shows an
increase over the previous years expendi-
ture of $107o77-70- There were 6S4 names
added to the rolls during the year by spe-
cial acts passed at the first session of the
18th congress.
The act of May. 1900. among other
things, provides for an extension of in
come to widows pensioned under said act
to $3.50 per annum. The secretary of the
interior believes that by the operations of
this act the number of persons pensioned
under it will increase and the increased
annual payment for pensions will be be-
tween s. 10000 and 81, 600, 900.
The government justly appreciates the
services of its soldiers and sailors by max
ing pension payments liberal beyond pre-
cedent to them, their widows and or
phans.
There were % $40 letter patents granted
including reissues and designs. during