Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-12-06
PLANS ARMY o
Root Eavors Formation of lI.Drilled
ReScrVcs.

Root Fayors formation of Well. Drilled
Reserves.
Secretary of War Root in his annual
epOrt recommends sweeping reorganiza-
ton of the National Guard, reciprocity
with Cuba, rebuilding of West Point. and
lieutenant gencralships for Merritt,
Brooke and Otis when they retire.
According to the report of the Sccre-
tary. the regular 1rmy now consists OF
B,25S officers and 16,OS4 enlisted men.
There are. in addition, 4,3S36 men in the
hospital corps. 112 volunteer surgeons in
the Philippines, 1913 native scouts, un-
der command of 9S officers. in the Philip
pines, and $50 officers and S15 men of the
Porto Rico provisional regiment.
This army is apportioncd as follows:
United States. @.S74; Philippines. 49,
80: Cuba. 4,91i: Porto Rico, 1,54l; IIa-
waiian Islands. 256; China, 1872; Alaska,
527. The death rate per thousand of
troops in the United States during the
year WAS 10.14: in Cuba, a.I2; in Porto
Rico, $50. and in the Philippines and
China was reduced from 1881 to 1916.
The Secretary does not think it prac-
ticable To discontinue the transport ser
vice upon the Pacific. but is not in favor
" III 0iAtci lsttC iAl.ililLaiuIiiC Wv AiN's
in times of peace.
\ detailed project for the defense of
San Juan, Porto Rico, at II cost OF ST.
100000 has been prepared.
There have been added to sea coast ar-
mament fifteen twclvc-inch guns. seven
lcn-inch guns. eleven cigll-inch guns.
thirty-five rapid-tire and twenty-thrce
mortnrS.
The Secretary notes that as the militia
law STANDS to-day as enacted in 1892 it
is desirable that Congress exercise the
powers conferred upon it for organizing.
arming and disciplining the militia. The
organization and armament of National
Guards OF the several States should Ike
made the same as those provided by Con-
| gress for regular and volunteer forces.
He recommends that the National
Guard he armed with small arms used
by the regular army; that the guard
should he treated as first reserve to be
called into service to suppress insuTrec-
ton and repel invasion, and that the
President be authorized to organize the
volunteer forces when called out in the
name provided by the act of March =
1899.
The Secretary says it is the design OF
the department not to subject any Of our
forces to tropical climates for u longer
period than three years without intervene
ing service in a colder climate.
Tho church question in Cuba has been
satisfactorily adjusted by the military
government paying IA rental of 8 per cent
upon appraised value of church proper
ties, amounting to S2,OO0,O00. with u
five-year option to the government of
Cuba to buy the property at appraised
value, receiving a credit of % per cent
of rentals paid.
The matter of the Cuban government
is treated extensively.
The Secretary believes that as the pc
Rod of American occupation draws near.
Cubans, realizing more and more the
debt of obligation they owe this country,
he says:
Cuba has acquiesced in our right to
say that she shall not put herself in the
hands of my other power, whatever her
necessities, and in our right to insist
upon the maintenance of free and order
ly government throughout her limits,
however impoverished and desperate her
people. Corrclative to this right is the
duty of highest obligation to treat her
not as an enemy. nor at arms length as
an aggressive commercial rival, but with
generosity which toward her will he JUS
tice; to shape our laws SO that they shall
contribute to her welfare as we'll as our
own"
He claims our duty to be the framing
of such reciprocal tariff arrangements
with her as President Mckinley urged
in his Buffalo speech. The peace, health
and independence of Cuba are necessary
to the peace, health and safety of tho
United States.