Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-01
Annual Report Of the Secre-
tary of War.
REORGANIZING MILITIA
IMPORTANCE OF PASSING THE
DICK MILITIA BILL.
Demand for the Reorganization of the
General Staff-Philippine Tariff
and Currency.

In his annual report Secretary Root
makes a number Of recommendations Tor
the Improvement of the military service.
A general staff is regarded by the Secre-
tary as the most important need OF the
army, and next to this the adoption of the
Dick militia bill submitted to Congress last
year. Conditions In the Philippines, the
report states, have improved, so that the
army there may be reduced to about 1900
men. A year ago the numerical strength
of the army in the Philippines was more
than $4,000 The army, Mr.. Root says
should be maintained at about 5000 men
The death rate of the army, while lower
than In 1900, Is greatly above the normal
on account of Philippine service, the rate
In those Islands being 1896 per 1,OOO
against $50 per LOCO In this country: and
that the conditions In those islands now
are grave, account of disease and
threatened famine.
The Occupation of Cuba.
Regarding relations with Cuba, Secretary
Root says:
II venture to express the hope that the
strong and well-deserved friendship of Cuba
may be permanent and may never be alien
ated by our treatment of the smaller and
weaker power, and that the people Of the
UnlteU states may never lose their deep
interest In the welfare of the new republic
which they have called into being with so
much labor and sacrifice. I know of no
chapter In American history more satisfac-
tory than that which will record the con-
-ouct of the military government of Cuba. :"
Native Colonial Forces.
The discontinuance of the Porto Rico reg
iment is recommended, as is the extern
sion of the right of enlistment in the regu-
lar army to citizens of Porto Rico. There
Is no longer need In the opinion of the Sec
rotary, for maintaining special and pecu-
liar force in Porto Rico at the expense of
the United States outside Of the coast for
tifcation. The people of the island. how
ever, he thinks. should have an opportunity
to share in the general defense of the gov
eminent to which they owe allegiance and
of the institutions which they enjoy.
The Philippine Scouts. the Secretary be-
lieves, should be continued. They enable
this country, he declares, to reduce the
force OF American troops In the islands
more rapidly, and their knowledge of the
country, language and ways of the people
makes them especially valuable in hunting
down ladrones, which. for a good while to
come, will be an urgent business"
Conditions in the Philippines.
Speaking of conditions in the Philippines
the Secretary says it is evident that the in
surrection has been brought TO an end both
by making war distressing and hopeless
on the one hand, and by making peace at
tractive through immediate and present
demonstration Of the sincerity OF our
purpose to give to the people just and
free government, on the other" This re-
suit, he says. could not have been accom-
plished except by genuine cooperation of
both the civil and military authority under
the general direction of the War Depart
ment.
Regarding the slave trade in the Philip
pines, Secretary Root says:
Now that the insurrection has been dis
posed of we shall be able to turn our at
tentlon not merely to the slave trade, but
g the already existing slavery among the
Moros. We cannot Immediately free the
slaves by a single act, first, because 1t
would require a war of extermin ation in
which a large part of the slaves would
probably be found fighting against US; and
second, because large part of them would
have nowhere to go and no way to live If
deprived Of the protection and support Of
their present masters. / believe, however,
that we can maintain a process of gradual
and steady reduction resulting ultimately
IN the extinction of the practice of slavery.
Some of the results of our efforts In that
direction stated in my last report The
process will be slow. and will require pa
thence and good judgment, but l believe the
result will be worth the trouble. The task
OF improving the Moros Is by no means
hopeless