The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-12-17
ROOT ON THE ARHY'S NEEDS
Many Recommendations in Secretary
Of Wars Annual Report,
ANTI-CANTEeN LAW CRITICISED
The Reorganization Of tho Militia snd the
Creation OF . General star CrEed-Re.
vised TarI0 and Gold Standard For the
PhiiIppines-Prompt Action by Con.
Groah Deaifed.

vissd TarI6 and Gold Standard For the
PhiiIppinss-Promps Action by Con.
grsss Desirsd.
Washington. D. Gin his annual re-
port. Secretary Root makes n number
Of important recommendations. chief
amoag them being these:
!. That the strength Of the Regula:
Army be maintained at 10000.
2. That General stan for the Army
be created.
3. That the title Of Commanding
General be abolished and the title OF
Chief Of Staff substituted therefor.
4. That the best possible educational
advantages be afforded to the young
officers Of the Army who came into the
service during the war with Spain
without West Point training.
5. That the Militia bill passed by the
House at the last session Of Congress
be passed by the Senate.
q. That the anti.canteen law be re-
pealed.
Z. That the Moros be dealt with In
the same manner as the Government
dealt with the Indians-that Is. to allow
them for period to maintain thei.
tribal governments under the author
ity and supervision Of the United
States.
8. That the duties levied in the
United States upon products Of the
Philippine Islands imported therefrom
be reduced to twenty-five per cent. OF
the Dingley tariff rates.
0. That the gold standard be esteb.
lished In the Philippines.
When the orders issued by the War
Department on October "A last proyid.
ing for the reduction OF the strength Of
the Army to 59.SG6 has been carried
out, there will be left In the Philippine
Islands 1880 men. the rest Of the.
military force, exclusive Of the coast
artillery maintained in Hawaii. Cuba
and Porto Rico. and the small detach-
ment of infantry in Pekin. being In
the United States.
On uniforms the report tells Of the
selection Of the olive drab color for
service. and adds the blue will be re.
tained as q dress uniform for officers
and men.
The bill at present before Congress
in regard to making the National
Guard a National military reserve 10
indorsed. The Secretary advocates a
uniformity of arms for National
Guardsmen. The report says:
with the system provided for BY
the bill carried into effect We should be
able, while maintaining a standing
Army OF but 10000 men. to put force
Of at least 2JOOOO well-trained men
into the field instantly upon declara.
ton Of war. and the cost would be less
than to maintain but few additional
regiments of regular troops"
Writing Of the National Guard ard
making suggestions for Its use In time
Of war to man coast defenses. the Sec.
retary says:
"The National Guard contains two
widely different elements. One Is com
posed Of men who wish to perform
their duty to the State. and as mem.
bers of the militia. but do not wish or
do not feel at liberty to leave their
families or their business interests and
become soldiers for all purposes. liable
to be sent away for distant military
operations. The other element wish to
90 wherever there Is adventure and o
chance to fight"
On the question Of the canteen the
Secretary reports:
Referring to the operation OF sec.
tIon 80 Of the act OF February 2. 1901.
which prohibits the sale Of beer and
light wines In post exchanges. I said
in my last report that 4 great body OF
reports had been received which indi.
Gated that the effect Of the law was
unfortunate. but that thought suf.
ficient time had not elapsed to give the
law 4 fair trial, and that the observa-
tion and report of Its working would be
continued during the ensuing year.
"a great number OF additional re-
ports have now been received. and they
confirm the impression produced by the
earlier reports. am convinced that
the general effect Of prohibiting the use
of beer and light wines within the lin.
tied area Of the Army post Is to lead
the enlisted men to go out OF the post,
to frequent vile resorts which cluster
in the neighborhood. to drink bad
whisky to excess ard TO associate IN.
timately with abandoned men and
more abandoned women: and that the
operation Of the law Is to increase
drunkenness, insubordinatlon and de-
sertion. and moral and physical de-
generation.
These reports are ready to be sent
to Congress whenever that body de-
sires to consider the subject"