The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-12-06
Sc GRE TARY TAF 7 REP ORTS
The Annual Message Of the Depart
lnent Made Public.
The Present Standing of Our Regular
Army and Its Future Outlools--statlstics
Of the Financial End OF the Service.

Washington, o. q. Secretary OF
War William Fl. Taft, in his annual
report just made public, says that the
actual strength of the regular army
on October is was 3744 officers and
81, 439 enlisted men. In 1908 it was
1851 officers and $500 men. OF the
present army no ofIicers and 1855
men are stationed in the Philippines
and the remainder are at various
points in the United States, Porto Ri
co, Hawaii, Alaska and China. The
force in Porto Rico consists Of five Of
ficers and five men The Secretary
recommends that Congress make pro-
vision for additional officers of the line.
The enlistments for the year ending
June 30, exclusive of hospital corps
which 6372 were re-enlisiments.
During the past year the troops have
not been in action except for few
encounters with the savage Moros in
the Philippines, rendered necessary
by their defiance Of the law in Min.
danao and Jolo" In one of these ac-
tons a detachment Of infantry was
ambushed, resulting In the loss Of two
officers and thirteen enlisted men out
of thirty mine men engaged.
The army death rate last year was
only $50 per 1000, as compared with
1894 for the previous year. ut is no
exaggeration" the report adds, sthat
the troops Of the United States are the
best fed, best clothed and best shell,
tered troops in the world"
The present system of coast defenses
is now considerably more than half
completed. Thirty-one localities have
been partially protected, and tWen-
ty-five Of the principal harbors now
have mounted in Notifications and
ready for sJase heavy guns and mortars
sufficient to furnish an effective de-
Tense against any possible naval at.
tack. Since the Inauguration of the
present system Of coast defenses the
total appropriations made by Congress
for the work have been, approximate.
", $110000,000. and is 1t estimated
that it will take $65,000,000 more to
complete the work.
Provision has already been made for
emplacing 334 heavy guns, including
twenty-six temporary emplacements,
and 587 rapid FIRE guns. one being tenn
porary, and 376 twelve inch mortars.
During the fiscal year one twelve.
inch gun, four ten-inch, seven rapid
are and twenty-five mortars have been
mounted.
Owing to the lessons Of the Russo
Japanese war, it is stated in the report,
the value Of torpedo defenses has been
greatly emphasized The cost of COM
DIeting the torpedo defenses now pro-
jected will be $3.50, APO, put this will
mean that the system will be valueless
unless there is a trained personnel Of
5130 officers and men created to oper-
ate the system. This viii cost about
S5,000,000 more. Additional appropri.
atoms Of $5,000,OO0 will, Of course,
The report says, be required annually
thereafter for pay of the personnel.
1t is pointed out that Congress, at its
last session, appropriated $1,31S, 920
for beginning the work Of fortifying
nsular possessions, and that much has
been done in the way of f0rtifying the
Philippines, Porto Rico and Hawaii,
but that Congress will be asked at its
aext session for $2,611,056 more for
continuing the work.
Secretary Taft deprecates any at.
tempt to abolish the General Staff. He
thinks that the War College also is do
ing good work.
He points out that it cost $S6,314.42
to prevent deposits in New York Har.
Dor last fiscal year.
Secretary Taft favors an appropria.
lion of $2,00O,000 to promote the eff
ficiency of the militia. 1.-THE Military
Secretary" the report adds, "estf'
mates that about seventy-dve per cent
Of the full strength of the militia
would respond to o call for service un'
der the Federal Government"
The army estimate for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1906, is SIP, 7O5,
1867.
Concerning the tariff in Philippine
products imported into the United
States, Secretary Taft urges that bill
be passed allowing free admission o.
all Philippine products except tobacco
and sugar, and that there be imposed
upon all impOrtations OF sugar ana to
bacco duty equal to twenty rfive per
cent Of the rates now imposed undel
the Dingley law upon the importations
from foreign countries.
1The Philippine Government" th'
report adds, lis the result of an efforf
on the part Of this nation to assist ths
Philippine people to stand upon theil
feet. 1t is national experiment. Th'
taxation by States, counties and mum
cipalities of this country Of bonds is
sued in the furtherance Of that expert
ment is burden upon it and an OBJ
struction to its success. Therefore
the National Government, through
Congress, may very well declare sucl
bonds to be exempt from State, coun