Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-09

SlAiioNSN IllSn were NOuHueu.
Health and Mortality.
That the satisfactory Improvement in the !
condition of troops noted last year has con-
tinued is shown by the lower rate of ad-
mission to sick report per thousand of mean
strength Of the whole army for disease and
injury curing the last calendar year as COM
pared with the rate for the previous year
and the quinquennial period lS9S-l9o2
In my last annual report attention was
called to the insufficient number of officers
available for duty with troops. This Is a
condition which has always obtained more
or less In the army, but of late years has
assumed proportions which constitute n
menace to the discipline of the army and
to its effectivness as a fighting machine.
With a full complement of trained officers
1t takes long period of unremitting effort
to make good cavalryman out of a raw
recruit and this remark applies with even
greater force to our artillery service, which
has now particularly in the coast branch
become of highly technical and specialized
| character, and when we consider that our
| small army is maintained chiefly as a nu-
| cleus Of the army that would be required
in the event of a national crisis, and must
state of efficiency, the conditions disclosed
| by these figures are so startling as to call
! for prompt remedial action.
| schools for OmcerG.
An opportunity never before equaed in
| our army is now afforded to line officers to
| qualify themselves in the garrison schools
| for the duties of their particular arm. In
| fantry and cavalry officers who especially
distinguish themselves in these schools are
selected for detail to the Infantry and Cav
airy school at Fort Leavenworth, and those
found I'm competition most deserving In that
school are detailed to the stan college.
In addition there is at Fort Monroe, Va,
the Artillery school for the instruction Of
coast artillery officers in the more technical
duties of that arm, and at Fort Riley, Kan,
the Cavalry and Field Artillery school.
In my judgment one possible and prac-
teal solution of the congestion and slow
ness OF promotion that we are certain to
have in the regular army is in greater Sc
verify in the elimination OF those who show
themselves at any stage ip their career unit
to bear the responsibility and enjoy the
privileges of wearing the official uniform
of the United States army. This penalty as
applied to Iieutenants IL seems to me.
should be dismissal; as applied to field off,
GERS, IL might be made retirement.
The Militia.
A marked increase of interest on the part
OF the younger men of the militia Is re-
ported and the morale 81 inc orsa9lzdG 6,is
few exceptions the state military. authori-
ties have promptly adopted remedial meas
ures TO correct conditions reported on ad-
versely by inspecting officers. designations
| of officers are frequently called for and
many companies have been completely reor-
gahized. A strong disposition is manifested
on the part of the state authorities to bring
t.eir militia to a state OF discipline and
efficiency experimenting as closely as pos
| sue that or the regular army.
Panama Canal.
The secretary tells of the organization OF
the canal board. the resignation OF Chair
man Wallace and his previous comment
thereon, and adds;
When MIR. Wallace left the payroll con
tained the names OF 5000 persons Since
Mr.. Stevens has taken mold, in three
months. this has been increased from 500,
, to 1900 Under Mr.. Wallace IL was thought
, wise by the old commission. and by Mr.
Wallace himself, TO make experiments II
; the cost of excavating earth in the Culebri
! cut. He did this with some new exca
waiting machinery, but principally with tn
reached some results, the value of whicl
: is in dispute. He feels confident that HI
has shown by his calculations that the cos
per cubic yard of excavation in the Culehri
cut may be reduced below half of tina
fixed by the commission and this is use'
as an argument In favor OF changing thu
type OF he canal from lock canal to
sea-leyel canal.
yellow Fever.
I Yellow fever finds its victims only anonl
j those who are not residents OF tine trOpaed
. coast towns-so at least the statistics seen
to show. Europeans and Americans iron
! the temperate zone, and Colombians com
! ing from. the hills and mountains, an
otner workmen from the interior, espC
:. cially the highlands, are all subjects o
smSOs eS Snd Trndad from "a" the eif Islands
| the Caribbean sea and the Panamanian
/ themselves are immune. The field for at
tack by yellow fever, therefore, Is yer
much limited. Not so, however, with ma
laTia. An examination for experiments
purposes, and repeated at various time
shows that at least 20 per cent of peopl
/ picked up at random in the isthmus hay
the mia l micro6e. am am gisd 70 ga ga
| not generally taken on the malignant forT
: OF the days OF the railroad and Frenc
canal construction, but is rather mild.
Question of Labor.
Nearly all the labor upon the isthmu
Is now negro labor from the West Indi
islands. II is very poor. the question re
mains TO be decided whether we shall al
tempt 10 secure Chinese or Japanese labol
II has been held by the attorney geners
that the federal eight-hour law applies {
those employed by the Canal commission
/ was at first disposed TO think ths efieC
| OF the law would be good, because "
| could have three shifts every twenty -fou
| hours. / am assured, however, By Nj
Stevens and Governor MagOon that its er
forcement only interferes with good worl
Petitions are being filed by all foreigner
and Americans asking that its operation |
the zone be amended Another year wi
show more facts upon which labor polio
| h. fag AT sErhf