Gilpin observer., 1905-12-14
UNCLE SANS ARMY.
interesting Annual Report Of the Sec
retary of War.

Washington.-In his annual report
the secretary of war says:
"At the date OF the last reports re-
ceived from the military departments
October Is, 1900 the actual strength
of the regular army was $3.50 officers
and 56,064 enlisted men, of whom 49,
502 We're in the United States, ii ,903
in the Philippines and the rest in Ha-
waii, Porto Rico, Alaska or en- route.
OF the total there were 1852 general
officers and staff, 1876 cavalry, 14,949
artillery, 24,584 infantry and 3,054 re-
cruits and miscellaneous. The decrease
for the year was 1863. There were
also 3,029 men in the hospital corps,
b77 in the Porto Rico regiment and
5,164 Philippine scouts
During the past year there has been
a slight increase in the relative num-
Der of desertions as compared with the
preceding year.
'If a compulsory probationary serv-
ice were established at one of the re-
cruiting depots all vicious and unde-
sirable recruits could be eliminated
from the service at comparatively
trifling expense before their actual en-
listment; and If the first enlistment
should be made in all cases for a Pc
riod of one year it is believed that rel
atively fewer men selected as de-
Scribed would desert the colors.
Gable communication with Panama
is now had either via Jamaica, over all
foreign lines, or via an American line
from Galveston, which involves a land
line across Mexico. 8.
Unless provision is made for a ca
BILE controlled directly by the United
States, with shore ends on American
soil, it will be necessary in times of
emergency to depend on the good will
of others and thus imperil certainty of
action by the United States.
Il visited the isthmus year ago
and again this year. l am able to see
marked difference, even in outward
appearances, and to say with much
emphasis and certainty that real work
has been done and Is being done. The
effect Of better housing for the en-
ployes, the influence of the successful
efforts of the sanitation department,
to stamp out yellow fever the conf
dence of the American subordinate en-
gineers, foremen, clerks. rodmen and
others that there is competent and
skillful head to the enterprise in Mr..
Shonts, knowing what is being done in
each department and co-ordinating in
all departments, tends to give an at
mosphere of conscious progress. indi-
vidual interest and patriotic pride in
the great task of great nation. The
Panamanians feel the change and are
accordingly happy and contented with
things as they are.
There is not the slightest danger
to the sugar and tobacco interests of
this country in admitting free the
sugar and tobacco products of the
Philippine islands.
THE greatest possible expansion OF
the production of these two crops in
the Philippine Islands cannot have the
slightest effect upon the price of Ell
ther commodity in the enormous mar
kets of the United States. The pro-
posed bill, if passed. will. therefore.
result solely in benefit to the people
of the Philippine islands, without the
slightest injury to anyone in the
United States. l am not of those who
think that the measure will of itself
produce prosperity in the Philippine
islands. 1t will doubtless aid their
prosperity. but its effect in convincing
the Philippine people that We are anx-
ious for their welfare and are willing
for this purpose to give them the
benefit of the great markets OF the
United States will be of the greatest
value"