The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-06

to general staff duty, and there are
various other places to which army
officers can be and are legally assign
regiments and companies. In order
that the militia of each state should
be properly drilled and made more
like the regular army, regular army
officers should be detailed to assist the
adjutant general of each state in the
supervision of the state militia, but
this is impossible unless provision is
made by congress for very consid-
cradle increase in the number of COM
pany and field officers of the army. A
bill was pending in the last session of
congress for this purpose, and ear
nestly hope that in the interest of the
proper development of republican
army, an army small in the time of
peace, but possible of prompt and ade-
quate enlargement in time of war,
shall become possible under the laws
of the United States.
A bill, the strong argument for
which can be based on the ground
quite similar to that of the increased
officers bill, is the bill for the increase
Of sixty in the army engineers. The
army engineers are largely employed
in the expenditure of the moneys ap-
propriated for the improvement of riv-
ers and harbors. This, in addition to
their military duties, which includes
the construction of Notifications both
of our coasts and in our dependen-
cies, together with the number used in
the Panama canal work, requires
many more engineers than the army
has, and this shortness of supply in
such officers delays important river
and harbor work and important forti-
fication work. earnestly recommend
the passage Of this bill. which passed
the house at the last session and is
now pending in the senate.
Fortifications.
I have directed that the estimates
for appropriation for the Improvement
Of coast defense in the United States
should be reduced to a minimum.
| while those for the completion of the
needed Notifications at Corregidor, in
the Philippine Islands, and at Pearl
Harbor, in the Hawaiian Islands,
should be expedited as much as pos
sible.
The proposition to make Olongapo
| and Subig bay the naval base for the
Pacific was given up, and it is to be
treated merely as a supply station,
while the Notifications in the Philip
| pines are to be largely confined to
| Corregidor island and the adjacent is
| lands which command entrance to Ma
Mia bay and which are being rendered
| impregnable from land and sea attack.
The Pacific naval base has been trans
| ferred to Pearl Harbor, in the Hawai-
| ian Islands.
l. This necessitates the heavy fortifica-
| ton Of the harbor and the establish.
ment of an important military station
near Honolulu. I urge that all the
| estimates made by the war depart
ment for these purposes be approved
by congressional appropriation.
Philippine Islands.
| During the last summer, at nv re.
quest, the secretary of war visited the
| Philippine Islands and has described
his trip in his report. He found the
islands in state of tranquility and
growing prosperity, due largely to the
change in the tariff laws, which has
opened the markets of America to the
products Of the Philippines and has
| opened the Philippine markets tc
| American manufactures.
| Porto Rico.
| The year has been one of prosperity
and progress in Porto Rico. Certain
political changes are embodied in the
bill "to provide a civil government
| for Porto Rico and for other pur
poses" which passed the house of rep
resentatives on June Is, 1910, at the
last session of congress and is now
awaiting the action of the senate.
| The Importance of those features OF
this bill relating to public health and
sanitation cannot be overestimated.
| The removal from politics of the ju
dietary by providing for the appoint
ment of the municipal judges is ex
cellent. and 1 recommend that steI
further be taken by providing therein
for the appointment of secretaries an6
marshals of these courts.
1 believe that the provision in the
bill for a partially elective senate, the
number of elective members beins
progressively increased, is unwise ani
that the composition of the senate al
provided in the bill as, introduced II
the house far better meets conditions
existing in Porto Rico. This is an i'm
portant measure, and recommend its
early consideration and passage.
Rivers and Harbors.
have already expressed my opinion
to congress in respect to the character
of the river and harbor bills which
should be enacted into law, and have
exercised as much power as I have I'm
der the law in directing the CHEZ o.
engineers to make his reports to con
gress conform to the needs of the com
mittee framing such a bill in deter
| mining which of the proposed i'm