Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1899 — REVIEW OF THE WAR [ARTICLE]

REVIEW OF THE WAR

SECRETARY ROOT MAKES IMS ANNUAL. REPORT.

Policy of Administration aa to (Ma and Porto Rico -Operations of Troopa in the Philippines - li'rromnn ndmi—a „ for Reorganization of Army. Secretary of War Root’s first mimnml report is of exceptional interest in that it deals exclusively with great questions of insular policy, army reorganization, the future of the Island of Cuba, and of the state of affairs in the Philippines. Hie Secrtary’s report is a surprise to the officials for its originality. It has not the ear marks of the usual annual paper and officials say it is the most independent and far-reaching of any yet offered during the present administration. Comment on the report is diversified and the consensus of opinion seems to favor the instrument in most of its provisions and recommendations. Secrtary Root has attacked red tape methods and iu the face of the Adjutant General's report to the contrary, recommends the adoption of the system of rotation of staff officers in the United States army, thus hoping to abolish the stale methods, giving the officers generally a knowledge *of the requirements of their positions and preventing the use of red tape methods, the chief cause of so many mistakes iu the past trouble With Spain. There seems to be on opinion that these provisions in the report especially will provoke a bitter fight in Congress. The report begins with a recital of the policy followed in reorganizing the army in accordance with the necessities arising from the discharge of the State volunteers and of the men enlisted for the Spanish-American war, and gives statistics of the past and present strength of the organization, covering in that respect matters dealt with in the reports of the Major General commanding and of the Adjutant General.

It is stated that at present all of the new regiments of volunteers are in the Philippines or on their way there. The operations in those islands are next taken up aud the report again ]toints out that the outbreak of last February was provoked by the insurgent* themselves aud was, from our stand]>oint, unfavorable. Frequent reference is made to the report of General Otis to show the magnitude of the task set for him with the inadequate forces at his command when the outbreak came.

In reference to the management of Porto Rico, he recommends a government consisting of a Governor. Kecreary of State. Attorney General. Treasurer, Comptroller and Superintendents of Public Works and Education, appointed by the President, with a legislative council composed of these heads of bureaus with a, minority selected from the people of the island by the President. He suggests a Supreme Court, appointed by the President, and trial courts appointed by the Governor. The people are to be given the suffrage for the election of municipal officers, who are to be independent in the exercise of purely local functions, but are to be removable for cause by the Governor, the vacancies being filled by a new election. Many other recommendations are made concerning affairs of national importance.