Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1898 — ALGER’S WAR REPORT [ARTICLE]

ALGER’S WAR REPORT

SECRETARY REVIEWS MILITARY OPERATIONS. '**' I Without Criticism He'Traces the Movement of Army an 1 Navy Makes Recommendations and Gives Cost of Operations. I 1 The annual report of Secretary of War Alger, reviewing the Work of the year, and especially the operations in the Philippines, Cuba and Porto Rico, has been made public. It gives a general summary of the military operations during the war. “Soon after the declaration of war,” it says, “a movement was contemplated looking to the investment of Havana, and orders to that effect were issued, and also for a reconnoissance in force along the south coast of Cuba, but the movement of the enemy’ll fleet changed these plans and culminated in the campaign of Santiago.” Of Gen. 'Miles’ share in the Santiago campaign the Secretary says: Maj. Gen. Miles arrived off Santiago July 11, und that evening communicated with Gen. Shatter by telephone, and on the 12th arrived at Gen. Shafter's headquarters. July 13 and 14 he, with Gen. Shatter, met the Spanish commander under a flag of truce between the lines to discuss the surrender of the Spanish forces. On the afternoon of July 14 Gen. Miles left Gen. Shafter's headquarters and soon thereafter went on board ship, preparatory to sailing for Porto Rico. July 17 the Spanish commander, Gen. Toral, surrendered the city, including the troops In Santiago and the surrendered district, over 23,000 men, upon our tel-ms, and at noon of that date the American flag was, by order of Gen. Shafter, hoisted over the Governor’s palace. After briefly outlining the operations in Porto Rico and the Philippines the report continues: Aug. 18 an order was issued to muster out 100,000 volunteers, which Is being carried out. Thus an army of about 250,000 volunteers and recruits for the regulars was called Into existence from civil life, which, with the regular army, made a total of 274,717 men. It was organized, armed and equipped (no supplies being on hand other than those of the regulars, save the Springfield muskets), and 50,000 men of this force were transported by land and sea to battlefields in the tropics 12,000 miles apart, where they won their victories without a single defeat, and all within the period of 113 days from the declaration of war to the signing of the protocol. This great achievement can be credited to no individual; it belongs to the nation.

Smallest Heath Rate in History. The deaths In the army from May 1 to Oct. 1, including killed, died of wounds and of disease, were 2,910, the smallest death rate recorded of any army in history, a most gratifying fact when it is considered that over 50,000 of our troops, born and reared in the temperate zone, were campaigning In tropical climates, subject to rain and heat almost unprecedented. In view of the needs of a military force In the islands occupied by the United States it is earnestly recommended that the regular army be permanently increased to 100,000 men and the requisite ofHeers; that a portion of this army be recruited from the inhabitants of those islands, to he mustered into the service of the United States and commanded by officers of our army, discretion, however, to be given to the President to make appointment of officers from the force so recruited. These men are acclimated, understand the language and habits of their countrymen, and their enlistment will not only give them employment, but also have a tendency to enable the Government to get into closer touch with their people than it would otherwise be able to do. This would also relitwe our people from serving in those climates to a large extent, and would, moreover, enable the volunteers to be mustered out of the service and return to their vocations of civil life.. The distinction between the regular and the volunteer is very sharply drawn. The regular enters the service because he prefers-the life of a soldier. Not so the volunteer. He enlists for an active campaign; when that is over and the enemy has laid flown its arms he at once desires to return to civil life. In the cities of Cuba, Potto Itico, and the Philippines there should also be employed and sworn into the service of the Uni’ted States a constabulary force for police dutymen who have had experience and can speak the langunge of those4slnnds, thus relieving our soldiers from that work. To supply food for the destitute, especially in Cuba, is a question that must tax this Government greatly, for a time at least. The effort should be made to .aid those people by giving tliem work, so that they tnay feel that they are earning their own bread Instead of living upon charity. Would it not be wise economy for the Government of the United States to construct a substantial railroad, practically the whole length of the island of Cuba, with branch roads to the leading cities on the coast? Such a road would, of course, cost a largo sum, perhaps $20,000,000, but it would give employment to the people of Cuba, teach them habits of Industry, be an Inducement for them to cultivate their farms and thus furnish supplies for the laborers and for market when the road Is constructed. This, In my Judgment, is absolutely essential to the pacification and development of that great Island. It will bring its minerals, lumber and agricultural products to market nml open up communication with all parts of the Island with the least possible delay. The road would be a good property, and when it had served its purpose for the Government could Ive sold for its cost. If such an Improvement is not made the Government will, no doubt, expend fully that amount in charity. Keen if this road be built, there Is Immediate necessity for a large appropriation to relievo the destitute. An appropriation for n monument to Gen. Grant nml the promotion of the War Department’s chief clerk to the rank of lieutenant colonel are recommended. The report says the supply of powder was a most troublesome question at the outbreak of the war. There are only two establishments in this country which manufacture smokeless powder, and they own patents upon the process. These, however, like all other companies called to aid the Government, responded with'alacrity, run the works day and night, and produced in n short time nn ample supply. The expenditures from ordinary appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1898, aggregated $02,534,784. and the ordinury appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1800. aggregate $55,952,035. The estimates of all amounts required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1000. aggregate $105,250,377. The extraordinary war appropriations made available until Jan. 1. 1890, amounted to $221,828.112, of which $22,504,744 hud been expended prior to July 1. 1898. Tl»e estimates of extraordinary appropriations required for the six months ending June 30, 1899. aggregate $00,177,539. There was allotted to the War Department from the $50,000,000 national defense fund the sum of $18,794,027.