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About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1900)
y w J ii amis i state President McKinley Discusaes Them in a Lengthy Message IMPORTANT MATTERS MENTIONED e Cho Situation Present and JTutnre of Cliiucso Affairs Given Much Space Decrease of Wur Tax Advocated As to Pensions Cuban Matters lite Etc To the Senate and House of Represen tatives At the outgoing of the old and the Incoming of the new century you be gin the last session of the Fifty sixth congress with evidences on every hand of individual and national prosperity and with proof of the growing strength and increasing power for the good of repub lican institutions Your countrymen will join with you in felicitation that Amer ican liberty is more firmly established than ever before and that love for it and the determination to preserve it are more universal than at any former per iod of our history The republic was never so strong be cause never so strongly entrenched in 4he hearts of the people as now The constitution with few amendments ex ists as it left the hands of its authors Tnc additions which have been made to it proclaim larger freedom and more ex tended citizenship Popular government has demonstrated in its 124th year of trial here its stability and security and its ernciency as the best instrument of na tional development and the best safeguard to human rights When the Sixth congress assembled in November 1800 the population of the United States was 5308483 It is now 76304799 Then we had sixteen states Now we have forty five Then our ter ritory consisted of 809050 square miles It is now 3846503 square miles Education religion and morality have kept pace with our advancement in other direc tions and while extending its power the government has adhered to its founda tion principles and abated none of them in dealing with our new peoples and pos sessions - A nation so preserved and blessed gives reverent thanks to God and invokes His guidance and the con tinuance of His care and favor In our foreign intercourse the domi nant question has been the treatment of the Chinese problem Apart from this our relations with the powers have been happy REVIEW OF AFFAIRS IN CHINA The recent tioubles in China spring from the anti foreign agitation which for the last three years has been gaining in strength in the northern provinces Their origin lies deep in the character of the Chinese races and in the tradi tions of their government The Taiping rebellion and the opening of the Chinese ports to foreign trade and settlement disturbed alike the homogenity and the seclusion of China Meanwhile foreign activity made Itself felt in all quarters not alone on the coast but along the great river arteries and in the remoter districts carrying new ideas and introducing new asosciatlons among a primitive people which had pursued for centuries a national policy oji Jsolatlon The telegraph and the railway sperading over their land the steamers plying on their waterways the mcrclanJJs and the mlsionaries pene trating year by year to the interior be came to the Chinese mind types of an alion invasion changing the course of their national life and fraught with vague forebodings of disaster to their beliefs and their self control For seveial ye3rs before the present troubles all the resources of foreign di plomacy backed by moral demonstra tions of the physical force of fleets and arms have been needed to secure due respect for the treaty rights of for eigners and to obtain satisfaction from the responsible authorities for the outrages upon the persons and property of unoffending sojourners which from time to time occurred at widely separated points in the northern prov inces as in the case of the outbreak in Sze Chuen and Shan Tung Posting of anti foreign placards became a dally occurrence which the repeated reprobation of the imperial power failed to check or punish These inflammatory appeals to the ignorance and supersti tion of the masses mendacious and ab surd In their accusations and deeply hos tile in their spirit could not but work cumulative harm They aimed at no particular class of foreigners they were impartial in attacking everything for eign An outbreak in -Shan Tung in which German misionaries were slain was the too natural result of these malevolent teachings The posting of se ditious placards exhorting to the utter destruction of foreigners and of every foreign thing continued unrebuked Hos tile demonstrations toward the stranger gained strength by organization The sect commonly styled the Boxers developed greatly in the porvinces north of the Yang Tse and with the collusion of many notable officials including some In the Immediate councils of the throne itself brcame alarmingly aggressive No foreigners life outside of the pro tected treaty ports was safe No for eign interest was secure from spoliation The diplomatic representatives of the powers in Pekln strove in vain to check this movement Protest was followed by demand and demand by renewed protest to be met with perfunctory edicts from fce palace and evasive and futlte assur ance from Ihs The cir cle of the Boxer Influence narrowed about Pekln and while nominally stig matized a seditious it was felt that the spirit psrvaded the capital itself that the imperial forces were imbued with its doctrines and that immediate coun selors of tlm empress dowager were in full sympathy with the anti foreign move ment The increasing gravity of the condi tions In China and the imminence of peril to our own diversified interests in the empire as wall as to those of all the bother treaty governments were soon appreciated by this government caus ing it profound soJJoltude The United States from the eilies days of for- eign intercourse with China had Toliowed ai policy of peace omitting no occasion tto testify good will to fur i her the ex tension of lawful trade to respect the sovcreignty of its government and to In ifiure by all legitimate and kindly but earnest means the fulest measure of protection for the lives and pioperty of our law abiding citizens and for the ex ercise of their beneficent callings among the Chinese people Mindful of this it was felt to be ap propriate that our purpose should be pro nounced In favor of such a course as would hasten united action of the pow ers at Pekln to promote the administra tive reforms so greatly needed for strengthening the imperial government and maintaining the integrity of China In which we believed the whole western world to be alike concerned To these ends I caused to be addressed to the several powers occupying territory and maintaining spheres of influence in China the circular proposals of 1899 inviting -from them declarations of their inten sions and views as to the desirapility of the adootlon of measures insuring the benefits of equality of treatment of all foreign trade throughout China 4- With gratifying unanimity the re isponses coincided with this common Hey enabling me to see in the successful termination of these negotiations proof of the friendly spirit which animates the various powers interested in the untram mcled development of commerce and in dustry of the Chinese empire as a source of vast benefit to the whole commercial world In this conclusion which I had the gratification to anounce as a completed tn the interested powers on March 20 1900 I hopefully discerned a potential factor ror me aoaieraeni oi the distrust of foreign purposes -which for a year past had appeared to Inspire the policy of the Imperial government nd for the effective exertion by it of upower and authority to quell the critical anti foreign movement in the northern provinces most immediately influenced Jiy the Hanchu sentiment Seeking to testify confidence in the willingness and ability of the imperial Administration to redress the wrongs and m i tmu im9n tsryj prevent the evils we suffered and reared tne marine guard which had been sent to Pekln in the autumn of 1899 for the protection of the- legation was with drawn at the earliest pra ctical moment and all the pending questions were re mitted as far as we were concerned to the ordinary resorts of diplomatic inter course The Chinese government proved how ever unable to check the rising strength of the Boxers and appeared to be a prey to internal dissensions In the unequal contest the anti foreign Influ ences soon gained the ascendancy under the leadership of Prince Tuan Organ ized armies of Boxers with which the imperial armies affiliated held the coun try between Pekln and the coast pene trated into Manchuria up to the Russian border and through their emissaries threatened a like rising throughout northern China Attacks upon foreigners destruction of property and slaughter of native con verts were reported from all sides The already permeated with hostile sympathies could make no ef fective response to the appeals of the le gations At this critical juncture in the early spring of this year a proposal was made by the other powers that a com bined fleet should be assembled in Chi nese waters as a moral demonstration under cover of which to exact of the Chinese government respect for foreign treaty rights and the suppression of the Boxers The United States while not partici pating in the joint demonstration promptly sent from the Philippines all ships that could be spared for service on the Chinese coast A small force of ma- i rines was landed at Taku and sent to Pekln for the protection of the Amencna legation Other powers took similar ac tion until some 400 men were assembled in the capital as legation guards Still the peril increased The legations reported the development of the seditious movement In Pekin and the need of in creased provision for defense against it While preparations were in progress for a larger expedition to strengthen the lega tion guards and keep the railways open an attempt of the foreign ships to make a landing at Taku was met by a fire from the Chinese forts The forts were there upon shelled by the foreign vessels the American admiral taking no part in the attack on the ground that we were not at war with China and that a hostile dem onstration might consolidate the anti foreign elements and strengthen the Box ers to oppose the relieving column Two days later the Taku forts were captured after a sanguinary conflict Severance of communication with Pekin followed and a combined force of additional guards which were advancing to Pekln by the Pel Ho was checked at Lang Fang The Isolation of tne legations was complete On June 19 the legations were cut off An identical note from the yamen or dered each minister to leave Pekin un der a promised escort within twenty fpur hours To gain time they replied asking prolongation of the time which was afterward granted and requesting an interview with the tsungll yamen on the following day No reply being re celved on the morning of the 20th the German minister Baron von Ketteier set out for the yamen to obtain a response and on the way was murdered An attempt by the legation guard to recover his body was foiled by the Chi nese Armed forces turned out against the legations Their quarters were sur rounded and attacked The mission compounds were abandoned their inmates taking refuge in the British legation where all the other legations and guards gathered for more effective defense Four hundred persons were crowded in Us narrow compass Two thousand native converts were assembled in a nearby palace under protection of the foreign ers Lines of defense were strengthened trenches dug barricades raised and prep arations made to stand a siege which at once began From June 20 until July 17 writes Minister Conger there was scarcely an hour during which there was not firing upon some part of our lines and into some of the legations varying from a single shot to a general and con tinuous attack along the whole line Ar tillery was placed around the legations and on the overlooking palace walls and thousands of 3 inch shot and shell were fired destroying some buildings and dam gaing all So thickly did the balis rain that when the ammunition of the be sieged ran low five quarts of Chinese bullets were gathered in an hour in one compound and recast Attempts were made to burn the lega tions by setting neighboring houses on fire but the flames were successfully fought off although the Austrian Bel gian Italian and Dutch legations were then and subsequently burned To save life and ammunition the be sieged sparingly returned the incessant fire of the Chinese soldiery fighting only to repel attack or make an occasional successful sortie for strategic advantage such as that of fifty five Americans Brit ish and Russian marines led by Captain Myers of the United States Marine corps which resulted in the capture of a for midable barricade on the wall that grave ly menaced the American position It was held to the last and proved an in valuable acquisition because commanding the water gate through which the relief column entered During the siege the defenders lost sixty five killed 135 wounded and seven by disease the last all children On July 14 the besieged had their first communication with the tsungli vamen from whom a message came inviting to a conference which was declined Cor respondence however ensued and a sort of armistice was agreed upon which stopped the bombardment and lessened the rifle fire for a time Even then no protection whatever was afforded nor any aid given save to send to the legations a small supply of fruit and three oacks of flour Indeed the only communication had with the Chinese government related to the occasional delivery or dispatch of a telgeram or to the demands of the ttungll yamen for the withdrawal of the legation to the coast under escort Not only are the protestations of the Chinese govern ment that it protected and succored the legations positively contradicted but ir resistible proof accumulates that the at tacks upon them were made by Imperial troops regularly uniformed armed and officered belonging to the command of Jung Lu the imperial commander-in-chief Decrees encouraging the Boxers organizing them under prominent im perial officersT provisioning them and even granting them large sums in the name of the empress dowager are known to exist Members of the tsungli yamen who counseled protection of the foreigners were beheaded Even In the distant prov inces men suspected of foreign sympathy were put to death prominent among these being Chang Yen Hooh formerly Chinese minister in Washington With the negotiation of the partial ar mistice of July 14 a proceeding which was doubtless promoted by the representations of the Chinese envoy in Washington the way was opened for the conveyance to Mr Conger of a test message sent by the secretary of state through the Kind offices of Minister Wu Ting Fang Mr Congers reply dispatched from Pekln on July 18 through the same channel afford ed to the outside world the first tidings that the inmates of the legations were still alive and hoping for succor This news stimulated the powers for a joint relief expedition in numbers suffi cient to overcome the resistance which for a month had been organizing between Taku and the capital Reinforcements sent by all the co operating governments were constantly arriving The United States contingent hastily assembled from the Philippines or dispatched from this country amounted to some 5000 men un der the able command first of the la mented Colonel Llscum and afterward of General Chaffee Toward the end of July the movement began A severe conflict followed at Tien Tsin In which Colonel Liscum was killed The city was stormed and partly de stroyed Its capture afforded the base of operations from which to make the final advance which began In the first days of August the expedition being made of Japanese Russian British and American troops at the outset Another battle was fought and won at Yang Tsun Thereafter the disheartened Chinese troops offered little show of re sistance A few days later the import ant position of Ho Si Woo was taken A rapid march brought the united forces to the populous city of Tung Chow which capitulated without a contest On August 14 the capital was reached After a brief conflict beneath the walls the relief column entered and the lega tions were saved The United States sol diers sailors and marines officers and men alike in those distant climes and unusual olirroundlngs showed the same valor discipline and good conduct and gave proof of the same high degree of intelligence and efficiency which have dis tinguished them in every emergency The imperial family and the govern ment had fled a few days before The city was without visible control The remaining imperial soldiery had made on the night of the 13th a last attempt to exterminate the besieged which was gal lantly repelled It fell to the occupying forces to restore order and organize a provisional administration Happily the acute disturbances were conflned to the northern provinces It is a relief to recall and a pleasure to record the loyal conduct of the viceroys and local authorities of the southern and east ern provinces Their efforts were con tinuously directed to the pacific control of the vast populations under their rule and to the scrupulous observance of for eign treaty rights At critical moments they did not hesitate to memorialize the throne urging the protection of the Uons the restoration of communication and the assertion of the imperial author ity against the subversive elements They maintained excellent relations with the official representatives of foreign powers To their kindly disposition is largely due the success of the consuls in removing many of the missionaries from the in terior to places of safety In this rela tion the action of the consuls should be highly commended In Shan Tung and eastern Chi Li the task was difficult but thanks to their energy and the co-operation of American and foreign naval com manders hundreds of foreigners includ ing those of other nationalities than ours were rescued from imminent peril The policy of the United States through all this trying period was clearly an nounced and scrupulously carried out A circular note to the powers dated July 3 proclaimed our attitude Treat ing the condition in the north as one of virtual anarchy in which the great provinces of the south had no share we regarded the local authorities in the lat ter quarters as representing the Chinese people with whom we sought to remain in peace and friendship Our declared aims involved no war against the Chi nese nation We adhered to the legiti mate office of rescuing the imperiled le gation obtaining redress for wrongs al ready suffered securing wherever pos sible the safety of American life and property in China and preventing a spread of the disorders or their recur rence As was then said the policy of the government of the United States is to seek a solution which may bring about permanent safety and peace to China preserve Chinese territory and adminis trative entity protect all rights guaran teed to friendly powers by treaty and in ternational law and safeguard for the world the principle ofequal and impar tial trade with all parts of the Chinese empire Faithful to those professions which as it proved reflected the views and pur poses of the other co operating govern ments all our efforts have been directed toward ending the anomalous situation In China by negotiations for a settlement at the earliest possible moment As soon as the sacred duty of relieving our le gation and its dependents was accom plished we withdrew from active hos tilities leaving our legation under an adequate guard at Pekin as a channel of negotiations and settlement a course adopted by others of the interested pow ers Overtures of the empowered repre sentatives of the Chinese emperor have not been considerably entertained The Russian propositions looking to the res toration of the Imperial power in Pekin has been accepted as in full consonance with our own desires for we have held and hold that effective reparation for wrongs suffered and an enduring settle ment that will make their recurrence im possible can best be brought about under an authority which the Chinese nation reverences and obeys While so doing we forego no jot of our undoubted right to exact exemplary and deterrent punishment of the responsible authors and abettors of the criminal acts where by we and other nations have suffered grievous injuries Taking as a point of departure the im perial edict appointing Li Hung Chang and Prince Chin plenipotentiaries to ar range a settlement and the edict of Sep tember 25 whereby certain high officials were designated for punishment this government has moved in concert with the other powers toward the opening of negotiations which Mr Conger as sisted by Mr Rockhill has been author ized to conduct on behalf of the United States General bases of negotiation formulated by the government of the French repub lic have been adopted with certain res ervations as to details made necessary by our own circumstances but like sim ilar reservations by other powers open to discussion in the progress of the ne gotiations The dlsDOsItion of the em perors government to admit liability for j wrongs aono to roreign governments and their national representatives and to act upon such additional designation of the guilty persons as the foreign ministers at Pekin may be in a position to make gives hope of a complete settlement of all questions involved assuring foreign rights of residence and intercourse on terms of equality for all the world The matter of indemnity for our wronged citizens is a question of grave concern Measured in money alone a sufficient reparation may prove to be be yond the ability of China to meet All the powers concur in emphatic disclaim ers of any purpose of aggradizement through the dismemberment of the em pire I am disposed to think that due compensation may be made in part by Increased guaranties of security for for eign rights and immunities and most Important of all by the opening of China to the equal commerce of all the world These views have been and will be ear nestly advocated by our representatives TREASURY OPERATIOMS FAVOR ABLE It is gratifying to be able to state that the surplus revenues for the fiscal year ended June 301900 were 795270601S For the six preceding years we had only de ficits the aggregate of which from 1894 to 1899 inclusive amounted to 283022 99114 The receipts for the year from all sources exclusive of postal revenues ag gregated 56724085189 and expenditures for all purposes except for the adminis tration of the postal department aggre gated 48771379171 The receipts from customs were 23316487116 an increase over the preceding year of 2703638941 Receipts from internal revenue were 29532792676 an increase of 2189076525 over 1899 The receipts from miscellane ous sources were 3874805397 as against 3639497692 for the previous year It is gratifying also to note that during the year a considerable reduction is shown in the expenditures of the gov ernment The war department expendi tures for the fiscal year 1900 were 134 77476778 a reduction of 9506648669 over those of 1899 In the navy department the expenditures were 5595307772 for the year 1900 as against 6394210425 for the preceding year a decrease of 798902653 In the expenditures on account of In dians there was a decrease in 1900 over 1899 of 263060438 and in the civil and miscellaneous expenses for 1900 there was a reduction of 1341806574 Because of the excess of revenues over expenditures the secretary of the treas ury was enabled to apply bonds and other securities to the sinking fund to the amount of 5655455606 The details of the sinking fund are set forth in the report of the secretary of the treasury to which I invite attention The secre tary of the treasury estimated that the receipts for the current fiscal year will aggregate 580000000 and the expendi tures 500000000 leaving an excess of revenues over expenditures of 80000000 The present condition of the trtusury is one of undoubted strength The available cash balance in November was 139303 79450 Under f he form of statement prior to the financial law of March 14 last there would have been Included in the statement of available cash gold coin and bullion held for the redemption of United States notes If this form were pursued the cash bal ance including the present gold reserve of 150000000 would be 28930379450 Such balance November 30 1899 was 296495 30155 In the general fund -which is wholly separate from the reserve and trust funds there was on November 30 57009007315 In gold coin and bullion to which should be added 22957300 in gold certificates subject to issue against which there is held in the division of redemp tion gold coin and bulpllon making a total holding of free gold amounting to 9304737315 It will be the duty as I am sure it will be the disposition of the congress to pro vide whatever further legislation is needed to insure the continued parity under all conditions between our two forms of metallic money silver and gold Our surplus revenues have permitted the secretary of the treasury since the close of the fiscal year to call in the funded loan of 1891 continued at 2 per cent in the sum of 25364500 To and including November 30 23458100 of these bonds has been paid This sum to gether with the amount which may accrue from further redemptions under the call will be applied to the sinking fund The beneficial effect of the financial act of 1900 so far as it relates to the modifica tion of the national banking act is al ready apparent The provision for the incorporation of national banks with a capital of not Hess than 25000 in places not exceeding 3000 inhabitants has re sulted in the extension of banking fa cilities to many small communities hith erto unable to provide themselves with banking institutions under the national system There were organized from the enactment of the law up to and including November 30 369 national banks of which 266 were with capital less than 50000 and 103 with capital of 50000 or more Our foreign trade shows a remarkable record of commercial and industrial prog ress The total of Imports and exports for the first time in the history of the country exceeded 2000000000 The ex ports are far greater than they have ever been before the total for the fiscal year 1900 being 13944830S2 an Increase over 1899 of 167459780 an Increase over 1898 of 163000072 over 1S97 of 343489526 and greater than 1896 by 511876144 The growth of manufactures in the United States is evidenced by the fact that the exports of manufactured pro ducts last year exceed those of any pre vious year their value being 483851756 against 339592146 in 1899 an increase of 28 per cent Agricultural products- were also ex ported during 1900 in greater volume than in 1899 the total ofr the year being 835 S5S123 against 784776142 in 1899 EXTENSION OF AMERICAN TRADE The failure of action by the senate at its last session upon the commercial con ventions then submitted for Its considera tion and annroval although caused bv the great pressure of other legislative business has caused much disappoint ment to the agricultural and industrial interests of the country which hoped to profit by their provisions The conven tional periods for their ratification hav ing expired it became necessary to sign articles extending the time for that pur pose This was requested on our part and the other governments interested have concurred with the exception of one convention in respect to which no formal reply has been received In my last com munication to congress on this subject special commercial agreements under the third section of the tariff act have been proclaimed with Portugal with Italy and with Germany Commercial conventions under the general limitations of the fourth section of the same have been con cluded with Nicaragua with Ecuador with the Dominican republic with Great Britain on behalf of the Island of Trini dad and with Denmark on behalf of the Island of St Croix This will be early communicated to the senate Negotiations with other governments are In progress for the improvement and security of our commercial relations The policy of reciprocity so manifestly rests upon the principle of international equality and has been so readily approved by the people of the United States that there ought to be no hesitation in either branch of congress in giving to it full effect This government desires to preserve the most just and amicable commercial rela tions with all foreign countries unmoved by the industrial rivalries necessarily de veloped in the expansion of international trade It is believed that the foreign gov ernments generally entertain the same purpose although in some instances there are clamorous demands upon them for legislation specifically hostile to American interests Should these demands prevail I shall communicate with congress with a view of advising such legislation as may be necessary to meet the emergency The exposition of the resources and products of the western hemisphere to be held at Buffalo next year promises im portant results not only for the United States but for the other participating countries It is gratifying that the Latin American states have evinced the liveliest interest and the fact that an interna tional American congress will be held in the City of Mexico while the exposition is in progress encourages the hope of a larger display at Buffalo than might otherwise be practicable The work of preparing an exhibit of our national re sources Is making satisfactory progress under the direction of the different offi cials of the federal government and the various states of the union have shown a disposition toward the most liberal par ticipation in the enterprise The Bureau of American Republics con tinues to discharge with the happiest re sults the important work of promoting cordial relations between the United States and the Latin American countries all of which are now active members of the International union The bureau has been instrumental in bringing about the agreement for another international American congress which is to meet in the City of Mexico In October 190L The bureaus future for another term of ien years is assured by the international com pact but the congress will doubtless have much to do with shaping new lines of work and a general policy Its usefulness to the interests of Latin American trade is widely appreciated and shows a grat ifying development line practical utility of the consular service in obtaining a wide range of in formation as to the industries and com merce of other countries for introducing the sale of our goods has kept steadily in advance of the notable expansion of our foregin trade and abundant evidence has been furnished both at home and abroad of the fact that the consular reports in cluding many from our diplomatic repre sentatives have to a considerable extent pointed out ways and means of disposing of a great variety of manufactured goods which otherwise might not have found sale abroad REVISION OF REVENUE LAWS I recommend that the congress at Its present session reduce the internal reve nue taxes imposed to meet the expenses of the war with Spain in the sum of 30 000000 This reduction should be secured by the remission of those taxes which experience has shown to be the most burdensome to the industries of the peo ple I specially urge that there be included In whatever reduction is made the legacy tax bequests for public uses of a literary educational or charitable character American vessels during the last three years have carried about 9 per cent of our exports and imports Foreign ships should carry the least not the greatest part of American trade The remarkable growth of our steel industries the progress of ship building for the domestic trade and our steadily maintained expenditures for the navy have created an opportunity to place the United States in the first rank of commercial maritime powers Besides realizing a proper national as piration this will mean the establishment and healthy growth along all our coasts of a distinctive national industry ex panding the field for profitable employ ment of labor and capital It will increase the transportation facilities and reduce freight charges on the vast volume of products brought from the interior to the seaboard for export and will strengthen an arm of the national defense upon which the founders of the government and their successors have relied In again urging immediate action by the congress on measures to promote American ship building and foreign trade I direct at tention to the recommendations on the subject in previous messages and par ticularly to the opinion expressed in the message of 1899 I am satisfied the judgment of the country favors the policy of aid to our merchant marine which will broaden our commerce and markets and upbuild our sea carrying capacity for the products of agriculture and manufacture which with the increase of our navy mean more work and wages to our countrymen as weir as a safeguard to American interests i jswiffpwanaB N in every part of the world The attention of congress Is Invited to the recommendation of the secretary of the treasury in his annual report for leg islation in behalf of the revenue cutter service and favorable action is urged In my last annual message to the con gress I called attention to the necessity for early action to remedy such evils as might be found to exist in- connection with combinations of capital organized into trusts and again invite attention to my discussion of the subject at that time which concluded with these words It is apparent that uniformity of leg islation upon this subject in the several states is much to be desired It is to bo hoped that such uniformity founded in a wise and just discrimination between what is injurious and what is useful and necessary in business operations may be obtained and that means may be found for the congress within the limitations of its constitutional power so to supple ment an effective code of state legislation as to make a complete system of laws throughout the United States adequate to compel a general observance of the torr TMlloo tn TTfHIrtVi T Tiova TntnyroA1 ff t The whole Question is so important and far reaching that I am sure no part of it will be lightly considered but every phase of it will have the studied delib eration of the congress resulting in wise and judicious action Restraint upon such combinations as are injurious and which are within fed eral jurisdiction should be promptly ap plied by the congress GOVERNMENT OF PORTO RICO The civil government of Porto Rico pro vided for by the act of congress approved April 12 19C0 is in successful operation The courts have been established The governor and his associates working In telligently and harmoniously are meet ing with commendable success On November 6 a general election was held in the island for members of the legislature and the body elected has been called to convene on the first Monday In December I recommend that legislation be enacted by the congress conferring upon the sec retary of the Interior supervision of the public lands in Porto Rico that he be directed to ascertain the location and quantity of lands the title to which re mained in the crown of Spain at the date of cession of Porto Rico to the United States and that appropriations necessary for surveys be made and that the meth ods of the disposition of such lands be prescribed by law FRAMING CONSTITUTION FOR CUBA On July 25 1900 I directed that a call be issued for an election in Cuba for members of a constitutional convention to frame a constitution on a basis for a stable and Independent government in the island In pursuance thereof the military governor issued the following Instruc tions Whereas The congress of the United States by its joint resolution of April 20 1S98 declared That the people of the Island of Cuba are and of right ought to be free and in dependent That the United States hereby dis claims any disposition or intention to ex ercise sovereignty jurisdiction or control over said island except for the pacifica tion thereof and asserts its determina tion when that is accomplished to leave the government and control of the Island to Its people And whereas the people of Cuba have established municipal governments de riving their authority from the suffrages of the people given under just and equal laws and are now ready In like manner to proceed with the establishment of a general government which shall assume and exercise sovereignty jurisdiction and control over the island Therefore it is ordered that a general election be held in the island of Cuba on the third Saturday of September in the year 1900 to elect delegates to the con vention to meet in the city of Havana at 12 oclock noon on the first Monday of November in the year K00 to frame and adopt a constitution for the people of Cuba and as a part thereof to provide for and agree with the government of the United States upon the relations to exist between that government and the gov ernment of Cuba and to provide for the election by the people of officers under such constitution and the transfer of gov ernment to the officers so elected The election will be held in the several voting precincts of the island under and pursuant to the provisions of the elec toral law of April 18 1900 and the amend ments thereof The election was held on September 15 and the convention assembled on Novem ber 5 1900 and is now in session In call ing the convention to order the military governor of Cuba made the following statement As military governor of the island representing the president of the United States I call this convention to order It will be your duty first to frame and adopt a constitution for Cuba and when that has been done to formulate what In your opinion ought to be the re lations between Cuba and the United States The constitution must be adequate to secure a stable orderly and free govern ment When you have formulated the rela tions which In your opinion ought to ex ist between Cuba and the United States the government of the United States will doubtless take such action on its part as shall lead to a final and authoritative agreement between the people of the two countries to the promotion of their com mon interests All friends of Cuba will follow your deliberations with the deepest interest earnestly desiring that you shall reach just conclusions and that by the dignity individual self restraint and wise con servatism which shall characterize your proceedings the capacity of the Cuban people for representative government may be signally Illustrated EXPLAINS NEEDS OF THE NAVY The personal strength of the army is 100000 men 65000 regulars and 35000 vol unteers Under the act of March 2 1899 on June 30 next the present volunteer force will be discharged and the regular army will be reduced to 2447 officers and 29025 enlisted men In 1888 a board of officers convened by President Cleveland adopted a compre hensive scheme for coast defense fortifi cations which involved the outlay of something over 100000000 This plan re ceived the approval of congress and since then regular appropriations have been made and the work of fortification has steadily progressed More than 60000000 has been invested in a great number of forts and guns with all the complicated and scientific machinery and electrical appliances necessary for their use The proper care of this defensive machinery requires men trained to its use The num ber of men necessary to perform this duty alone is ascertained by the war de partment at a minimum allowance to be 19420 There are fifty eight or more military posts in the United States other than the coast defense fortifications The number of these posts is being constantly In- J creasea Dy congress man 000 has been expended in Dunning and equipment and they can only be cared for by the regular army The posts now In existence and others to be built pro vide for accommodations for and if fully garrisoned require 26000 troops Many of these posts are along- our fron tier or at important strategic points the occupation of which is necessary We have in Cuba between 5000 and C000 troops For the present our troops in that island cannot be withdrawn or ma terially diminished and certainly not until the conclusion of the labors of the constitutional convention now in session and a government provided bv the new constitution shall have been established and its stability assured In Porto Rico we have reduced the gar risons to 1636 which includes 856 native troops There is no room for further re duction here We will be required to keep a considerable force in the Philippine islands for some time to come From the best information obtainable we shall need there for the immediate future from 50000 to 60000 men I am sure the number may be reduced as the insurgents shall come to acknowledge the authority of the United States of which there are assur ing indications It must be apparent that we will re quire an army of about 60000 and that during the present conditions in Cuba and the Philippines the president should have authority to Increase the force to the present number of 100000 Included in this number authority should be given to raise native troops in the Philippines nn tn 15000 which the Taft commission believes will be more effective in detect- ing and suppressing guerillas aasassfna and ladrones than our own aoUHcrg The full discussion of this suWectl the secretary of war in his annual report is called to your earnest attention I renew the recommendation f1 my last annual message that the con gress provide a special medal pf honor and for the volunteers regulars sailors marines on duty in the Phillpp Ines who voluntarily remained in th6 service after their terms of enlistment had expired I favor the recommendation ottttesec retary of war for a detail of officers ol the line of the army when vacancies- oc cur in the adjutant generals depart ment inspector generals department quartermaster generals department sud sistence department pay department ordnance department and signal corps une army cannot ue iuu - mended for its faithful and effective-service in active military operations In tne field and the difficult work of civil ad ministration RURAL FREE DELIVERY A FEA TURE The continued and rapid growth of the postal service is a sure index of the ffreat and increasing business activity of tne country Its most striking new develop ment is the extension of rural free de livery This has come almost wholly within the last year At the beginning of the fiscal year 1899 1S00 the number of routes in operation was only 391 and most of these had been running less than twelve months On the 15th of November 1900 the number had Increased to 2614 reaching into forty four states and ter ritories and serving a population of 1801524 The number of applications now pending and awaiting action nearly equals all those granted up to the present time and by the close of the current fiscal year about 4000 routes will have been established providing for the daily delivery of mails at the scattered homes of about 3500000 rural population This service ameliorates the isolation of farm life conduces to good roads and quickens and extends the dissemination of general information Experience thus far has tended to allay the apprehension that It would be so expensive as to for bid its general adoption or to make it a serious burden Its actual application has shown that it Increases postal receipts and can be accompanied by reductions in other branches of the service so that the augmented revenues and the accom plished savings together materially re duce the net cost The evidences which point to these conclusions arc presented in detail in the annual report of the-post-master general which with its recom mendations is recommended to the con sideration of the congress The full de velopment of this special service how ever requires such a large outlay of money that it should be undertaken only nftor n nnrofni atnrtv and thnrouzh un derstanding of all that It involves INTERIOR DEPARTMENT AFFAIRS The total area of public lands as given by the secretary of the Interior is ap proximately 1071881662 acres of which 917935880 acres are undisposed of and 154145782 acres have been reserved for various purposes The public lands dis posed of during the year amount to 13 45388796 acres including 6242309 acres of Indian lands an increase of 427147485 over the preceding year The total re ceipts from the sale of public lands dur ing the fiscal year were 437975810 an increase of 130962076 over the preceding1 year The results obtained from our forest policy have demonstrated its wisdom and the necessity in the interest of the public for Its continuance and increased appro priations by the congress for the carrying on of the work On June 30 1900 there were thirty seven forest reserves created by presidential proclamations under sec tion 24 of the act of March 3 1891 em bracing an area of 46456489 acres SOME GENERAL RECOMMENDA TIONS In my annual message of December 5 1898 I called attention to the necessity for some amendment of the alien con tract law There still remain important features of the rightful application of the eight hour law for the benefit of labor and of the principle of arbitration -and I again commend these subjects to -the careful attention of the congress That there may be secured the best service possible in the Philippine islands I have issued under date of November 10 1900 the following order The United States civil service com mission is directed to render such as sistance as may be practicable to the civil service board created under the act of the United States Philippine commis sion for the establishment and mainte nance of an honest and efficient civil service in the Philippine islands and for that purpose to conduct examinations for the civil service of the Philippine Islands upon the request of the civil service board of said islands under such regu lations as may be agreed unpn by the said board and the said Unfted States civil service commission The civil service commission is greatly embarrassed in its -work for want of an adequate permanent force for clerical and other assistance Its needs are fully set forth in Its report I invite atten tion to the report and especially urge upon the congress that this important bureau of the public service which passes upon the qualifications and character of so large a number of the officers and em ployes of the government should be sup ported by all needed appropriations to secure promptness and efficiency I am very much impressed with th statement made by the heads of all the departments of the urgent necessity of a hall of public records In every depart mental building in Washington so far as I am informed the space for official records is not only exhausted but the walls of rooms are lined with shelves the middle floor space of many rooms is filled with file cases and garrets and basements which were never Intended and are unfitted for their accommodation are crowded with them Aside from the inconvenience there Is great danger not only from fire but from the weight of these records upon timbers not Intended for their support There should be a separate building especially designed for the purpose of receiving and preserving the annually accumulating archives of the several executive departments Such a hall need not be a costly structure but should be so arranged as to permit of enlargement from time to time I ur gently recommend that the congress take early action in this matter The transfer of the government to thia city is a fact of great historical interest Among the people there is a feeling of genuine pride In the capital of the repub lic It is a matter of interest in this connection that in 1800 the population of the District of Columbia was 14093 today It is 27871S The population of the city of Washington was then 3210 today it is 218196 The congress having provided for an appropriate national celebration of the centennial anniversary of the establish ment of the seat of government in the District of Columbia the committee authorized by it have prepared a pro gram for the 12th oC December 1900 which date has been selected as the an niversary day Deep interest has been shown in the arrangements for the cele bration by the members of the commit tees of the senate and house of repre sentatives the committee of governors appointed by the president and the com mittees appointed by the citizens and in habitants of the District of Columbia generally The program in addition to a reception and other exercises at the ex ecutive mansion provides commemora tive exercises to be held jointly by the senate and house of representatives in the hall of the house of representatives and a reception in the evening at the Corcoran gallery of art in Honor of the governors of the states and territories In our great prosperity we must guard against the danger it Invites of extrava gance in government expenditures and appropriations and the chosen repre sentatives of the people will 1 doubt not furnish an example in their legislation of that wise economy whicn in a season of plenty husbands for the future In this era of great business activity and opportunity caution is not untimely It will not abate but strengthen confidence It will not retard but promote legitimate industrial and commercial expansion Our growing power brings with it the complications and perils requiring con stant vigilance to avoid It must not Te used to invite conflicts nor for oppression butrfor t5e mst elective maintenance of those principles of equality and justice upon which our Institutions and happi ness depend Let us keep always in mind that the foundation of our govern ment is liberty its superstructure Deace TVTLLIAM McKINLEY Executive Mansion Dec 3 1900 w tf r 4 f