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Show INK CHANGES IN MiLITARYJAVORED Annual Report of Secretary of War Makes Several Interesting Interest-ing Recommendations. WOULD NOT KEEP TROOPS AT THE REMOTE FORTS More Officers, and Promotion on the Merit System Are Also Suggested. WASHINGTON, Dec. 1. Many changes in the military establishment are suggested by Secretary of War Dickinson in his annual report. Ho recommends: rec-ommends: A change in tho Eoosovclt physical tests, so as to require of officers, in addition ad-dition io tho annual, a weekly riding or walking tost. Tho division of the United States into territorial and tactical districts, so that tho organized militia of tho states ma- bo convenient! combined with tho regular army stationed therein into permanent per-manent brigades, divisions and corps and for instruction, and tactical organization. organ-ization. Disapproves Eemoto Forts. Tho location of troops in or near tho principal cities instead of distributing distrib-uting them at rcmoto forts, to meet tho threo requirements of economy, possibility pos-sibility of rapid movement and tho training of tho militia. More officers for tho army and promotion pro-motion on tho merit system. Liberal appropriations for tho completion, comple-tion, of fortification projects of tho Philippines, Phil-ippines, Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. Encouragomont of rifle practice among citizens nnd school boys. Tho establishment of a nationnl park at Niagara Falls to prcservo its sconic features. Tho secretary mado public his estimates esti-mates to congress for the coming fiscal year nmounting to $95,325,399, or $8,-000,000 $8,-000,000 less than appropriated for the present fiscal year. |