of the United States:_

The President, upon this anniversary of national independence, wishes to
express to the officers and enlisted men of the United States Army his
deep appreciation of the service they have rendered to the country in
the great and difficult undertakings which they have brought to a
successful conclusion during the past year.

He thanks the officers and the enlisted men who have been maintaining
order and carrying on the military government in Cuba, because they
have faithfully given effect to the humane purposes of the American
people. They have with sincere kindness helped the Cuban people to take
all the successive steps necessary to the establishment of their own
constitutional government. During the time required for that process
they have governed Cuba wisely, regarding justice and respecting
individual liberty; have honestly collected and expended for the
best interests of the Cuban people the revenues, amounting to over
$60,000,000; have carried out practical and thorough sanitary measures,
greatly improving the health and lowering the death rate of the island.
By patient, scientific research they have ascertained the causes of
yellow fever, and by good administration have put an end to that most
dreadful disease which has long destroyed the lives and hindered the
commercial prosperity of the Cubans. They have expedited justice and
secured protection for the rights of the innocent, while they have
cleansed the prisons and established sound discipline and healthful
conditions for the punishment of the guilty.

They have re-established and renovated and put upon a substantial basis
adequate hospitals and asylums for the care of the unfortunate. They
have established a general system of free common schools throughout
the island, in which over two hundred thousand children are in actual
attendance. They have constructed great and necessary public works.
They have gradually trained the Cubans themselves in all branches of
administration, so that the new government upon assuming power has begun
its work with an experienced force of Cuban civil service employees
competent to execute its orders. They have borne themselves with dignity
and self-control, so that nearly four years of military government
have passed unmarred by injury or insult to man or woman. They have
transferred the government of Cuba to the Cuban people amid universal
expressions of friendship and good will, and have left a record