Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-12
RICHMOND. DECEMBER 10. 1890.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
No q

expenses oft, lay essentially in the right
Organization OF the department, of the
quariermaster general. il, be fortified
with The means of discharging its duties,
and pressed by The legal penalties INCL
dent to The violation Of them, il will i'm
itself form no inconsiderable part of the
national armory. The remembrance of
the evils occasioned by the absence Of
II, and the assurance which its present
! usefulness affords of The same when il
shall be more required, are the urgent
calls on Congress 10 MAINTAIN aud fos-
Ter 1t.
Mkt IN Importance is the commssa-
nat; I'D onc branch of which, or as il is
called HE purchasing department, there
would appear room Tor economical reduc.
'ion. Tie duty of this branch was for.
merly more considerable Ii has now
become essentially Department of clo,l-
| ing, anu involves reliance on upryltness
anh industry rather Than on ability. AS
= Departments. j, is indispensable but
'he reason Is not apparent OF employing
go large number OF individuals TO adj
minister II. Perhaps there might be a
gain in placing it. like The other adminis-
traiivc departments, under ibe personal
Inspeotion OF the Secretary Of War.
he other branch OF the commissariat.
or IA ~ ~ styled the department. al subs
sistencc. Is thus far an experiment. bur
uuquesiionably Tie most fortunate exne.
rimeni, both IN the attempt and exer,,.
lion, that has been made since the CON,
soii!a'ion OF the army. Until The YEAR
| 1918 The national forces were suppIied
niih provisions furnished by contract.
| An act OF Congress at That year, by crea-
ting department for that purpose, en-
powered the array TO became lis own mr.
| uI a
former system included in the contract
prize paid By the government, the profit
ot tie seller al wholesale, Of the comirae-
| tor himself, aud OF these who by agencies
| ard sub contracts. iniervened between
the hrsi holder and the consumer: under
| the present., tn" government itself NAV
| become the sole agent between The first
bargain and Tie consumption, and save
the intermediate profits. Or in cases
| where " may not be economy Tor the gov-.
erumeni 10 purchase outright, The COM
mssaTy general may bargain with the
sab contractor. and substitute his own
slender allowances for The vast prcti,a
heretofore made by The contractor i'm
gross. The machinery of The Quarter
master department Is 10 give the proper
direction TO The stores the SUBSEQUENT
| distribution ~ ihrm, which was an essen.
/ tal expense under The former sysien,.
| devo!ves on the army itself with scarce,v
any esprDse-a at all The abuses incident
10 large pecnuiary advances, and 10 bar
| gains profitable enough 10 be farn.ed our.
| have already ceased under The efforts OF
the upright officer Who is AT the head of
| 'his department. The other advantages
q! the new system are vet TO be deyeI,,n-
ell. Urder The former the mnsi accurate
| mode ot drafting Instruments couI,, not
| ensure compliance with all the conditions
| ct them Where the supply was of a base
| qualify, The alternative wa 10 reject and
| protest no military responsibility rested
| on tho delinquent and The necessities Of
| he army were frequently The safety OF Tie
| contractor, by taking duw holesome arii-
| Giles of bis hands, tor fear OF getting none
at all. Sudden and repcared movements
| made II often cheaper for him TO tail than
TO follow and ihe operations OF all army
ann the tate OF distant gasrIsons were do
pendcn, on the good or bad bargain, or
the Coos or Ill conduct OF AN Individual.
IS The army now contains within itself
III; means of its own supply, and NAV
control AHA, il is dependent on, we have
| right 10 expect that the system may
prove as efficient as IL has already proved
economical This department il becomes
CongTrss TO watch warily, ibai IL NAV
perfect lis o"n experiment, aud render it
permanent barrier 10 abuse.
The pay department is perhaps the
simplest Of all, and vet i. is bui recently
that /, has been well managed. Strict
responsibility, both military and pecunia--
~, and prompt settlements of accounts.
are ibrcsoy causes of lis efficiency. Tie
fxp"nsrs % II are scarcely apparent, as
the final disbursement falls on The army
itself. Tie creates, enian glemeuts have
frn a i,n, al
the service OF The United States. IL is i'm
vain thai Congress votes money, unless it
renders pure tile organ OF lis receipt and
distribution
On the two departments Of orders and
inspection, are dependent the preserva-
tiOn OF elementary knowledge, and the
principles of Internal economy, Under
The arrangement Of the staff according TO
Tie act of 1916, they were appended To
The army IN an anomalous manner, and
al needless expense. By drawing the of
ficers from the line these important du-
lies ma, be administered without COST
IL 10 military inspection there be attach
ed the examination of the accounts of
disbursing officers that department. might
become as essential 10 economy as IL al
ready IL To discipline.
The importance of The medical depart
meDt explains itself. The diseases and
miseries OF the late war, and the vast aud
useless expense incurred 10 prevent them,
are unansweTable arguments. IL 1912 the
nation put together medical department
ut the final moment Of lis necessity, aud
by forcing IL into activity without trial or
preparation, paid the ordinary ierfeit of
tardiuess. During no equal period of any
war, carried on IN temperate climate,
we're there equal ravages of disease, or a
-, ., .x,,.rditnre of sle n