Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-19

From the above it appears that there has been an
ac4"i annual reduction in the average expense Of
each otlcer and soldier in the service,
~ the year 1912, of S 16 81 each
i" io2u q! 1856 60 each
lo2l' OF l64 55 each;
- And by cStimaies for 1922, of I5S II each
Inc act OF Congress fO- organizing the general
stan, agreeahy TO lis presen, formation, was not an
fo,eu uhui The 18th OF April, 1885, and the change
III te system Tor controlling tho disbursements of the
army, under the supeIinendence of the chiefs of
each department located at Washington could not
ne sufficiently mstured before the close of the year
ioi9, winch, with the additional expense 10 which
;p department. was unavoidably sub
Jeeted IN t'e year 1919, from occupying advanced
mary posts on the Missouri and Miss ssipp rivers,
w account Tor the comparatively little reduction in
the expenditure IN that year.
HE expenditure for The wear 1920 com,,red with
me aggregate o! individuals composing the military
establishment, though favorable as contrasted with
me expenses OF l8iS, 1919, and $780, is not so with
1871 Ibis difference is accounted for from The pre-
seni organization of the military establishments the
ohcefs bein9 IN larger proportion TO the rank and
me- ihan under the former organization !; but if we
sNo"Iu suppose INC proportion TO be the same, the
comparison, founded on the estimates for 1922, would
more favorable IN IFS results than in the expend
lures oil me preceding year. From table c il further
'peas, mar the army for the year 1878, being 9l99
strong, including general staff professors of the mill
tAfy academy, cadets, and enlisted men, cost for thar
year ,495 o., and that for the same numerisa
force, al The rate OF the expenditures in 1875 would
have cost,
cor 1919 S3,564,155 80
or 1870 2,539,900 IL
For 1921 o'9S, 976 90
/. =, And, on the estimates for 1922 2,455,272 81
a'ter making an allowance for the diifere nee in
pr ices OF articles of supplies, above stated the
ies,.l's III vor OF latter wears are respectyeIy
J l5S,SS9 u, SllE,59f 81 81 ,3io2l8 aud sI,2l7,
ouch ate the results, founded on the saten,e II,
OF the Second Auditor OF the Treasury department.
net WHICH Tor The reasons which he has assigned in
nl' report may not be strictly correct us The ac-
nj nN.f,
Sc paratey. 1T Is, however, confidently believed thai
any inaccuracy in the mode of ascertainng the
amount OF the expenditures of the several yeais
cannoi 10 any considerable degree, vary the resnii
Ibis great reduction in the expenditure has been
efectedb by the present organization, principally b,
the mo'e minute control which, through it, las been
gwen both to the disbursements OF public money and
me preservation OF public properly. Its beneficial
effects have been no less striking in the PROMPT rem.
dItion and settlement of the accounts of disbusnp
ofhoers All The accounts for supplies and dishuse-
mems IN The department offhe Conrnissary of Sub
siStence, for the year ending the Isr June last the
pefiod at which the Contracts for SURVIVING the army
expired are settled, exGept "A few small ones IL
mounting, IN the whole, to &5,405 IS, though there
were seveniy-oB contracts formed and nipeir-one
dIsbursng officers attached 10 this department during
that year.
HE settlements in the other subordinate branches
oil HIS department not less prompt IL is believ-
ed that the system has attained nearly all the perfec
ton OF which IL is scepble, "a by reference TO the
liable marked e, II will I've that those expondi-
lures la'ue 10 be aHected 10y administration, and
winch are principally account OF the soldiers will
he bat little reduced in this year, when compared
WIN those of last years and IL is not doubted hut III
u preserved, the system will hereafter prevent the
accumulation OF unsettled accounts and OF any cor.
siderable losses ia the expenditure for the army
Taxing every circumstance into consideration, the
number and distance Of the posts the quantity and
qualify OF The supplies, and the large proportion Of
oihcets aud cadets, which, while il better fnlfs the
object Ola peace establishment, renders the army
more expensive, when compared with tho aggregate
OF Individuals including officers, cadets and pryates,
u is believed that, at period, has the expense Of
The military establishment been IN proportion 10 its
sze, 50 small as under IFS present organization.
Table marked u confirms a comparative statement
OF the expense Of supplying the army, from the first
OF June, 1916, I'LL The 3ls Of May, 1917 under the
former system, and the under the present from
Tie hrst Of June, 1920, I'LL the 5lst OF MAY, 18I
Inc new system commenced IFS operation the first
OF June, 1919, and, additional expenses were
necessarily incurred in the first year. il was thought
that the operation of the system would he more fair
y testedby taking the subsequent year. The wear
from be first Of June, 1916, was assumed under the
old system IN preference TO subsequent years, under
the belief that presents the airesi test of the ope-
ration OF the former system, the accounts Of that
year being more completely adjusted, and uo nyolv-
ed IN the increased expenditure on account Of the
Seminole war
have she honor TO be, &c.
). G. CALHOUN.
hon. p. p BARBouR,
Speaker House Of Representatives. H. s.