Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-10

,,oro s,,,,rr yic,r the contingent expenses in lS23
ere a, the rate ni -lit per mcnber, winch one "oua
suppose was amg', and IN 1917, S.'l2. us Fas' NJ
rase look place under The immediate eyes oil Congress-
NH %, ve were told ii the Extra Session, by tie pre-
sant chairman Of The Finance Committee, That iheie
ss no room for economy, and that no Tedeclioh couu
h. made, and even in this discussion he has intimate"
that little can be done. AS enormous as are Inc con
,,n, exoc nses of the Houses, mfr from Tie
nv u,eal increase OF expenditures under the head oi
;,l st rrnrrally when large portion is Tor hxed
.l,-i.. who! have not been materially Increased lor
The las, seventeen years. that they are not much Tess
ca throughout the whole range Of this branch OIL tue
public service.
selected FIR more particular examination, the increased
EXPENSES nj collecting the duties on imports In ioSo
i, was s.G6699, equal 10 3 e6-lOo per cent. on t'e
amount rcted and % 100 on the aggregate amount
of imports; and IN 1910 il had increased to 81 ,ol239
81 equal 10 IA l3lU0 per cent on the amount collect
cd and 10 30 100 the aggregate amount o. the in-
tris brinr an actual increase OF nearly million, nnn
nsderably more than double the amour, Of 1873
In 1889 it rose t. 81 ,Il4,olo
Fam these facts, there can be little doubt that more
,I,u million annually may be saved under The two
ions Of contingent expenses of Congress, and the
collection of the customs, without touching the other
great items comprised under the civil list the esecu
live and judicial departments the foreign intercourse
I;rIi houses and miscellaneous. IL would be sale TO
nn down saving of al least half million FOR them.
| shall now pass to the military, with which am
more familiar propose to Genuine my remarks almost
entirely the army proper including the Military AGA
iemy in reference 10 which the Information is more
fail and minute. exclude the expenses incident to
the Florida war; and the expenditures for the Ordnance
The Engineer, the Typographical, the Indian, and
The Pension Bureaus. Instead of 1924, for which
there is no official and exact statement of the expen
ses of the army, | shall take $751; which is one
made by myself, Secretary Of War; and for the mi.
mite correctness Of which can vouch 1t is con-
tanned in report made under call of the House Of
representatives., aud comprises a comparative state
ment of the expenses OF the army proper TOR the years
1915 10 30 and 81, respectively, and estimate oil
the expense Of l22 1t may be proper to add, which
can with confidence that the comparative expense of
S33 if it could be ascertained, would be found 10 be
not less favorable than 1921. 1t would probably be
something more So
With these remarks shall begin with comparison,
in the first place, between e2 and the estimate for the
army proper for this year. The average aggregate
strength Of the army in the year 1891, including Off
GERS professors cadets and soldiers lO9 and the
proportion of officers, including the professors of the
Military Academy, 10 the soldiers, including cadets,
was to II lS-OO, and the expenditure 81 l50,03 53
equal to SOB 81 for each individual The esli-
mate for the army proper for 1912, including the
Military Academy, is Si,433,370 10. The actual
strength Of the army, according to the return &C.
companyng the message at the opening of the ses-
SION was il ,l69 Assuming this TO be the average
siren 9Th for this year. and adding for The average
Der OF the Academy professors and cadets 300 it will
give within very small fraction, $500 for each ndivi-
dual, making a difference Of $l"6 in favor of 1s2l.-
How far the increase oil pay, and the additional expense
Of two regiments Of dragons, compared to other de-
scriptions Of troops, would justify this increase, am
not prepared say. In other respects, should sup
pose there ought To be decrease rather than in
crease the price of clothing, provisions forage, and
other articles of supply, as well as transportation, are,
presume, cheaper than in 1921. The proportion OF
officers TO soldiers, would suppose TO be less ISl2
than l52l and, ofcourse far that has influence
the expense Of the former ought TO be less per than
the latter. With this brief and imperfect comparison
between the expense Of 1e2 and the estimates for this
wear, shall proceed to more minute and full compa.
rison between the former and the year lS37 select
that year, because tie strength of the army, and the
proportion OF officers to men "a very material point
relates to the expendture is almost exactly the
On turning document los, I'll. Il, I'd sess., Goth
Con letter will be found from the then Secretary of
War (Mr, Ponsetp giving comparative statement, in
detail OF the expense OF The army proper including the
Military Academy for the years 1897 IS, 49, and
40 The strength Of the army for the first of these
years, including officers, professors cadets, and SOL
ders was S,l07 being two less than in 1921 The
proportion Of officers aud professors the cadets and
soldiers IL i6.l00 being e2l;iO more than in lo2l.-
The expenditure for 1887 S3,30S,0l being 81 49,
OILS more than in 1921. The cost per man, including
officers professors cadets, and soldiers was in 1897
SiGs O3, exceeding that of 1921. Sl1l II per man.
II appeas nv the letter of the Secretary, that the ex
pensp per man rose in 1885 TO i6i 80; but il is due
The head Of the Department al The time 10 saw that de-
cncd Under his administration, Tie next year 10 1881
u.s. and iii the subsequent IL $3.50 G3 There is state.
men; for The ISLE hut there has heen falling Of
in prices there ought 10 &c proporiioGac reduction in
the COST especially during the present veal when there
prospect Of great decline in almost every article
which enters into The consumption the army. Assum-
inc that the average strength ohc army will be kept equal
to the return accompanying the Presidents message aud
that the expenditure Of the should be reduced the
standard Of 1921 the expense Of the army would not ex-
coed =, Sa56S6 making difference, compared withthe
estimates Of 81 5J1Si but that from the increase OF
paw and the greater expense Of the Dragons be
expected. Having no certain information how much
the expenses necessarily increased from those causes
am moi prepared 10 say what ought to be the actual re-
ductons hui unless the increase opay and the increased
cost because the dragons very great ii ought 10
be considerable.
] found the expense of the army in 1873 including
the Military Academy to be S3,7o2,4?5, at cost Of
S45l 81 per man. including officers, professors cadets,
and soldiers, and reduced It in ls9l to So 095, al
cost of 263 o. and making difference between the
two years the aggregate expenses of the army, Of
81 ,522 397, and ls5 SO per There was, is true,
great fail prices the interval; but allowing FOR
that by adding to the price OF every article entering in
10 the supplies OF the army sufficient 10 raise it
TO the price Of 1sS there still difference in the
cost per man Of lG3 % This great reduction eff
fected without sinting the service diminishing the
supplies either in quantity quality They WERE on
the contrary increased in both, especially the latter. Ii
was effected through efficient organization Of the
staff and the cooperation Of the able officers placed at
the head of each os divisions The of the great
expense at the former PERIOD found 10 be prnci-
pally the neglect Of public property, and the appl-
cation of it to not warranted by law. There is
less scope doubtless, for reformation in the army
Fcannot doubt however but that the universal extra
vagance which pervaded the country for many years.
and which increased so greatly the expenses both of
government aud individuals, has left much room for
form in this, well other branches Of the service.
In addition to the army there are many other and
heavy branches Of expenditure embraced under the mi
liay head fnrtifcntions ordnance Indians, and pen
sions-iLe expenditures Of which, taken in the aggre-
gate greatly exceed the army: the expense of all of
which, for the reason 10 which have alluded, may,
doubtless he much reduced
Cn turning 10 the navy, have not been able to OBJ
tain information which would enable TO make a ST.
mar comparison between the two periods, in reference
TO that important arm: but hope when The inforna-
ton, if received which has been called for by TIE Sena
tor from Maine, Mr.. Williams, ample data will be OBJ
tanned TO enable me 10 do some future occasion.