The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-11

by the OF labor and ls OF all the
oil life. hes been great that the and proprey
o tue INST OF these must al be apparent
lhe pay OF the soldier s relatively less now Than II was
pIor 10 The Increase granted by the law OF July T. 1888
The Necessity and pTopnety oi the second measure
proposed believed to be equally great but in order TO
eiucldate IL, il will bs necessary exhibit OF the
data upon which this opinion is based. With regard 10
Inc proposes increase OF pay io length OF service. is
suggesed--
/ Tina, every soldier who, having been honorab dis
charged FROM the service OF the United States shall.
Sa month in addition to the ordinary pay OF his grade
Tor The frsl period OF five years after the expiration OF
his FIRST eniislmeRt and further oil 81 per month
or each successive PERIOD OF five years. so long as be
shall remain continuously Ia the army.
.. That soldiers now IN the aruy, who have served
more than ensneni shall be entitled TO the benefits
q .nis proyson according 10 me engh OF hsr con'n
uous service. and that service during the war with Mex
co although Tor less period than hye years shall be
counted al a five years service.
3. That soldiers who served in the war with Mexico
and received certificate oil merit for
as well those now IN the army those that may here
alter enlist, shall receive the S2 per month to which that
certificate would have entitled them ii they had remained
continuously in the service.
Skill and experience in all branches OF business aud
departments OF labor meet their appropriate reward not
only IN civil ife, but in al tue departments oil the
ernment except among the enlisted men of the army,
where the recruit OF yesterday for services utterly dis
proporioned in value receives the same compensation
the veteran Of hly years Ite absolute justice OF m
creasng the soldiers pay according 10 The value OF his
services ia apparent, and the economy Of doing
ceptlble, II IS believed, of easy demonstration.
With The extension of territory the Of sending
recruits 10 their regiments has enormously Increased, at
il Ii estimated that the expenses of the enlistment, the
transportation and subsistence the loss by deserOn, and
BY the deaths and discharges for disability OF unaccl.
mated recruits, will average SOL Tor each man enlisted
under the present system II 10 this be added the pay,
clohDg medical attendance, &c OF the recruit from his
enlistment unnl he os his company. the actual cost ct
each man. from his enlistment un. The period when his
actual service commences, will be 1921.
II The suggestion above made Tor increasing the pay
OF the soldier according to length OF service should he
adopted and should be successful is anticipated IL
believed that it will in the course OF six years. in coD
with the other measures proposed reduce the
nna loss in the army from a5 TO 10 or IL cent The
number : oil now in the army who would be entitled
to the increased pay which ths system proposes less
Than thousand but the nsmbcr would be rapidly in
creased by eenstments, and the maximum number
titled to the increased pay would be attained in six years
This number would b6 constant or subject only To slight
fluctuations; but as the greater portion OF the men emil
He'd to increased pay would then belong to the frs, and
second classes the expenditure this would
increase gradually themen pass successivey from the
lower 10 the higher grades OF increased pay until, in
about tweaty five years, the maximum expenditure
this account will be attained That limit will also be
constant, and will exceed $500 900 year Ii to this
be added the cost OF eniisung 1850 TO meet the
snnua loss (say i0i and the bounty for 60,
the estimated number OF eenlisimenis under the pro-
posed system. the cost OF maintaining full oganza-
lion under that system will be . 10 per against Sl2l
dnder The present sy, TEN. When the value OF the
rendered the superior character OF the men, and the
consequent dnnution OF officers and The expenses they
entail are considered the economy OF the proposed meas
ure becomes apparent
These estimates are based as far as practicable upon
known facts, aud ccnjectnal only IN tina, which
iaies the working oil the proposed system. II will in
the expenditures for the pay OF the army only
far succeeds in restraining deeertons and inducing
eniistments, and this increase IN the pay will be more
than corespoudogy diminished in the expenditures OF
the other departments OF the army.
The proposition In relation To the extra pay o soldiers
who have received certificates CT merit is ACT OF
pie justice 10 who. by construction II the fdn were
4 49, 49, nj Al. a. nj al
March 3, ls47. Under the operation OF that coDsruc
ton, which virtually reduced their pay, they refused to
enlist bot II is believed that TO considerable extent,
they would now enlist IL The benefits OF the law should
be extended to them.
To carry into effect the ,brd proposed, ii is
rec eoded that the President be authorized, under
regulations TO be established by law 10 confer the brevel
OF second lieutenant upon such mertorlous non-comms-
stoned officers may, by examination before an army
board be found qualified Tor the duties OF commissioned
officers and to fill certain portion OF the vacancies
hch may that grade authorized by law,
by attaching such commissioned officers as suPernu
10 the army 10 sefve according 10 their brevet
aud promoted cadets under like circumstances now
There is another class OF non officers OF
long and faithful and often highly Distinguished services.
VINO, from want of educaou not qualhed TO become
comm ssioned officers, but enneny nted for. and de-
srvpe OF POSITIONS OF subordinate responsibility and trust
To provide Tor the advancement of this class, u Is re-
speotuy recommended that authority be granted TO ap
point limited number OF fort-keepeis barrack mas
ers 10 be employed al such OF our permanent fofiihca-
Mons not occupied by troops, and as substitutes
for the civil agents employed by the qusrermases and
engineer Departments. recsivng compensation inter.
mediate between That OF the highest grade Of con.
missioned and lowest grade OF commissioned oilcefs
These duties would be efficiently performed, and at
diminished expense TO the government
These suggestions If carried out will not be burden
the service by increasing The number OF officers
beyond it's wants. expensive beyond commensurate
advantages
II has been the pocv OF government to maintain
only small army in peace; but IL should ssJ be our
policy be prepared for the event Of by making tina,
army a. efficient as possbIeeficIeni not merely In the
operations required OF IT in the held OF battle but in all
life and health and IN s capacity Tor disseminating IN.
strucon and discipline among those whom the emef-
gepc,es OF III into the field unprepafed 10 meet lis
hzdskps and ignorant of the means oi guarding against
ls voissudes In all the operations OF war; efficiency
and economy. II not synony AZ least oorclaive
terms and that army vhch is the most efhcisnt will at
the time be the most economical To attain this
eney il il essential that the persowno OF army
should be intelligent and capable bat is Idle 10 hope
thai OF this character can be obtained unless their
pay bear fair proportion TO that which they would
ceve the corresponding employmen's OF civil fife Pa
riosn or a OF duty will not 10 time Of peace, ill
the ranks OF army nor will pay alone be sufficient 10
develop all he elements OF efficiency The hope OF adj
vance is the foundation OF professional zeal aud
and tins incentive should exist In the army IN
civil life lis bonors and distinctions should be open 10
ALL tba, they may ncs the ambition and stln the
zeal OF ALL
In making these Suggestions have had principally in
view the improvement OF the army; but II is my opinion,
founded upon experience OF pact history iba, II
adopted they would also produce economical results
As indicated IN a previous pam OF this report re-
specially invite your attention m the necessity Tor an in
crease OF toe army Il may be instructive IN the consd
eraiion Of hs subject refer 10 the strength OF our mil
ary establishment II has existed at different periods.