The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-12-07
AN oPPoRTUNE ARTICLE.

The following article from the Santa Fe Weekly Gazette
of the 2lst of October will commend itself to the approval
Of our readers Coming directly in aid of the late
mendaons the President and Secretary of War in favor
of reorganization of the army its statement of reasons
for the changes proposed in this branch of the public
vice cannot fail have weight with Congress and the peo
pie We fully in the hope that another session of
Congress will not be allowed pass by without definite
and favorable action upon this important subject
sTHE ARMY RILL.-THE PAY OF oFrcEns.--One Of the
most important before the last Congress that
known the army bill tprovided in for
the reorganization and the introduction of some changes in
military system highly necessary One of the most i'm
porant features in the bill was in opinion that which
provided for increase of the pay of the officers The bill
was acted upon the close of the session. and for
only known the assembled wisdom Of the nation
failed to become law
'We regret exceedingly the nonpassage of this BILL be-
cause important and necessary in all its features and
required make the military of national defence
effective should be- There has long been positive
cessity for reorganization of small army at least
the introduction of change into the present organza
ton The most important changes required in
OF the Of officers and the creation Of retired list
If the government desires the service of able and energetic
officers she must give them adequate AT present their
is sufficient by any MEANS and with their education
and abilities they could double the in of the
civil walks of life 1t must be borne in mind that they
entirely prohibited from engaging in all other pursuits and
chance for them their worldly
they advance in life Take lieutenant whose pay about
$500 year. He away all the prime of his days
vice. and poverty off from all the lucrative pursuits
life and in majority of arrives at middle age before
reach the grade of captain and have increase
pay except the rey liberal allowance of six dollars
every years of drudgery he performs Compare his pay
with that received by ourneymen in the civil walks of life
and find it much less in amount. The journeyman
penter more while the engineer and clerk, and
others thousand dollars per annum
with daily opportunities of increasing their by udicous
investments. Now, is il to be expected that the army
command the services of of the first abilities and
them with the fixed prospect ahead of living life of pow
erty, while in civil pursuits, they make living and
lay up something for themselves and families By the
time officer mounts his captain5 straps citizens in
business made themselves Independent of the world and
have handsome competency TO give their families 1t is
with the military In majority Of cases, when
he dies he leaves nothing his widow and children but the
aures he has CHANGED gather with his sworda slim de-
pendence for hungry mouths and naked backs The army
has the desire the citizens marry gather
around him tne eomfrts Of domestic life but he afford
wed ALL it is with the comfortable prospect of leading
life of comparative poverty and, when he dies, of leaving
his wife and little be taken of By his
wrong and should be remeded The officers of the army
such pay that by reasonable economy they
could gradually accumulate competency for their families
The retired list quite efficient organiza
ton of the army and hope another session of Congress
viii not be allowed 10 by Without potn these measures
being adopted