New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-26
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE STAFF AND THE LINE.
IONG-sTANDING RIVALRY BETWEEN THE Two-GES
sHERMAN's REMOVAL TO ST. LOUIS THE RESULT


LoNG-sTAYDING RIVALRY BETWEEN THE Two-GEN'
sHERMAN's REMOVAL TO 81. LOUIS THE RESULT
OF THIS CONFLICT.
TO the Rdttor or The Tribune.
SIR The discussion upon the General OF the
Army removing to st. Louis has been pretty generally
INDUCED by the entire OF the country, yet su
perciay and without reaching the real difficulty inc
question involves the entire character and quality OF
army administration which Il rendered moro dhicuit
to manage the War Secretary chances to be quasi
military man. as he thus to control tho army
more from his partial familiarity with IT, Thus we see
JEFF. Davis, military graduate, in his disputes with
Gen. Scott upon this very question Gen. Scott yielded,
and then began series legislation placing all these
matters the hands the War Secretary for no other
purpose these functions until now he can
truthfuy say "the law requrec It," but omits TO say
why the laws made. The laws and customs DO
make OF this civil minister, who by theory Is not mill
tary expert and who is changed every four years or
oftener the actual CommanderinChef OF the Army he
being subject in its administration and control to all the
influences OF political and personal power ms IL uh
natural and anomalous, and works much injustice 10
officers OF the army. To complete this system the sec
retary makes all the chiefs or stan (a Dut one
BrgaderGeneraD and their very numerous assistants
his own personal staff being Independent Of the real
military COmmandern-Chief OF the Army They are ali
upon level in army administration with the General
I'm Chief himself This has caused a sort OF dividing line
between the line and staff of the army, and the stan
with all their numerous heads and other members pelhR
t the sea OF Goyernment-ther interests being iden-
teal while the General OF the Army Is alone Tor the he
they have managed to control and direct all questions
arising between the two branches In fact line oneer
can never get fair hearing in Washington on questions
between the two as these questions by custom are III
ways referred to the head OF the bureau to which hey
pertain and the head of that bureau, who IS generay
Inc pary IN the case IL practically the uuse
in 10 also. The staff Is proportlonatey tntee unos
A. numerous as the line, and much larger than
Their rank is prOportonaely greater. they
having number or general Ohcers, aoVut ia
number OF colonels ana ieutenant h rmT
three times as many majors as the line Oh tuo uimh
and their united power and place at WASH
ineton enable them to keep up this prominence:
III Is well known that the chiefs OF bureaus IN the war
received brevets the highest grade or an carrier uae
nan Hancock and Hooker, and others VINO tOught .e
battles in 1869 at the grand consolidation Vi tuc
army, when the line officers lOuDd ~ aS ", 40
mustered service the rest OF the stan were eI III
to be reduced by natural causes, and promotion was
stopped in time to become even IN point OF Az
and date with that the line. just before the close OF
the last of Congress they reOpeheu prOno'o
i'm the staff not merely from the present date, Dut All
the way back 10 with dates and pay from that time
SO they are far ahead OF the ne As tney were at
These examples given from many To snow Ill VIVA.
manner the staff by their immense prepondefance ana
being the spot with their social power always man
age TO oyertop the line in place OF suDserVlhg teI ~
terests, for which they we're created iuIs pic9 s
line and staff Gen sherman at the mead OF the IOrueI
and the Secretary OF War Of tue latter Is tue qestV
under discussion and that the Generall-C slon1
90 10 the wall is more strange OF true thah tua
avery officer of the line coming IN contact WIN stan
officer feels the conflict and that every young ne
officer of spirit is being disturbed in his duties ny CON
tant effort TO get away from military duty and get into
the staff so great the premiums upon tl.s ulty ;
and il this prepOnderapce goes on Increasing ieW years
Iii retreat as It's chef has already been forced To do
before those created TO serve IT, Inc ungct
which all feel, was in giving them military ram S'
Ne,c- London, Conn, Sept. Is, 1874.