New-York tribune., 1876-01-18
,,,r voDu D.uv TR,BUNE, TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1910.

are the officers charged WIFI tho So'"
of the Academy the command OF the Dattaiioh
Of cadets. instruction in tactics, ETC. All tlioSe
Professors and other officers the Committee
rronoses to put on reduced pay. Two years
aco Congress declared that tie pay OF Proies-
sors should be that of COlOnes or Lieutehan'.
Colonels in tho Army, depending on length OIL
service. II is now proposed to give the lour
senior Professors, who have been from oA "
A wears in tho service, less than the pay
Of n Lieutenant Colonel, and the other h'c
nour of whom were field officers before accept
ing their present posts) less than MAJOR
The maximum pay of a Lieutenant-Colonel
after twenty years service, Is ohiy %o %a'ooo'
and Major can Dever get Deyonu %''-c
Now If tho United States Military Acauehiy -
TO maintain its present high place IN the very
front rank OF tho military schools oil the "oriu'
we must not drive from it every man Vi su
nerior scientific attainments and lntelectuai
emnence by ridiculous parslmony, "hioh
denies the Professors not merely as much COM
nops,tion "a an average college would pay
them Int even "a much as they reliDqushed
when they took their present positions. Nha'
field officer of engineers, for instance, VIII ever
accept a profcssorship at West Polnt' "hcn'
besides relinqushing promotion IN MS corps
he must give up tho small longevity increase
and accept q salary below his moderate army
pay7 ,
Assistant Professors arc to be deprived OF
tbe small increase of pay now attached TO
their places. and tho bill Of the Commlttee
proyidcs that "army officers when detailed
"and assigned to service at the Military
I,y fbair
"uithom increase for term Of Serv'cc, ana WIFI
"out allowances for forage, ratons, or com
"mutation, except for quarters, fuel, anu
"lichts.r The Committee docs not seem 10 DO
aware that army officers do not now receive
rations or Communication thereof in any case
and that they never received communication lor
| LIGHT. The other clauses affect both instruct
ors in tactics, assistant professors, and the gov
| crpinr officers Some of them are necessarily
mounted officers, as instruction IN cavalry anu
field artillery tactics il an important part OF
| hc course of education. and why they should
be denied the regular allowance for forage Is
not explained Neither il it explained why
they should bo refused tho small Increase OF
nay given to other officers for length oi
service. An officer detailed for duty Mt west
Point. if he has already earned longevity IN
crease, will have to give it up and go Dack 10
the pay of a junior If he is mounted ohicer
he will have to sell his horses. Thus while
our Government ever since the time OF Wash
inrton has always held out Inducements for
soccially capable and competent officers to re-
nam in the service, the hasty economists III
Congress now propose to abolish TINS Wioe
plan. and oiT.r the worst pay to the highest
talent. This is equivalent TO q premium on
mediocrity An assignment to West Point VIII
become n severe punishment, just little
hotter than retirement on hIlf-ply. How long
is it supposed that the Military Academy can
retain its high reputation under such system
The proposal to abolish the band at "'s'
Point il another freak of foolish parsinony
which we hope 10 SEQ defeated This Is th'
only authorized band remaining in the Arm!
Of the United States and it dates from th'
foundation of the Academy in 1901. Even II
President Washington's time our niue ARM
had one band, and we presume there Is not
civilized army in tho world without one Th'
openinr of the Centennial year seems to be
oueer time TO strip our small force OF TIL
cheap and becoming adjunct which has nov