The New York herald., 1876-02-22
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, Feb Il 1915
THE HOUSE MILITARY COMMITTEE CUTTING
| DOWN THE ARMY APPROPRIATIONS PROPOSED
| REFORMS IN THE oUARTERMAsTERs AND SUR
| GEoN GENERALS EXPERIMENTATION MILL
ION MAY BE sAvID ON OFFICERS QUARTERS
THE KNIFE POINTED AT THE BUREAU OF MIL
! ITARY JUsTIcE-wILL LOGAN OPPOSE THE BE-
| PQcEg9Ns
Gradually, but determinedly, the Military Committee
in the House is making satisfactory headway toward
| reducing the enormous and needless expenditure Of
| money by the War Department. And in following out
this line Of conduct the committee adopting the sug
gestions heretofore forth in the HERALD, which
were to lop of the extravagances and costly abuses
authorized and sanctioned by the War Department. at
the time not to interfere with cut down the
lighting active force Of the II has to be
generally regarded true by of both parties here
that the army considering Its present strength and the
vast demand which is made upon its services cannot
dispense with single soldier. On the contrary, IL s
doubtful II the present small effective force be
disposed of give needed and necessary protection
| from dangers threatening our immense line of
| frontier. The War department Is still celebrating
| how to concentrate q sufficient number Of
| troops the Texas and Mexico boundary to
protect that much abused and neglected part Of the
country from the incursions Of the Mexican cattle
| thieves and murderers, without unduIy weakening
the forces scattered along at other points Of the
der exposed TO the dreaded raids and depreda-
tions Of Indians the latter being reported 70 be
unusually hostile and threatening and intent upon
commencing hostiltes early in the ensuing spring Il
must have been encouraging Mr Randall considering
his expressed determination last year to reduce the
national expenditures $40 900 II the democrats got
control Of the purse strings TO the Military Com
mittee few days ago report unanimously, as It did,
the Fertilization bill cutting down the appropriation
from So 500 600 to 1915 OO0 thereby saving in this
item alone So, ,1S5, oO0 The vote of the committee
being unanimous its favor and the bill being re-
ported and its adoption urged by Wheeler of the
republican leaders of the House and possible cand-
date for the Presidency tho republican ticket pre-
republicans from characterizng this as
arbitrary introduced by the majority for political
effect with view of crpplng the Of the
government
In 1860, with army whose effective force was al
most great that at present mentioned the entire
expense of the War Department only SIC 472 2O2
whereas 1874 the appropriation for the depart
ment amounted TO the enormous Of $40, s13, 927
amount far greater than required to deray tho
entire expense Of the national government fifty years
ago. This enormous increase between 1850 and 1874
cannot be brushed away by discussing the premium
upon gold, difference prices, &C, bat is charReabe
almost entirely extravagance and corruption and
lack Of ordinary economy. There scarcely ofcor
OF the army Of ave years. service bat point to
| practices systems in the War Department which
produce their share OF this needless expend-
ture Of public funds and tor which fair equivalent
| is received by the government II asked why they
do not call attention to these leaks the reply that it
will do good to ask the department. to its
errors for IL has the law and the prophets tho
shape Of regulations customs OF service guard
fhan rhu N fha aufi0 ofa nl.~r ~
Congress any evils Of the War Department prac
cally forbidden by order OF Ihe Secretary OF War
copy Of which read IN the House some time ago
by Sunset Cox. The terms OF this order forbid any
officers from writing 70 members Of Congress in regard
TO the correction OF abuses unless the letter s first
sent the War Department and the approval
| Of Its head-an approval not likely be given IL
the object to interfere with pet system
already in praticc
On February the HERALD published q long article
calling attention to the many which have
reached here from the West regard the sale ofa
tax upon army tradershps While IL is evident that
this tar must from the pocket Of the soldier II
well known into whose pocket il eventually Is
| carried; but acting doubt upon the information
given In the columns OF the HERALD the Military Com
mittee to have decided to push investigation
OF this matter and introduce through Mr. Clymor the
chairman Of the Committee on War Department Ex-
pendures resolution calling upon the Secretary Of
War for report showing the names and residences
when appointed OF all the army traders and the names
OF persons who recommended them for appointment
In a former despatch the HERALD correspondent
pointed out how the Military Committee could make
step the direction Of economy almost as important
by which saving of So 600 900 Ia effected
in the Fertilization bill and that by Withholding
refusing 10 pass appropriation 70 pay the i'm
rent bill incurred by the numerous officers par
tIculariy general officers and their stafs, who are
quartered in the most expensive houses in all
our great cities from New York to San
Francisco. The government owns and keeps In
repair ample sufficient amount Of public build.
lngs comfortably and suitably house every officer
in its service and the committee will give this mat
ter its attention and follow the suggestions heretofore
given n the HERALD the government can be saved the
expenditure OF over 81 600 900 in this item alone
of hire OF costly houses in expensive cities for
officers quarters.
There Is scarcely one OF the socaled stan DEPART
ments loaded down with fossilized barnacIes
and oflcial imbeciles only 10 seriously impair
their usefulness but constitute them source OF much
needless expense to the public treasury THIS
mems should not include the Inspector Generals and
the Adjutant Generals but particularly applicable
to the Quarermaster Generals Department. which
overburdcned BY whose ability and efficiency are
so below their rank that u has become serious
question with the War Department where 70 many
Of away. in order that they may be located
TO be able TO accomplish lttle harm possible II
the proposed consolidation Of the several stan corps
shall result In Topping or the imbece portions thus
reducing the number and cost 70 the government OF
stan Ocers the same time increasing the value and
efficiency Of the star corps the measure Is de-
serving universal support Among other consolIda-
tons is proposed consolidate the ouartermasters
and Commlssary departmental
There reason why the same man who buys
corn oats and hay for the horses and mules In the
! and who buvs clothes for the soldiers shonid