Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-05-24
ARMY REDUCTION.

On the 10Th inst, says a Washington
, dispatch, an order for the reduction of tn
> army was agreed upon. All soldiers an
J. on-commissioned officers whose time ex
r pires before November are to be mustere
out prior to June 80, unless they Civ
g notice of their intention to re-enlist. Nv
4 other classes are also to be discharged
namely: minors ard those who from an,
( cause, such as habitusl drunkenness, ar
t not fttel to make good soldiers Officer
on recruiting service will have til i
choice of returning to their regiments O
be put on the list OF those waiting orders
The property of recruiting stations is Il
be sold, unless some one can be found wht
will take it on storage and trust the Gov
eminent for pay. The order fixes tho
strength of Infantry regiments at $40 mer
and non-commissioned officers; Artillery
regiments st 3S0-the Cavalry regiments
to remain unchanged at 500. This will
reduce the nomira; strength of the army
to about 900 men.
In this connection, We may allude to a
statement of the Chicago Tribune, which
is thus commented upon by the Yankton
Press:
I'm the discussion of the question of
the calling of the special session of Con.
gress, in the Cabinet, the propriety of dis
missing and discharging the army in a
body was seriously discussed aud urged
by the President and at least TWO mem.
bers of the Cabinet. The argument used
was that the real theory of our Govern.
ment was based upon militia, to be call
led from the body of the people whenever
needed for active service, and that as the
country was now at peace within itself as
towards all other nations, and was likely
TO remain so for lorg time to come, tho
expense of keeping an army In active ser
vice was quite unnecessary. 1t was said,
moreover. that the frontier States would
be quite willing and able to prot ct their
own front!ers.' and that the failure BY
Congress to make an appropriation for the
army at its late session might be taken as
an indication that the country did not il !
reality want the army supported at this
time.
The best way to avoid war with other
nations, as we'll as within her own hor.
ders. is by being prepared. in some de.
gree at least, to assert the power of the i
Government promptly and effectively. ltis
well known that the peace policy towards I
the Indians depends entirely upon the
ba% king up by the military power of the
demands of the Interior Department, and I
we can conceive of no more mischievous a
Schrrle in this connection than an immedi /
ate Withdrawal Of tbs force at the back of
The Indian Department, thereby placing
The latter IN an entirely powcrlcss condi-l
lion, ard p!urging Our who'e frontier intoI,
border war. that might, il is trne. result
IN the ultimate determination of the red
man, but only after bloody strife that
would he too horrible to contemplate"
Orders lately issued in the premises /
nay be condensed as follows: The stand.
'rd fixed for Infantry regiments Is 81 men {
o company and 5 for each regimental
'on-commissloled staff-total, 375 men to {
regiment. Cavalry regiments will not
20 affected. Discharges Will be made I
lpon the recommendation If company !
omman lers, to date June 18th. These X
ecommendatons will iocllde men whose
erms must expire by Nov. LIST, unless
hey agree to re-enlist if needed-minors.l
improper enllstments. those forfeiting paw
lnder G. 0. No. 81 of 1871, and those D
esiring discharges. II
On the 18th inst. the Secretary Of War re.
elved from Drcxel, Maynard & Co.. of|u
Jew York, proposition to furnish suffl. Il
lent money at 8 or per cent. interest I
er annum. to pay the army from the LIST q
t July until the army appropriation bill II
assed, but the Secretary declined the "
Her, ON the ground that he cannot enter n
nto such contract, without a violation of I
aw. He. however, favors the plan to SO r
dvance pay to officers of the army, but Il
eslres it understood that the War De. c
artment can have nothing to do with the 1
Fensact'on, which must be purely ale
rlva!e matter between the officers andlt