The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-25
THE NEW ARMY BILL.

It appears to be extremely difficult to dis
abuse Congress of the idea that the army is
maintained for the exclusive benefit OF West
Point, and that the graduates of this nstitu-
ton are to be treated rs privileged class In
all acts providing for the organization or sup
port OF the military service. Tho conspicu-
Gus Intrusion of this unjust discrimination In
favor OF West Pointers. and to tho prejudice
OF officers who entered the service from civil
life, into the new army bill reported
by tho Burnside committee Is pro-
volslng very general criticism, and this
OF the bittcrcst kind. One Of the provisions
OF the new act relates to the pay Of officers
retired from active service. It provides that
officers transferred to tho retired list on &C
count OF age or longth OF service shall there
after be entitled to receive per cent Of the
current yearly pay Of the rank on which they
are retired for each years service rendered,
either as an enlisted man or an officer In the
regular or volunteer service provided the
yearly pay OF such retired officer shall not
exceed 80 per cent OF the regular pay OF the
rank upon which he Is retired. According to
the present law Officers retired from active
service receive Is per cent Of the pay of the
rank upon which they are retired"
Protesting against this manifest injustice,
the Washington correspondent OF tho New
York Tribune says:
The complaint is thnt the section above quoted
will work great injustice TO volunteer officers
WHO entered the reg ar army at the close of he
war and have since boon retired or may yet be
retired For instance. II there are two officers
OF equal rank to be retired this year on account
OF age one OF whom was eduoat ut West
Point at the expense Of the government. and
has served hi5 forty years. making a credtable
and another who left profitable business at the
very time when his opportunities for gain
ing q competency were greatest and
went nf9 the army gra at tine cal
pay Of the former will be 20 per cent Of bis pay
on the active list while that of the latter will be
only "a per cent Of the same amount. In other
words u discrimination is made against the
man who sarritead most. and whose claim upon
the bounty OF the government IL greatest. Nor
does this provision apply alone to officers to be
retired after tho ena rment OF this bi Into Il
law. for another section declares that the
officers now on the retired list shall. as soon as
practicable. be rated for pay In accordance with
the provisions of this act" thus reducing by at
aast one hull tho pay OF many officers now on
the retired list.
Army Register to prove the extent OF the in
justice that such n change Of the law would
make. Tho theory Of tho bill se"ma to be- that
the value to the country of an officers services
are to be measured by the number Of years his
name has been upon the Army Register rather
than by tho sacri fees he made to go into
the army or the character OF the services he
rendered If any discrimination IL to be made
II should be in favor Of tho man who educated
himself and gave the bost years OF his life 70
tho service of his country and not in favor of
him who was taken by tho government when q
lad and supported during all the years when he
was being fitted for important service.