The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-12-12
Report OF the Secretary of War.

The report of the Secretary of War is a lengthy
document. the main features Of which are here
summariZcd
According to the latest report of the General of
he Army, the enlisted men in the Military Service
number 24,7ti1 The aggregate of desertions dur
ing the fiscal year was 1,67S-being S:}S less than
the improvement, the Secretary says the crime Of
desertion is still alarmingly frequent and an evil
Of no ordinary magnitude. The Secretary. discusses
the question of Indian hostilitics and expresses
the opinion that permanent peace in the Indian
country can only be maintained by the exhibition
Of force sufficient to overawe and keep in subsection
the more warlike and dangerous savages. In
short, the policy OF the Government toward the
Indians should be designed to enforce those two
propositions:
/. Fair and just treatment of the Indians in
Guiding the faithful performance on our part of ev-
cry promise; and
2. The prompt and effecual punishment of all
acts OF war ON their part. and to this end the emf
ployment of sufficient military force in the In
dian country to act with yigOr and success when
occasion requires, and prevent the possibility of
the defeat or massacre Of small detachments of our
troops, by which Indian wars have been often in
the past encouraged and prolonged.
The experiment of enlisting lnGian scouts has,
in the opinion of the Secretary. proved successful
and he recommends an increase in the. number Of
such scouts. and that Congress declare them
force in addition to the number of enlisted men
authorized for the army proper.
Mr.. NcCrary quotes and cOmmends the law di-
reciing the establishment Of schools for the bene-
fit Of enlisted men on garrison duty. and recon-
mends that Congress increase the extra per dicm
OF soldier teachers from thirty-tive To fifty cents.
In respect to the increase Of our force On the
Rio Grande the Secretary says the following Of
the more vigorous policy at present III vogue has
greatly diminished the number Of Mexican raids,
and renders the Texans comparatively free from
disturbances.
The Secretary refers to the section Of the act of
Congress forbidding the use OF any part of the
my judi. judgment ses%%9itsts; and r aaas: s.
this provision be repealed, Or that the number Of
cases in which the use OF the army shall be ex-
prcssly authorized be very much enlarged. In
many. portions of our Western Territories, and
late desperate. with few followers. can defy the
officers Of the law and any local posse that can be
or ganized." As emphasizing this recommends
coaches in New Mexico and Arizona and says that
so long as the section remains, the hands of the
army officers are practically tied. He Is clearly of
to employ the National forces in aid of the process
Of the Federal Courts whenever he shall deem Il
necessary; but If such us: is to be limited TO- cases
where. as declared BY the act above quoted. It us
expressly authorized by the Constitution or by act
Of Congress, then it is respectfully snbmttctfthat
Congress should give very careful attention to the
enumeration and specification If the cases in
which such use Of troops is to be permitted.
Mr.. McCrary details the action had in the supply
Of tents, medicines and provisions for the relief Of
the yellow-fever sufferers and asks that Congress
pass u joint resolution approving and 'legalizmg
his issues. He also recommends to Congress the
emergencies in the future may not be provided for
by law by comforting authority to act upon the
President. If 1t be practicable, the law should be
70 framed as never to leave an Executive officer
under the necessity of acting outside Of the stat
utes.
The expenditures Of the War Department for the
preceding year. His estimates for the year ending
s$sans Z osiy slsao f. e:ssss Of the !:
fOr 10 military pSta hliShmQNt CD0 EHS.ZX7..
83; for pubic~ works, $Z67O. 1881 80, and the re.
mainder for miscellaneous expenditures. =
Office are detailed at Considerable length. The
gers. 1I.4O0 beasts and f09,2al tons q military
tions os the by the
action Of Congress relating TO landgrnnt railroads.
to none Of which can money be paid until the con-
elnsion Of . suit before the courts AS the pr1ncl,
plies and claims involved have been finally acted
on by the Supreme Court, and judgment in favor
Of the roads, upon the rates heretofore fixed by the
War he's been in avery
bewise and just to repeal this restrictive legisla.
ton, and allow the railroad accounts to be settled
az other accounts for military service. without inn
Of formal suits, which hereafter can involve only
principles already decided in their favor
Mr.. McCrary advises that the Executive he au-
thorized to purchase sites for forts In Texas, in
stead Of leasing them as at present. In regard to
work on the sca-coast defenses, he states that 1t
has been limited to the care and preservation of
the works. The Engineer Corps should. in his
opinion, be increased to 500 enlisted men.
The work of river and harbor improvement has
satisfactorily progressed during the year. The
survey of the Mississippi River and the territory
west of the Tooth meridian has also been satis-
factorily prosecuted. The area surveyed and
mapped since the beginning of the survey has az
gregatcd more than 100000 square miles. He
asks the favorable consideration Of Congress upon
the Engineer estimates.
The attention Of Congress lie called again to the
consideration Of the problem how best to improve
prOvements at the mouth of that stream prosecuted
by Mr.. Eads are described, and the statement
made that after the close OF the present fiscal year.
there remained practical channel 21.7 feet deep,
which the Secretary thinks IL ample for the pres,
ent needs of commerce. Three payments had
been made to Mr.. Eads under his contract.
In discussing the report Of the Ordnance Depart
ment, the Secretary emphasizes and indorses the
request Of the Chief of Ordnance for increase in
the appropriation for the manufacture OF small
arms.
The military prison at. Fort Leavenworth, KAN,
established under the act Of 1874, is now In sue
cessfnl operation. The officers assigned to duty
with it competent and faithful In the discharge
of their duties. and the cOnyics properly gov
erned and employed, while, at the same time, they
are treated with humanity and kindness. On Oct.
rs. there were 1913 military cpnvicts'olnfncd in
this prison. All the shoes tpGnlred for i.se to the
troops arc now fabricated By the conts.s ~ the
said ~ many officers that we have never hrtora
bad q good an article IN our army. aad u saun q
the additional shops now 10 process oI ercs!lgn Ass