The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-21
MI. Hewitt and his Army BilI.

army Wlltn ne lcpOItcu from INC Nplllltltltc
ON Appropriations, MI HEWITT properly
said that the people demand economy in
the expenditures Of the Government. and
the army ought to be subjected To rctrcnch-
mcnt. But his plan Of reduction Is wholly
inconsistent with this policy, for when ana
lyzcd il is found to contain no substantial
reform worthy of the name, and it does not
strike at the root Of the evil which. like a
consuming cancer is eating into the vitals
Of the Treasury. and adding constantly to
the burdens Of taxation.
To regulate the force Of the army by the
changes in the population, as Mr. HEWITT
does, is worse than absurdity. The truth is
that the greater the population. the less
need there Is OF standing army. Mr..
HEWITT starts with the census and the army
OF 1861, and argues that because in 1878 he
does not increase the military force over
that of 1861 in as great proportion as the
population has increased, therefore his bill
IL measure Of reform and retrenchmcnt
On the same theory, the navy expenditures
might Toe doubled instead Of being diminish
ed. as they have been by moro than seven
millions since the House OF Representatives
changed hands in the last Congress-.
There is but one safe rule Of legislation
for the army, aud for every other branch Of
the public service What is the least sum.
consistent with the actual wants Of the
country and with practical efficiency, for
which it can be carried ony That is a simple
and effective mode of approprating the pco-
pies money at all times, and especially in q
period like this Of distress and bankruptcy.
1t discards all suggestions and speculative
propositions. such as this till INDUCES in,
and brings Congress face to face with exist
ing necessities.
Mr.. HEWITT wholly fails 10 comprehend
the popular demand for economy, II he de-
ludes himself with the belief that any pro-
ject which maintains n large standing
army, such as he proposes, is n com
pliancc with that expectation. His bill
provides that there shall be no more
than twenty thousand enlisted men In
the army at any one time. unless author
lied 10y law Then follow two provisos,
that five hundred recruits in addition
thereto may be kept at recruiting stations"
and "a force Of enlisted men not exceeding
four hundred, after present terms Of enlist
ment have expired, for the signal service.
So that. in round numbers the proposed
army would bee twcnty-one thousand en-
listed men. and not twenty thousand, the
difference being a very considerable item in
the present state Of the Treasury. This
force Is fully double what the service needs,
and the only prctcnce for asking 1t is to
give the color of employment and Of com
mands to an excessive number Of officers.
Section thirteen of the bill authorizes the
honorable discharge Of officers who may APP
faIx tIapaf4 ~ haF,rn Tho LET Of January
and regulates. by their length of service,
tho pay and allowances to be received 10y
them as consideration for this discharge
Upon this theory Mr.. HEWITT constructs his
so-callcd economy, and makes a calculation
10 suit his own convenience, as follows:
| Total amount recommended by hil sedeaa67i O3
| Deduct pay aud allowances Tor proposed dis
charged piAeers .......++.- 2-'1 '" '
| s.tl32o7i o3
Total amount Of lsstaw ............ 2'.7i-'9p go
Decrease ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. si.o7es-s "
This showing at best, and in the favorable
! form presented 10y its author. is entirely with
out real foundation, because it II in the dis
erection Of the officers to apply for d ischargc
How does Mr.. HEWITT assume that they will
make application to the extent hr reports
And il they did il would only be trimming
the overloaded branches OF q diseased and
| toNpling tree.
five make comparisons with the past, they
ought. at least. to be carried out to their
| full conclusions. Since 1861 there has been
no acquisition of territory except far-of'
Alaska, where no command is now main
tanned. In these seventeen years the lndl-
ans have largely diminished in numbers
and many Of them have become civilized.
| AZ civilization pushes westward they grad
ually disappear and under fair treatment
they would with rare exceptions, not be a
hostile obstacle TO its advancement More
over, the Pacific Railroads and the almost
universal extension OF settlements have
| broken the Indian masses into fragments
and have brought strong communities into
their neighborhood, rendering defence
against them in case OF trouble compare
lively easy. As for the border troubles on
the Rio Grande, they have been fomented
from this side for selfish objects, and with
sinister designs on Mexican territory and
they afford no reason for maintaining a
large army.
1t is useful TO compare the expenditures OF
the War Department, ms set forth in the last
report Of the Treasury, for the ten years Of
peace Immediately preceding the rebellion,
and the ten years Of peace since its close, al
lowing margin Of two fiscal years after the
surrender at Appomattox for a starting
point. The figures are instructive and as
| founding, Here they are In the Official form