Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-06
Cen. Uptcn OH the Army Bill.

TO the Editor EreDing Star:-It appears by the
newspapers that Gen. sherman has received
letter from "Gen. Upton, commanding the
artillery school at Fort Monroe, under date of
December 49, saying:
THE new army bill is received, and must say it
shown so favorable and friendly a disposition
before. he provisions for reduction extremely
liberal, while the proper settlement OF many vexed
tie service that the b 1ns maE Pfs bcne s4 %
Command and administration seem to ms to be very
by law, see Io reason to apprenend the confusion
OF the past. The staff will become a part OF the
the future. The principle of stan detail Which You
have long urged, will enable you, by meaus of per.
TO be considered ORDINARILY, as 'conhdential' This
AS the foregoing Communication is given to
the public. no doubt for the purpose of fn1iuenc-
bill, its contents should be carefully weighed
General Upton is not commanding the artiI-
lery school at Fort Monroe" General Geo. w
Getty, Colonel ed arttlley, is the commander,
and General Upton, Lieutenant Colonel 4th ar
tillery, Is the second in rank at the school.
General Upton says "Congre9s has never
shown so favorable and friendly disposition
before" This bill is only the work of cont
mission. Congress has as yet shown no dtSpoSi-
ton friendly or otherwise In relation to H. Per-
maps, however, General UptOnS commendatory
tone may spur on the national legislature to inl-
prove In its behavior, and hereafter meet mis- ap-
probation. "T The provisions for reduction are
extremely liberal' in General Uptons opinion
He was highly favored in preceding reductions
and no doubt would be in this, but the officers
who found themselves turned out of the army
would take different view of this extreme lib
eralfy. ''The staff, - he tells U.s. '.will become
part OF the army" What clap-trap. III rumor
can be trusted he might have added ..and
shall become" part Of the staff,
1.-The principle OF staff detail" he says T.
General Sherman, (which you have iong urged
Will enable gOu, by means OF personal re JortS
10 award all jealous and aspiring young Of
ncers." 1t may be gratifying though not speci-
ally useful TO General Sherman, tnu5 to learn
that he has long urged the principle OF staff de-
tails, and that his rewards Of Jealous and aSpir-
ing young officers must be by means of ,.ers6aal
reports. These personal reports for rewards
may be sealed or not, but inspection reports
must not be 'cOnflentiat' for in that ease The
INSPECTOR would be "a spy" These are learned
comments, but without dwelling upon them il
Is worth While to note evidence OF the pur-
pose OF this bill-that hereafter rewards in the
army are to come directly from the General
ana not In the old fogy way from the President
OF the United states. 1t is we'll to understand
this, and General Upton is entitled to credit for
calling attention to It,
Whatever the fate OF the bill may be- it has
certainly produced, already, some remarkable
ehectS. Among them it ''agreeabIy diSappoIntS,'
General Upton. He depicts his condition, as
wildly as tie conva!escent did, wi,o when lust
able to crawl out Of bed said he was 'po,cerfuL
weak"