National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-15

tanned Aud why? Because the engineers
are employed on civil duties, expending the
millions of public money annually appro-
priated for the preservation of our rivers
and harbors and the improvement of our
great national highways. This work is
direct and immediate part of the national
defense; as much so perhaps, in a mill
itary point of view, as the actual
building of fortihcatons The BURN
SIDE Commission recognizes this fact,
but apparently is unable to perceive the
equally important and palpable truth that
perhaps one-sixth of its annual money is
devoted by the Ordnance Corps to the imme-
diate uses of ther regular army, while the re-
naming five-siXths go TO the improvement
Of the national defenses, by securing for
them the best and newest forms of armn-
ments and for the uses of the militia, &c,
without which the work done by the engi-
neers, both in the building of Notifications
and the improvements of rivers and harbors
and highways would be but waste of
time, labor, and money.
But say the well wishers of this revolu
tionary and iniquitous bill, 1--WE dare not
abolish the department, we only abolish
its officers, and replace them by Others
O." who will serve three years and then 90
back TO their legitimate duties in the arti-
lery." In other words, can anything more
stupid be imagined as having received the
sanction of men supposed TO be possessed Of
n fnir amount of on,np,n,, soncnD
Mr., say SMITH, not TO be personal, land
we beg his pardon for using his name, for
we are sure he would be ashamed to see it
appended to such bill as he will have to
vote upon) is one of a large firm engaged in
manufacturing interests. What would he
think of the wisdom, to say nothing of the
justice, of law which required him to
discharge Immediately all his skilled work.
men, dmughtsmen, machinists, clerks, and
ioremen, perfected by the labor and
thoughts of many years to each branch
Of their several departments, which
obliged him to replace them by others
perfectly unaccustomed to such work, and
not only that which would force him ut the
end of three years to dismiss in their turn
those who might have acquired in that
length of time some little knowledge, super
fetal as it necessarily must be, of their bust
ness. And yet this is precisely what Mr..
SMITHS cOnfrereS propose TO do with the
Ordnance Corps-we cannot insult him by
supposing that lie agrees with them in such
an unbusiness-lke proposition. Tie bill
says that the captains and licutenants-ofii-
GERS that have been engaged in the study Of
their legitimate specialties, employed by
law upon them from four to sixteen years,
officers the majority of whom have come
into the corps by reason of selection after n
competitive examination of their peculiar
fitness for this branch of the service-shnll
leave the army, shall be turned out, and
their places filled by others TO be selected
by the General of the Army. Suppose he
did select the best. How much knowledge
do they bring to the performance of their
duties? Do they bring any? Yes,
just as much as they could and would
bring if detailed as engineers, surgeons,
post chaplains; no more. Do they bring
aptitude? Possibly, but not probably. If
so, is it for the manufacture Of small-arms
for horse equipments for infantry acquire
ments, or what? The Ordnance Department
manufactures more largely of these in times
of peace than of anything else Suppose
they bring knowledge and aptitude, are they
skilled in their now position? OF course
not VIII they become skilled in three
years, the limit of their detail? Some oil
them may-let us suppose all of them--bui
at the expiration of that time they 20 out,
never to return and what is left to the De-
partment? A new set of incompetents, to
be instructed in their duties You have
perhaps improved the old lot and rendered
them more competent to perform their legit,
innate duties, but how about the United
States interests in the matter? They must
of necessity, have suffered, and must con,
tinue to suffer exactly as Mr.. SMITHS busi.
ness interests would suffer were the case we
supposed in regard to his workmen to be t
possible one.
The scheme is one of such arrant non
sense that it argues against itself, aud thi'
attempt to revive it becomes more than ri
dculous-it is criminal-in view of the
fact that for nearly twenty years it was
faithfully tried, and given mp as ruinous t.
the artillery and unproductive of single
good effect to the ordnance.
Stupidity and ignorance are often lount
in one man, but seldom concentrated in
body constituted commission to investi.
gats and recommend. 1t has been sug
gested that this attempt to destroy one o
the most useful branches of the War De
partment Is u part of the well-known iol
now 50 universally denounced, which il
found in that section Of the bin which pro
hibits the manufacture of all kinds o
stores by the Ordnance Department, NeYe
before has a job Of so fragrant nature n
this been proposed, and it is quite possible
that this utter annihilation scheme may bC
a part of it. We do not say it is, W.
hope it may not be; but the many friends
/, of the genial chairman Of the committe,
regret that he has not yet found it his dut,
to disclaim any connection, political o
otherwise, with the sell-styed Arms Man
uiacturers' Association. A disclaimer
would be believed; but until one is made
| nnan,iou will tally and npt,unu rrianIo vil