New-York tribune., 1879-01-06
WASHINGTON.

PROMINENT OFFICERS PUBLISH THEIR OBJECTIONS
FRESH ECONOMY OF THE DEMOCRATIC KIND
GENERAL NEWS.
A number of Army officers have taken adj
vantage of the permission accorded by the
War Department to announce their reasons for
opposing the Burnside Army bill. They
have printed a pamphlet on the subject.
The Light House Board asks for books for the
keepers of lighthouses. The Legislative, Ex-
ecutive and Judicial Appropriation bill, as
now drawn up, aims at radical changes In the
public service. The story that there is de-
ficiency in the accounts of the Public Printer
is denied.
TIE ARMY OUT WITH A PAMPHLET.
OBJECTIONS TO TIE BURNSIDE BIIL-REDCClNG
TIE STAFF CoRPs-wHY STAFF CORPS is VAL
UABLE.
TGESERAL PRESS DIsPATCH.i
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-A number of prominent
Army officers in this city have published IN pam
phet form their objections to the radical changes
proposed by the Burnside bill in regard to
tho staff department. The history of the
present organization of the staff corps is
briefly stated showing that it is the carefully
considered work of Mr. Calhoun Secretary OF
War in 1891, and Mr.. Poindexter. Secretary Of War
IN 1898. The pamphlet quotes not only from Sec
retaries Crawford, Calhoun and McCrary in favor
of the present system, but also from the report OF
General Sherman for 1869, and from Cen
erals Sheridan, Mcclellan, Hancock. Pope,
Franklin, Meade Thomas. Marcy, Ferry,
Kautz, Critenden and Getty, all of whom have
expressed themselves impartially in favor OF the
present system of subdivision Of staff duties into
departments, under corps of trained specialists.
The pamphlet supports these opinions by quota
ton from Sir Archibald Alison, who writing upon
army organization, says:
Il s not too much say that army sent into the
field without eii lent and thoroughly well Organized
and long previously trained stan ana supply Depart
ments Is army foredOomed 10 dogs end vultirrs,
and That expenditure ~ the moment, however law
ish, eau supply these wants or avert TINS doom OR
finest this country ever pltduced, but wac bound
together rope OF sand aud it melted away like snow
before he first touch Of the hardshps ana nclemences
Of Winter, and this was the direct necessary and iney-
tabe cor sequence of the ignorant economy OF the
in time peace proper STAFF and Supply Departments
where his same system Cte deiec i've sa aud
supply Organizduons has lad In that still abode an
snppiy DEPARTMENTS should therefore be organized
trained officers required IN their irrespective branches for
our Army upon war footing.
The pamphlet also contains letter from Colonel
Walter II. Taylor late Adjutant-General of the Army
of Northern Virginia, under Lee. dated Norfolk,
December %, 1873, who says:
do hesitate to that in opinion the disOr-
gan zatiOn OF several staff departments OF the Army
would tend greatly impair the efficiency o. the
vice The fact should never be overlooked that
the theory upon which our military estab-
nshment organized and conducted involves the yOn
tecr feature the great reliance Of the country in the
OF II s then, most important to have eX-
peeuced and tired organized staf departments In time
OF peace render the army Of volunteers efficient IN
tie event OF An officer OF the line assigned
Occa as oually and for short period TO service In
the several staff departments could not acquire that de-
gree efficiency IN to enable him TO act inteli
gently when occasion should arise for conducting
matters on basis Education and actual experienc1
auarer1na commissay. is the study Of law
medicine. followed by long practice TO the making OF
good lawyer or doctor.
statement has also been prepared for circulation
in the Army showing that the Burnside bill. if
enacted will not only greatly reduce the number of
staff and line officers but will practically put
stop to promotions of line officers during a
number OF years. 1t is shown that company officers
of the line will lose nearly, If not quite,
much promotion by the abolition of
the field officers the staff corps.
az they would by the abolition of the same number
of line officers; and it is also predicted that the
practical operation of the provisions concerning the
proposed Preserved list " will be to transfer staff
officers from that list to vacancies occurring in the
line.