, 1880-01-18
ARMY ECONOMY.

ARMY ECONOMY.
1t Is Cheaper to Have More Men Thar
to Pay Bills for transportation.
Special Correspondence Of IAs Chicago Irtbuzx
AN1,1As VALLEY, Colo, Jan. 1.-The army
and its organization has been a subject for
agitation before the National Congress for
several years At every session plans have
been submitted for reorganization or reduc-
ton, all Of which have been based on the
necessity for less expenditure, and all have
failed after 4 thorough discussion, because
the more that information was obtained re-
garding the work required Of the army tho
less the possibility Of reduction in numbers
was evident If the required work was to be
done. The more free and thorough the dis
cussion Of army matters has been, the more
has it been developed that nO reduction Of the
rank and file was possible; but still the de-
mand for economy exists, and the present
Congress has appointed committee On army
It has been stated in general way in re-
ports, and it has been casually repeated in
Congress by friends Of the army, that ths
true way to econonize in expenditure would
be to increase the number Of enlisted men,
Without explanation, this would appear to the
mass of the general public to be ala anomaly:
that statistics Of the relative cost of the pay
OF the present force Of enlisted men, and
TIE COST FOR NECESSARY TRANSPORTATION
OF TROOPS
from localities where they mad been required
to distant points where they were again re-
CURED, statistics covering the time the army
has numbered 5000 enlisted men, would
possibly demonstrate the fact that an in-
creased force would have so enabled troops TO-
pay and allowances Of the men could have
been more than saved by the decrease in the
cost of moving troops.
The records Of the War Department would
no doubt enable all Industrious man, one
fond of statistics, to tabuate the different ex-
pelditures, and the result would surprise
those who only know that the army costs
certain sum to sustain it, and naturally think
that, if q, 900 men cost q certain SUN, 50 900
men would cost 20 per cent more; whereas,
II an additional 5000 men had been available
III localities where troops hare been needed,
it is question whether the cost to the Gov
ernment would not have been less than It
actually was to transport the required uen
and material from distant points and return
ing them. In the absence OF exact inforlna-
ton on this subject, as a.
ONE INSTANCE OF MANY
description Of the experiences OF part Of
one regiment during the past three and half
years, ii it does not establish the fnct that our
present system OF a skeleton army IS not eco
no1nical, it will go far towards 1t:
I
stationed at the posts on the Northern Lakes,
extending from Buffalo, n T., to Sault Ste
Marie, Mich. After the disaster to Gen
Custer's column on the Little Big Horn, in
second were sent In haste to Montana. After
campaigning year there they were hurried
into Chicago, when that city was disturbed
by 1nobs Of rioters; from Chicago they were
sent to Pennsylvania Oil the same kind OF
lakes, reaching them in November, 1877.
In the spring Of 1879 the Twenty-second
Infantry was ordered to Texas for perMa-
nent change OF posts, but by the time the
four companies of it stationed In Northern
Michigan could get out Of tie iee, troops
were needed in haste III the Indian Terri
tory to protect it from trespassers, and these
four companies were sent there. After re-
manning there on duty during the summer Ut
1873, the White River massacre occurred, and
these four companies were sent to Colorado,
where they stin are, with the understanding
that, when no longer needed III Colorado
they will continue their Journey to Texas
Three companies Of the TWenty-sec0nd
participated in all Of these movements, and
i description Of their travels will give SOME
idea of the
NosfADIc LIFE OF THE LINE OF OUR Array:
Leaving the posts OF Detroit, Mackinac, and
Sault Ste. Marie, one company frUm each
post, they travelled by lake and Eail to Bis
marck, D. T., averaging LOO miles: thence
miles; they then marched through the Sioux
summer and winter, averaging
for each company a distance Of over 1000
miles, and took the ears again IN July, 1ota,
at Bismarck, and ,. proeecded to 4 ChisaSo, SS so
and from there to Sault Ste. Marie and Mack
mac, Mich, averaging 800 miles. Leaving
their posts again IN May, 1879, they travelled
BY lake and rail to Fort Gibson, Indian Ter
ritory, 1,100 miles,, going from out OF the
.,orfl,arr ff.a tn f0rriI Tpvion fhA cipna1