Morris tribune., 1880-11-25
THE ARMY.

THE ARMY.
Report and Recommendations Of General
Sherman.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.-The annual report
Of Gen. Sherman to the secretary of war is
given to the public o-dsy. After calling
attention to various subordinate reports,
Gen.. Sherman says: 81 agree with Gen.
Sheridan that the army is too small in en-
listed men to fulfill the heavy duties now
imposed on it, and is overworked. there
fore renew my recommendation of last year
that Congress be asked to give 5000 enlist
ed men, especially to troops of the line of
the army and to make separate provisions for
detachments of ''advance men," engineer
battalion, - "hospital stewards, " "commissary
sergeants," "West Point detachments,''
detailed clerks" etc., in the same manner
as has already been done for the signal
corps. In this connection will venture to
call your attention to the fact that the re-
vised statutes, edition of 1873, section 1 ,115,
defining the organization of the army, linn
its the strength to ''not more than 10000
enlisted men," but subsequent appropria-
tion hills by proviso5 have limited the ex-
penditures to $4,000 enlisted men. Still
the legal strength is 10000 enlisted men,
and that number is the least possible at
which We can maintain the present organi-
zetion of forty regiments in anything like
good order, discipline and economy, and
infer this end can be reached by simply one
preparation bill. The prosperous
times and easy financial con-
dition of the treasury may now
enable Congress to provide suitable arma-
ments for the forts which guard the chief
harbors of the country" Speaking of the
Northern Pacific, Union Pacific and South
ern Pacific railroads, Gen. Sherman says:
"Tbese railroads have completely revolution
lied our country in the past few years and
imposes on the military an entire change of
policy. Hitherto We have been compelled
to maintain mail posts along wagon and
stage routes of travel. These are no longer
needed because no longer used, and the set
Elements which grow up speedily along the
new railroads, afford security necessary, and
the regular stations built for storage at con-
Venient distances afford necessary shelter for
stores and for men when operating in the
neighborhood. We should now absolutely
abandon many of the smaller posts, hitherto
necessary, and concentrate at strategic points
generally near the national frontier, or where
railroads intersect, so as to send out detach-
ments promptly to districts where needed.
Congress alone has the power to dispose of
the property of the United States, and we,
the military, find ourselves possessed of lands
and houses obtained in early times, which
demand occupation for preservation, and
earnestly recommend that provision be made
by law for the sale of such
abandoned military posts and out
buildings as is found to be
necessary, with a right to apply the proceeds
of sale to other places, the property of the
United States" Gen. Sherman specifies
posts in Kansas, New Mexico and Arizona,
and also Forts Keogh and Custer, on the
Yellowstone, built only four years ago, and
expresses the opinion that in very short
time they will become commercial towns
rather than military posts. SIN my judg-
ment the time has now come for the military
authorities to select suitable strategic points
for permanent occupation and improvement,
whence detachments can be sent for special
service. As long as we possess and must
care for these small posts it is
impossible to abandon them to waste
and we are forced to hold on to
them; but if Congress will delegate to the
President, the secretary of war and board
of officers the right to sell these posts and
appropriate the proceeds of sale to strategic
points, am certain it will result in great
economy and enable us to maintain large
garrisons with increased discipline and bet
ter service. For similar reasons, and because
the commerce of the world is carried on in
ships of 3, 600 tons and over, and because of
the heavy draft of war vessels, most of our
sea coast defenses are superfuo is. We now
have fifty million people, and the idea of any
hostile force landing on our coast
is preposterous. Yet our great
commercial ports should be made so safe
that even an apprehension of danger would
not be felt, Portland, Boston, Newport, New
York, Philadelphia, Hampton Roads, Port
Royal, Key West, Pensacola, New Orleans,
San Diego, San Francisco, and Port Town
send, should all be properly fortified and
garrisoned. ALI minor ports should be sold
or abandoned. The annual appropriation
of 81, 100000 would in ten years put these
ports in good order, and another million q
year would properly arm them, and the SEQ
retary of war and the President should have
discretion in the disbursement of this money.
Artillery officers should also be associated
with engineers in constructing, altering and
repairing sea coast defenses, because
the men who have to fight these
batteries should have something to do in
their construction" Referring to reports
Of Gen. Schoheld and Col. Getty relative to
West Point and the artillery school at
Fortress Monroe, Gen. Sherman says: "In
my judgment both these institutions are in
as good order as possible and both are On
honor to the country. Education must al
ways be the basis of national security and
honor. The education and manly training
impaired to young men ct West Point has
repaid thousand times its cost and has
more than verified the predictions of Gen.
Washington. From time to time periodical
complaints have arisen to its prejudice,
such as occurred last year in regard
to the colored cadet Whittaker-a thor
ough, patient, close investigation in
the midst of tumult of abuse, resulted in
the perfect vindication Of the authorities
of that academy. Every cadet at West Point
is an appointee of member Of Congress,
each member having q cadet of his own
nomination there, with only ten appointed
bv the President at large. Tho corps of
cadets is therefore youthful counterpart OF
our National House of Representatives. The
same laws, the same regulations, the same
instruction books, clothing and food are
common to all, and more democratic
body never existed on earth than Ia the corps
of cadets. The prejudice of race is the most
difficult 10 contend against of any in
this world. There is no more such
prejudice at West Point than in the country
at large, and the practice of equality Of
West Point is in advance of the rest of the
country. The authorities at the academy
have no voice in the selection of candidates,
and must receive, train and educate such as
are sent there, regardless Of nationality, color
or previous condition. To discriminate in
favor of colored boy, by reason of his
color, Is as much violation of the four
teenth amendment TO the constitution 90 to
discriminate against him-perfect impair
tiality being the rule, and that believe the
authorities ct West Psint have endeavored