Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-15
General Sherman.
HIS ANEcAL REPORT.

year, and no changes nave occurred In the com
manding generals thereof. The organization
ct the army provides for II general officers. 555
Officers and l. 2S5 eniiSred men for the stan;
1889 officers and "a 2l4 enlisted men for the line
or these latter. GOA are detailed as clerks or re-
cruitS unassigned TO regiments, reducing the
possible force for military service to % $50 en-
listed men. Men ''sick." on detached SERVICE"
nuIa Der ten per cent. This makes the available
force Of enlisted men about 2O, 900. General
sherman agrees with General Sheridan that
THE ARMY IS TOO SMALL
to fulfill the heavy duties now imposed upon it:
it is overwcrked. For these reasons he renews
his recoinmt ndatioa of last year that Congress
be asked tis to give 5000 enlisted
mep Specifically to troops Of the nae
dt tachments of ordnance men, "engneer
battalion" hospital stewards '.comm!ssary
sergeants," West Point detachmenJs." de-
tailed clerks, &C., in the same manner as
has already been done for the signal
corps The revised statutes limit the
strength OF the army to not more than 80, ,O05
available men. but subsequent provisions have
limited expenditures TO 25,00O. The end de-
sreG can thus be reached by simply omitt,ng
the provision In the next appropriation bill.
Tie combatant force is the same to-day as It
was year agO-l0 regiments OF cavalry; ar
tiileiy, and IS infantry. The companies are TOO
small for proper discipline. If any neglect has
arisen In the artillery arm OF the service it has
resulted from the impoSsioility OF keeping uD
the five mounted batteries for want of nen aud
by reason Of the fact that since the civil war
there has been disincllnation on the part OF
Congress 10 provide enough modern guns toc
our sea coast forts. Notwithstanding the small
ness OF their companies and overWork tue de-
partment commanders nave been successful In
keeping the peace everywhere; in protecting
TIE em1gTant: In opening new districts; cover
ing the various routes Of travel, and In guarding
The Indians on their lawful reservations. The
progress OF settlement west OF the Mississippi
n tile last fifteen years has been simply projt-
gOus. This is largely due to the soldiers, out
In an equa! If not greater measure to the ad-
venturous pioneers themselves, and to that new
and greatest OF ciyilizers, the railroad.
RAILROADS AND MILITARY POSTS.
He refers TO the presidential trip west, and
says the Northern Pacific railroad is m liking
rapid progress from Bismarck westward ami
nom the Columbia river eastward. Many other
subordinate roads are penetrating every valley
AID every district which hold out inducements
to settlement. These railroads have completely
lty0lutlonized our country In the past rev
years, and impose on the military an entIra
change OF policy. Hitherto we have been con-
PEELED TO maintain small posts along wagon and
stage routes of travel. These are no lon;
needed. We should now abandon MANY OF Inc
smaller posts hitherto necessary, and concen-
trate at strategic points generally near the
national frontier. II Is earnestly recommends
that provision be made for the sale of such aoan-
doned property, with the right to apply
the proceeds of sale to other places, the PROC
erty of the United States. In Kansas, New
Mexico and Arizona, nearly all the posts are
Instances single new post would subserve tue
uses OF half dozen Old ones. In most instances
the buildings are OF stone or adobe, which can
not be removed, but would sell readily for cash,
aEd become the nuclei OF new towns. farms OK
ranches. Forts Bowie, Grant, Bayard, Min.
bIes Cummings, McRae, Craig Thorn and Sell
den could now be replaced by single post on
or Dear the Southern Pacific railroad Fort
kfogn and Custer, built only four years ago
near the site where Gene a. Gust RS com ua1d
was obliteIated, Will soon become coramercaI
toWDs rather than, military posts The time
has come for the military authorities to selpcf
suitable strategic points for permanent occuoi.
tlon whence detachmentS can be sent OUT rDr
special service If Congress will delegate 20
the PRESIDENT, the Secretary OF War aud 81
board OF officers the right to sell useless 90, E
and appropriate the proceeds to strategic ouiats
IL Will result 10 great economy and enaoie us @
maintain larger garriSoES with incre Ised -
cipllne and better e;7lce. For the sam. r-a
son, and because the commerce oc thu " ,rli =
carried on in vessels OF 800 tons and over. !,-'j
because OF the heavy draft Of war vessels. most
OUR SEA COAST DEFENsEs
are superfluous. We now have rifty millions of
people and the idea OF any hostile force Iauej ~
great commercial ports should be made so g, :.
that even an appreh sion OF dan ser would not
pe leit. Portland, Boston, Newport New Ynl
Philadelph1a, Hampton Roads, Port Royal, Key
West. Pensacola, san Diego. San Franci,co
and Port Townsend should ali be prop rly fOrti.
fled and garrisoned. All minor forts Should he
! 1 or abondoned. An annual appropriation of
a nIfllOn OF dollars would, in ten wears. mn
these forts In good order, and another mtIIIon n
year would properly arm them: and the Secre a.
r. OF War and the President should have d,-.
cretlon as 10 their disbursement. Artillery off,
GERS should also be associated with the engi
neelS In constructing, altering and repairing
OR sea forts, because the men who have TO fiyhf
their batteries should have Somethinp tn do
With their construction.
BOTH WEST POINT, AND THE ARTILLERY school,
at Fortress Monroe are 10 as good order as p1s
sible. Education must always be the Sures+
basis OF security and honor. The education
ard manly training impaired TO young m an
al west Point has repaid the United States a
thousand times its COST, and has more than We 4
ned the predictions of General Washington
Reference Is made to the Whitaker case. A
Thorough Investigation In the midst OF tumul',
and abuse resulted in perfect viadlcatton oy
the authorities OF the academy. The corp, Of
cIdetS Is youthful counterpart OF our national
House OF Representatives. Prejudice Is ALLEGED
against
THE CoLORRD CADETS
TIE prejudice OF race Is most difficult thing
10 Contend against. There Is no more sucI
pr, lUdice at west Point than In The community
at large, and the practice of equality at West
Point Is In advance OF the rest OF the country
To discriminate in favcr OF a colored cadet, by
reason OF his Color Is as much a violation of the
fourteenth amendment as to discriminate
against him. The officers OF the military acad
eIny nave endeaV0red to be imoartial Gan
Sherman SAYS that, In his opinion the require
ment that all enlisted men OF the eth and 10Th
cavalry and OF the 2ith and 25th infautry
snail DE colorcd men, while the officers are
White, is not consistent with the amendment
referred to. All men should be enlisted who
are qualified and assigned TO regiments regard
.e's or color or previous condition. Such has
been the law and usage In the navy for
ears: and the army would soon grow accu5.
toned 10 IT. The usefulness of the artillery
school at Fortress Monroe is spoken of highly
Gen. She rman desires to establish a Similar
school for infantry and cavalry at Fort La.
VenWorth as soon as the condition of Indian
affairs will permit. 'H
In conclusion Gen. Sherman says the entire
army is as patriotic, as patient, as willing to
encounter danger and hard service as at any
foI mer period or our history. TIE rapid exten
sion or Ialiroa0S and mails has much improved
tne general condition and contentment OF OfIi
GERS ana men. He has endeayOred to make
II sSlnental changes as fast as possible con-
slsteht with the annual appropriations.
Important if True.
WHY NEW JERSEY WENT DBMOCR ATIc-sroRy op
REPUBLICAN, BARGAIN WITH JOHN KELLY FOR
NEW YORK STATE. Wv
prominent democrat. who, at the inst ance
Oi tne nauonal democratic committee deyoTad
MS time ana services TO the state OF Ney Jar
sey curing lie recent canvass, said to a STAR
reporter to-day :-'' The republicans Would have
carried New Jersey for Garfield had IL moi haen
lor bargain made with Jno. Kelly, of New York
CITY, and Boss Mclaughlin, OF Brooklyn, on the