Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-12-16

financial history shows how surely money
becomes abundant whenever confidence
IN the exact performance of moueyed OBJ.
legations Is established.
Inc Secretary OF War reports that the
expenditures OF the War Department for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1850 were
sS9'924, '1S 03. The appropriations for
thus department. for the current fiscal
year, amount 20 SAL 99S 63040
With respect 10 the army, the Secretary
invites attention to the fac, that It's
strength Is limited by statute Section
Lilo, Revised StatuteS,l 10 not more than
oVUoO enlisted men, bur that provisos con.
sained Ia appropriation bills have limited
expenditures TO the enlistment OF ba, %,
QUO. IL is believed the tul legal strength
Is The least possible force at which the
present organization can be maintained
having in View efficiency, discipline and
economy. While the enlistment of this
force would add somewhat to the appg0.
priation Tor pay OF the army, the saving
made In other respects would be more
than an equivalent tor tais additional out
lay, and the efficiency OF the array would
be largely Increased.
The rapid extension of the railroad
system west OF the Mississippi river, and
the great tide OF settlers which has flowed
Ia upon new territory, impose on the mi,
stsry an entire change OF policy The
maintenance OF small posts along wagon
ana Stage routes OF travel ia no longer
neces s,fy Permanent quarters at points
selected, OF a more substantial rh trycier
tnal those heretofore constructed, VIII be
required. Uader existing laws perma
nent buildings cannot he erected without
The sanction og Congress, add when sales
OF military sites and buildings have been
authorized, the moneys received have re
verified to tue Treasury, and could only
become available through a new sppro.
orlston, Ii is recommended that urovis
ion be made, by 8 general statute, for the
sale OF such abandoned military posts
aud buildings rs are found to be unneces
sary, and for the application of the pro.
Ceeds to the construction OF other posts,
While many Of the present posts are OF
but slight value for military purposes,
owing 10 the changed condition OF the
country, their occupation Is continued al
great expense and inconvenience, because
they Afford the only available shelter for
troops
The absence of a large number of OIL.
GERS OF the line, in active duty, from their
regiments, is serious detriment to the
maintenance of the service, The constant
demand for small detachments, each OF
which should be commanded by com
missionsd officer and the various details
OF officers for necessary service away
from their commands, occasions a scar
city in the number required for company
duties. With view to lesscning this
drain to some extent, it is recommended
that the law authorizing the detail of Off
GERS from the active list as professors OF
tactics and military science at certain
colleges and universities, be 80 amended
as TO provide that Mi such details be made
from the retired list of the army.
Attention is asked to the necessity OF
providing by legislation for organizing
arming and disCiplining the aotiGe militia
of the country, and liberal appropriation,
are recommended in this behalf The re
ports Of the Adiutant. General of the army
and the Chief of Ordnance touching this
subject fully set forth its Importance
The report of the officer in charge OF
education in the army shows that there
are seyeuty-eight schools now in opera.
ton in the army with an aggregate at.
tendance Of 2,3O5 enlisted men and chi.
dren. The Secretary recommends the
enlistment Of one hundred and fifty
schoolmasters, with the rank and pay Of
Commissary Sergeants, An appropria-
ton is needed to supply the Judge Adyo.
Gates of the army with suitable libraries,
and the Secretary recommends that the
corps of Judge Advocates be placed upon
the same footing rs to promotion, with
the other staff corps of the army. Under
the existing laws the Bureau of Mill
tary Justice consists of one officer, the
Judge Advocate General, aud the corps
of Judge Advocates, of eight officers Of
equal rank Majors with provision that
the limit of the corps shall remain at four,
when reduced by casualty or resignation
to that number. The consolidation of the
Bureau of Military Justice, and the corps
of Judge Advocates, upon the same basis
with the other stall corps % the army
would remove an unjust discrimination
against deserving officers, and subserye
the best interests OF the service.
Especial attention is asked 10 the re
port of the Chief of Engineers upon the
condition OF our national deicnses From
a personal inspection Of many of the for
tiiicatons referred to, the Secretary is
able to emphasize the recommendations
made and TO state that their incomplete
and delenseless condition is discrediable
to the country. While other nations have
been increasing their means for carrying
on offensive warefare and attacking mari
time cities, we have been dormant in
preparation for defense; nothing Of I'M
portance has been done towards strength
ening and finishing our casemated works
since our late civil war, during which
the great guns Of modern warfare and the
heavy armor Of modern fOrtilcations and
ships came into use among the nations,
and our earthworks left, by a sudden fail.