Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-07
MICH &c AN.


Splitting i'm the Beaver State.
DETROIT. MICH, Nov. The weather is cloudy,
but the RAJ Il stopped. General quietneSs nre-
walls at the polls. There are indications that a
large vote Will pe cast, with great deal OF split
ting.
GEN. SiEERMAN,S REPORT.
Why the Army Should BE Increased
why the Soldiers Are Entitled 10 Con.
sidcratiOn-sVhy Indian Disturbances
Are Not 50 Frequent rs Heretofore
Court Martial R efOrms Suggested, Etc.
Gen. Sherman has submitted to the Secretary
OF War his report for the past year. He says that
the limit OF 250D0 enlisted men for the army is
fixed by law, but the fear Of exceeding this limit
or the difficulty OF enlisting in these prosper
Gus times, has kept the army below what the hon.
or or the necessity OF the country demands, and
he most earnestly advises that the limit be
Changed to 5000, not with the expectation Of
reaching that limit, but to approximate it and
thereby make the army more efficient without
material increase Of the cost. The experience Of
the world Is that Of an organized army not more
than 90 per cent can be had for actual bat
tie or field service, and as experience
are needed for the wants Of the courv nnmbes
Is asked for which Will produce that result. At
present our soldiers are OeerwOrked; the cOmpa-
MES are too small for discipline decent appear
Gnce. and he thinks that the army has earned by
active service, this amount OF consideration from
the country.
The rsports of the department generals are sub
mittei with the report OF the General of the Army,
who says, in referring to them, that the military
most happily uncventful and peaceful; not wholly
ior want of Cause but because force was close
at hand in each instance to reach ani pun
Indian distu; Dances in the great west than
in any OF the past twenty years, partly
owing to the precautions tax n by the proper OIL
GERS. but in large measure due to the uneXampled
development OF the railroads in that region and
the consequent rapidity OF statement by farmers
and graZerS. who are generally prepared to defend
their own property. This is the real cause of the
great prosperity which now blesses our country.
General Sherman thinks that the regular army
has done its Tull share In accomplishing this re-
silt, and claims for them a share In its fruits.
The troops during this transition period have
lived In holes in the ground, In houses made of
green cotton wood logs infested by vermin, In
tenn lorary shantieS, generally without murmur,
out now this battle with poverty is over or nearly
so, and he
APPEALS TO CONGRESS FOR GENEROUS TREATMENT,
for decent quarters for officers and men, to repeal
the law which forbids anything but temporary
shelters at frontier posts, and to confer Oh the
President, the Secretary Of War, or On a board OF
general Officers the power to designate the places
of strategic Importance at which to erect suitable
permanent buildings for quarterng properly the
troops or the Unite States; in the enforcement
OF sttute law, compulsory on the army, and in the
III lintiining discipline, without which an army
would be nuisance.
RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO TRIAL BY COURTS MAR.
TIAL-
According to the report Of the Judge Advocate
General there have been ,797 cases Of trial by
courts martial among the enlisted men during the
past year On this subject, Gen. Sherman says:
SIT is notorious in the army that 80 Of these
in the 100 are for simple disorders which. In civil
life, are punished by magistrate without Jury
court martial Is both Judge and jury The easiest
core. ton for this condition OF facts rests with
n ia lazy iS In
tault, Tor the men we enlist are the best we Can
get Tor the price paid. believe the price is LIBERAL
when we con sIier the fact that soldier Is In any
event fed, clothed and reasonably maintained at
the cost OF the government The minimum pay
si3 per month"; being in fact pocket money, and is
the only hold we have On him for fines and for
teitur.s- l recommend that articles OF war So 81
and SO be amended so as TO extend the principles
OF The field Others court TO every FORT garrison,
place where the troops OF the United States are
quartered In nine ''plaCes" out of ten there
t"ld offieers-ony captains and leutenants. Yet
the necessity for discipline and prompt punish
ment for minor ''disoriers' are the same
The commanding officer of such a ''place,"
preferably the next to himself In the order of
command,to act as provost Judge; to hear, try,
tacn case as IL arises and TO enter up
should be executed the same as in case OF a garr-
son court marital. A book OF record should be
Kept SUBJECT TO the inspection OF the department
commander, and OF any authorized inspector gene
raj This simple provision will obviate the neces-
Sity for so many trials which are now scandal to
the country. General courts martial WILL however
continue TO be necessary for more serious Offenders
under the articles OF and for the trial of
and here invite your attention to the report of
! G neral Mcdowell, who instances how we cling to
old notions prohibiting cOurts-martial from sitting
! aIt"r O'Clock p.m because a hundred years ago,
| In England, officers were wont to dine and get
| drunk at that hour. Now, we dine when we can,
keep sooer all the time, and there IS no reason why
courtS-martaS not sit all night ir necessary
| To reach verdict, the same as civil jury"
THE CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CASUALTIES
for the past year also exhibits loss to the army
by deSertion OF 3,92l This, taken in connection
with the number OF enlistments and re.enlist
ments G,3ig, Is 4 mo st serious matter, occasion
! great loss OF money 10 the government and call
! ior u speedy remedy, II possible.
THE CAUSES OF DISCRETION,
as exhibited by record Of trials, various, but
the chief one Is that most OF the recruits enlist In
New York or the larger cities and are TRANSPORTED
nj the cost OF the United States the west where
by desertion at little risk OF capture and punish
| ment they obtain the highest wages. The remedy
W IL. In his BELIEF be found in more liberal treat
ment OF good soldier and more certain punish
government paid Its private soldiers SIG per month
+, ana non-commssoned officers much higher Now
| and the non-commlssioned officer proportIonatey
less than before. whilst the prices or living are in
| creased rather than diminished The services
expected or our soldiers are more labOriOuS and
nearly as dangerous now as then, and this is con.
strued by them as Partially 70 the citizen volun-
teer over the regular This Is felt to be an act OF
injustice to themselves, and coupled with the fact
that deserton Is gradually becoming stripped.
| In the public estimation, OF its odlous and
dangerous character, We find that desAr-
tons are increasing rather than diminishing.
On this subject Gen. Sherman concludes =
81 therefore recommend that the pay OF
enlisted men be restored to what It was In 1855
and that the punishment for desertion be more
| clearly defined by law and increased In severity
Aggravated cases during active campaigns or In
the Indian country should be treated as capital
as is done under almost every civilized govern
mcEt, and ss Is the case with ourselves In actual
1 In Aont 10
| and ever shculi be construed as the basest and
m0ct hcinOls9 cfflx0 uOaaible tn aoldfer Wheraas