Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-20
The Navy Appropriation Bill.
To the Editor Of THx EVENING STAB:

isS 70
Grade should made aoeoranE The roster and
ron
While the service is somewhat startled by the
radica! changes proposed in the committees
appropriation bill, of which we have only
meager Details and when any moment furious
fiery letters Of the questionable taste of "Rex"
(see Army and Navy Register of
few weeks since) may be looked for,
would 1t not be well to consider
the views of the other side, that is to say. the
selectionists. There are two views to nearly all
questions. and we are likely to enjoy the logic
of but one, since the minority will be accused Of
being too directly interested. and since. too.
false delicacy and traditional reticence will
close their mouths in the uproar. That, with
our peculiar institutions. there will be mistakes
made. and that political influence and service
friendship will play part in selection. no one
denies; but here, as in most cases of cOntr0-
versy in this world. it is q choice of evils. 1t
seems fairly logical that ultimate good to the
such measure as is proposed, in that
individual effort and original thought
will be stimulated. drunkards will be held in
check. and discipline will be improved by in
creaslng the respect Of juniors for their Seniors
and perhaps. too, it will modify the bad tempers
ent, we calmly sit down and let the wind blow
as it listeth. 1t blows us around the world. and
we require only that the Copernican system
shall persist. and we shall ALL good and bad
alike, become admirals-sOme of us for year
or two. Others for month or two. little re-
Election teaches us that in a few years. with the
facts presented by the age list. admirals will be
promoted in patches OF a half dozen each for
an exceedingly meteoric career on the active
list. The retired list will become a nuisance
and the taxpayer become impatient. Congress
will then strike one of it's periodical blows. and
the list will be swept away, good and bad fea-
lures together
In view of such contingency, its permanency
ana integrity should make even the youngest
cadet eternally vgilant; for if respectable
competence is not assured the naval officer In
his old age, he has little consolation for his
years of hardship, of separation from friends
and his labor. whatever they may have been.
With selective promotion and the feature OF
special age retirement in each grade the case
thing, it is good to have as much Of him as pos
sbe. To speak only of one who has gone
befOre-how fortunate it was that wise legs-
lation In seectiye way gave us the services OF
John Rodgers for. so many years! How much
the service has cause to gratefully remember
him, speaking only of his peace-time record!
BY selection we will get younger, stronger
men in high Places with the retirement date
years ahead, and why should Americans be dit
ferent from everybody else IN this particular
Jomini Learned his lessons nearly century
ago. but he is still quoted as good authority
for all that Perhaps. too. he considered this
subject more deeply than the opponents of the
committees bin
NAVAL OFFICER WHO Is NOT AWARE OF Pos
SESSING ANY INFLUENCE.