The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-01
TIE REGULAR ARMY.
DETAILS or 4 PLAN fOF TRANS
FORMING 1T INTO A SCHOOL.

cost Of Our Present t-ny-sbafac,e OF
the r,niis.e ed Nen-Ecasons for impor-
t-nt Chances-Sovci ard Notowor'hJ
Suggestions from Gen. Eautz.
An extraordinary transformation OF thc
regular army is proposed by Gen August v
Eautz. colonel Of the Eighth infantry IN the
Century Nacaz'rc. The ideal army that
we have in view hc says, "is an educational
Institution. the fundamental principle beng
20 recruit its material from tho youth OF the
land. who will be able 70 learn the duties OF
the service and 70 impart them to others
and in order 20 give the whole country
share in this school he would have inc re.
cruits selected according to locality, hxed
number from each Congress district, 70
which, on completing their education, they
would return In short. he would substitute
a "methol Of making err FER TIC o-o q
maintaining enlisted men, ard ho declares
that this would lie cheaper, besides keeping
the couatry better prepared for great "cF'
COST or E-ErrNG.
The cost Of Eoeping up or present army,
cccordiac to Gen. kautz, has always c.
cee,led SSOCcOC0O a year, and has often
GfUOulT1fl clW.'fV.'N's 81 Ate-N ~ NN4tntN'N-N
the annual cost per man Of maintaining our
military establishment 70 be about sl,2Oo
Hence 1T costs more 20 maintain private
than It does 10 make an officer AZ West
Point"
"Tho men enlisted for this force ere mostly
recruited in tue large cities, and consist OF
class Who in the main have elected to enlist
from other than patriotic motives CT love
Of the military profession y large proper
ton cre lcrcicncr3 who arc not sufficiently
acquainted With the country - find other
employment. ,iany Eavo found out their
incapacity 20 ralc Roadway in civil life, the
causes icing as different as TIC characters
ard circumstances Of the nidiyidu@A Too
many lclon- 70 thct large and unfortunate
class known rldor the generic name Of
'iramps.i who are wanderers by nature, and
who become the dcser.ers from the array.
Many arc illtoratc, few are educated AID
capable. ana the great majority lack the
necessary talent and capacity TO take care
Of themselves and 10 advance IA hfc Tho
smart and apparently capable man. when
found In the ranks, is generally suspected OF
some moral talnt or iutempcrato habit not
tolerated among his friends, and the number
who attain distinction in the army or after
leaving il. are few indeed. There is no OPP
portLnity afforded the enlisted man 10 be.
come qualified 70 command in case Of war,
and Tie number who rise 10 a commission :
remarkably small"
uUyDRrA CONDITION.
Perhaps those who dissent from Gen
Kautzs plan would dispute not only tho fig
rres Of cost attributed 20 maintaining the
e.listed man. but bis view Of the real aver
AGE character OF the present recruits. Gen
Kautz proceed, To say that the duties Of ibC
| troon1 mostly consist Of tho simplest routine
OF harrison life and that since even the cut
| breaks Of the Indians are becoming less fre
Quent. they have little opportunity TO learn
| field service. This humdrum condition Is moi
quite 50 marked in the cavalry, because tho
| tooper las a: least his horse % take care o..
but in general the foldicrs are forever prac
t;clng elementary duties AMI drills. doing
teen as well, II na; better after the iiist few
weeks oil instruction rs they ever do after
ward
Another reason fer bis proposed chang
Gen Kautz finds in the modern art o. war
| which DESTROYS the vaiuo Of the old drll
tactics. making them even perilous.
With these premises TO start from, Gen
| Kaut2 proposes 90 mako every military pos
q military school % Wcst Point officers scry
! in. a. instructors As 20 the exact duties O.
such a school the article IS s0mewha. NOR
vague:
while holding that Inc army should be a.
educational institItion. ]. is no,intendeI Il
Limit IL % book knowledge. Tho instructor
should also he technical 10 a certain cxten.
There will he iaauy who will not take q
books Who can be- OF great service as carpen
tiers. vhcciwrigh,s b.acksmiths. mason-
painters. etc. Th So are all trades which cal
be taught. for they ar all carried GA O.
every rost All those pursuits are cssen;.a
IN war. in fact. there is no pursuit ~ cly.
he that may ro, be Of service in "ar"
a RusI OF ErcRCu5
The present srcc-th q tho army could L
obtained ly ;asing lftecn recruits cnnuali
from each congress district. ard tie prevail
in rule should bo single enlistment OF fiv
vc-rs. so that the greatest number pOz-iOl
may Get q military training. The rcsul
would be such a rush Of recruits that oal
the best could be received:
The opportunity Of getting an educatio
while ono Is icing clothed and fed, and a
cciyirg lrom 30 cents 10 81 per day, woui
be Gvailcl Of gladly by any young man VII
had not been ia orcd by fortune. IL Won.
BE- his chance 20 sec something Of the eTea
world After fve years lie could return I
his home and relatives with a diploma and
discharge tina. would eisc Linn a claim to
commission as IN officer in tho event Of
war. and be could have from one 70 tw
thousand dollars IN his pocket, for ho coul
save al his pay
All this Is novel ard particularly rot'
worthy as coming from "a officer like Gel
Kaut.. WHO has seen long and varied service
\ German by birth, and a private IN "a
ONO infantry during the Mexican war. b
vas also q graduate ri the N ilitlry Academ
AID a distinguished solder during the civ
war. and low h1s been forty years ~ th
service -Ncw York sun.
The Newly Married in China.