Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-12-14
ARMY AND POsTOFFICF
REPORTS OF sEcHErAR1Es EN-,
COTr AND DICKINSON.

REPORTS OF SECRETAKIES rNr>y
COTT AND DICKINSON.
Tho Administration OF the War Den,,I
. mont-Essimate, aud Esueniliture. p
Military Protecticn-The fst,sta, Saw,
! Fully Co ,side ed.
Secretary Endicott has made a ro,o
of the War Department. DURING M
fiscal year ended june 80 last. The n. /
expenditures were $4l, 175, 1i,7; the annS1
Priations for the current fiscal year an,an,s
to $59, S79, 1874, and the estimates fnr M
fiscal year ending June 80, 1890, apgrepa4
-, G32, 507, as follows: Salaries and eo,,
tingent expenses, 81, 9S8, 800: military as1
Establishment, support of the ARM, and nils
tary academy, $50, 2J3. BIZ; pubic worhs
including river and har,,o: Improvement
$13, $50, 234; miscellaneous objects, So. DIS
600. s''''''
The Secretary gives q. brief review of ths
trouble with tho Chir:acahua Apache in
dams, who are now confined at Mount Va,]
non larracks, Alabama, and discusses nlan1
for their disposition. The Secrctrry save
Is very desirable to secure some place wharl
the climae is suitable or opportunity MAJ
be had to instruct and employ them in a orr;
: culture.
Desertions from the army continue !.
large numbers, as in previous years I'M
from Investigations recently made it an
pears that ~ per cent OF tho assertions oe.
cur before the expiration Of the second yea,
Of service. In discussing the various plan,
suggested to prevent assertions the Secre.
tary says:
ut Is worthy Of consideration whethe,
the officers In command of troops at mill
tary posts, or the captains of companies
should not be authorized to impose punish,
ment for minor offenses. But in Fl antinp
such authority it will be ncce ssary to specify
the extent and character of tho punishment
for each offence. otherwise there wdnld he
no uniform rule, nor would it be wise 70
impose SO large discretion upon single
officer"
The Secretary says that all the States
and Territories now have an active militia
sufficient under the regulations to entitl,
them to receive ordnance and quarter
masters stores from the United States ex-
cepting the State of Arkansas and the Ter
ritories Of Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. tits
hoped that very soon practical instruction
in seacoast defenses and the handling Of
heavy artillery may lie given to the militia,
and the officers of the army may be relied
upon to give Jealous and cordial assist
ance. The report continues:
"By generous supply of ammunition
for target practice to colleges where army
officers are serving as instructors it is posi-
BILE that competitive contests in rifle shoot
ing might, in time, become as popular with
some of these inland colleges as boat racing
is now at the universities at our sea
board"
The attention of Congress is again invited
to the defenseless condition of the seacoast
and lake frontiers, and liberal and imme-
date action is recommended looking to the
effective defense of our principal seaports
The Secretary adds:
cit would appear now more important
than ever that such action should be taken
at the second session of the present Con
gress in view of the fact that the last
session gave appropriations for the con-
stauction of heavy ordnance. Without
heavy platforms, strong armored protection,
and other permanent emplacements these
guns and mortars when finished will be of
comparatively little use.
"The building of modern gun and mortar
batteries requires longer periods Of time
than the construction Of the armament. 1t
would appear the part of wisdom that the
preparation of these two important compo-
nents of a well-equipped defense shoulg
proceed simultaneously. For the beginnind
of the construction of such defenses an APP
preparation of ~, $40, 600 is asked for"
He concludes his reports by calling atten-
ton to the great need of an assistant Secre-
tary of War, and says that such an officer
is imperatively needed for the proper and
efficient administration Of the war depart
vnent