Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-25
SECRETARY PROCTOR's VIEWS.
Recommendations of Interest to WASH
incton Made I'm His Annual Report.

Recommendation of Interest to WASH
ington Made I'm His Annual Report.
STATUES TO BE LOCATED IN THIS crTY-THK
soLpIEs' HoME-suGaEsrIoSs ABOUT RE-
ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY-LEoIsLArroS
PROPOSED TO CURE THE EVIL OF pEsERrIoS.
The first annual report of Secretary OF War
Proctor to the President was made public to-
day. Following are the estimates for the year
ending June 80 1891: Salaries and contingent
expenses, s2,OlS,650; military establishment:
support Of the army and military academy.
s25, 4O3.l4s.s6; public works, Sl1,l?o.lS4.74;
miscellaneous objects, IS ISL ,0i0 IS; total, sA-
157,97S95
STATUES FOR WASHINGTON.
The Secretary says: by an act approved
March 2, 1889, commissions were designated TO
select sites and erect pedestals for the statues
OF the the late Generals Sheridan. Logan. and
Hancock. The latter commission was COM
pleted by your appointment of Senator Francis
NJ. Cockrell of Missouri. These commissions
cannot intelligently select design for and be-
gln the preparations of these pedestals until
the designs for the statues themselves are fixed
upon. No selection has yet been made of a site
Tor the Sheridan statute; but the commission
has selected Iowa Circle as a site for the Logan
statue, and for the Hancock statue the space
mas been selected at the junction of 10th and L
streets and New Hampshire avenue to be here
after known rs Hancock circle, by virtue of an
act approved March 2, 1889. The monument
TO be erected TO the memory of Gen. Lafayette
and his compatriots, authorized by an act APP
proved March 3. 1885. will soon be shipped 20
this country, the contractors, Messrs. Falquire
q Mercie, sculptors, of Paris. France, having
reported that it will be ready to be put in its
place in the city of Washington during the
course Of the coming winter.
ARMY REORGANIZATION.
The Secretary approves the recommendation
of Gen. Schofeld that the artillery be increased
to seven regiments instead of five, aud asks for
an appropriation sufficient to increase the
strength of the army to 10000, its present legal
limit. he urges the adoption of the three
battalion formation, and says: From military
standpoint the question does not seem to re-
qulre evidence or argument, but merely ex-
animation and action. With this change and
the elimination OF the extra first heutenants of
artillery, the organization of the three arms of
the service will be, as it should be, uniform
and upon one harmonious basis.
Attention is called, without recommendation,
to Gen. Schoheld's arguments in favor of a law
TO the effect that all promotions up to the
grade of colonel should be by arm of the serv-
Ice, and that hereafter officers should ''be
commissioned in the arm of the service 10
which they belong, and not in particular regi-
ments, so that they may be assigned to regi-
ments and transferred from one regiment to
another by the President"
In mentioning the request of the adjutant
general that all restrictions upon retirement
be removed the Secretary remarks: Il refrain
from recommending so radical a change, but
do recommend that the limit be extended TO
400, or that an act be passed authorizing the
special retirement Of not to exceed fifty Off
GERS"
THE MATTER OF DEsERTroN
is treated at some length. Secretary Proctor
makes the following recommendations:
o. Make the pay of non-commissioned
officers of infantry, cavalry and artillery the
same as now established by law for like grades
in the engineers.
CO. Give the soldier an opportunity to so
improve himself that when he leaves the sery-
ice he may be better fitted for civil life than
when he entered it. Post schools should be es-
tabllshed, where not only instruction by lessons
and lectures should be given in matters per-
tanning TO military service, but also in the ele-
mentary branches of mathematics. science
mechanics, surveying, engineering, drawing, &c
90 Authorize re-enlistments for one or more
years at posts where soldier is discharged. A
man Will sometimes re-enlist for short time
when he will not for the full term. II the gov
ernment Is not subjected to the cost of trans
portation and instruction the great objection
TO short terms OF service is removed. Men re-
enlisted for short term would not desert
a. Make a code of punishment suited to
times of peace, which is less arbitrary but more
certain.
The attention Of Congress is invited to the
recommendations of the acting judge advocate
general for permitting and directing the arrest
of deserters by civil officers and otherwise rem
dering their capture more certain and speedy.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
On the topic of the military academy the
Secretary refers to the report of the board Of
visitors, and says: Il am convinced that the
course Is too short unless the standard of ad-
mission is raised. All who are acquainted with
the academy agree that in order to do the
necessary work Of the course, the cadets are
forced beyond reasonable degree. should
especially deprecate placing the standard of ad-
mission above the degree of proficiency for
which our public schools qualify. Such a
standard would be unjust to poor boys who may
be unable to pursue special preparatory courses
and equally unjust to the academy itself. which
finds its best material among them. Aprelimi-
nary course of year has been suggested to
better prepare cadets for the severe regular
course. This, or some plan in the line sug-
gested above, seems to be very much needed"
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
The Secretary says in reference to the ma
tional guard: ''The greatly increased efficiency
of the national guard and the awakened inter
est taken in it throughout the country have in
duced many Of our promising young men to
join il. To give these young men a chance to
gain a commission in the army would be a
proper recognition and announcement of
that organization. Military training is also a
feature in many of the colleges and schools. so
that there can be no difficulty in securing ex-
cellent material if the proper measures are
taken to select it. From these sources recon-
mend that second lieutenants selected from
civil life be appointed upon some proper sys-
tenn of examination"
COAST DEFENsEs.
On the subject Of the coast defenses the Sec
Rotary says: Il submit as basis to start from
that no time is to be lost in placing the capital
of the country. the commercial metropolis on
the Atlantic seaboard and at least one port on
the Pacific in the best possible state of defense
How rapidly the work shall be carried on until
it embraces every important vulnerable point
from the St Johns to the Rio Grande and the
ports of the Pacific is the only question. In
my view progress cannot be too rapid"
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
Referring 10 Gen. Greely's report on the
signal service, the Secretary says: II fully ap-
prove of his recommendation that greater at
tention should be given to instruction in mill
tary signaling, not only to the army but to the
militia to some extent and trust that some
method may be devised by which this can be
done without interfering with the other duties
of the corps"
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
In regard to the financial condition of the
Soldiars, fHome in Washington the Sacratarv