The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-12-04

Military establishment. support
OF the army and military acad-
envy. S4,bJ-,SsO W
Public works. including river and
harbor improvements. ........... 3563,62i 90
Miscellaneous objects............... 4l19,7G5 -
Total S3l $50 a0l ls
The estimates of the department for the
next fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, are
as follows:
Salaries and contingent ex-
penSeS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2.Ol3O)0 90
Military establishments .......... 25,403 las So
Public works.. -.................... ll,l9lL4 "a
Miscellaneous objects. 5.55lO40 -
Total ................ &44. I57 073 %
The Secretary recommends the reorgan-
ization of the artillery brancL of the
army and the addition of two regiments,
one or both of which might be of colored
men. The infantry and cavalry arms of
the service have each two regiments OF
negro troops, of whom ne says that their
record for good service is excellent. They
are neat, orderly and obedient, are seldom
brought before courts martial and rarely
desert.
The secretary recommends that the
limit of the retired list be increased TO $50
from 400, the present figure. Secretary
Proctor says that the public impression
that desertion is on the increase is enron
eous. The total of desertons for the fis-
cal year 1899 was %. 3 of the enlistments
and ll6 of the total strength of the army.
The causes assigned include restlessness
under the restraints of discipline, disap-
pointment at the details of the service,
and of its lack of inducements, dissi patton
and in some cases ill-treatment lnvesti-
cation does not disclose that ill treatment
prevails to any appreciable extent. The
employment OF enlisted men in ordinary
labor undoubtedly creates discomfort. The
pith of the whole question is TO make the
service worth seeking, and then enough
good men will seek it and be glad TO stay
in it, 1t is fact that the soldiers
in the colored regiments rarely desert,
whereas the percentage of desertion in the
rest OF the army is so large. Their previous
condition in civil life largely explains it.
To the colored man the service offers a
career to the white man too often only a
refuge There is but little incentive for
young and intelligent men TO make pro
fesson Of soldering. The hope to achieve
a commission is but slight, but even then
they receive less compensation than the
private soldier who is placed upon extra
duty.
The distance between the highest grade
of non-commissioned officer and the COM
missioned officer is far too great in my
Judgment To a considerable extent, how
ever, the rem edy lies with congress.
The value OF the National guard to the
country is fully recognized by the secie-
tary. To enhance its efficiency and pro-
mote the interest of the young men Of the
country in it, he recommends that MEM
bers of it, upon passing some proper sys-
tenn of examination, be made eligible to
commissions in the raOular arnv sacOnd
lieutenant
The exposed condition or our seacoast is
next dwelt upon and the necessity of
defensive work urged. The principal
commercial ports should he at once placed
in position to resist attack, and the
work continued until every vulnerable
point on our coast was adequately
guarded. Once built the cost of their
maintenance would be light. There are
now on hand 3, 900 muzzle-loading guns
available for their armament and defen-
sive work begun in July, 1890. could be
equipped the following year with with g.
inch breech-loading guns.
The secretary recommends revision Of
the articles of war in regard to military
punishment, which at present are ILL
defined. Neither is it certain, and there is
nothing TO prevent the heaviest punish
ment for the most trivial offehse, and vice
versa.
Mr. Clarkson, in his annual re-
port, shows the number of postoflices es-
tablished during the year ending June 30,
1880, to be 2,770, a decrease over the
previous year of 1000. The number Of
postofiices discontinued was ,147 a de-
crease of 4yS. The whole number of post
offices in the country is -, 500, an increase
of 1,623 The total number
of postmasters appointed during the year
was $1,000 The total number of
free delivery offices is i01 an increase of
43. The total number of letter carriers is
S,257, an increase of 1,%ll. He recon-
mends the extension of the free delivery
service TO all places having a population
of ., 900, and where the postofce has an
annual gross revenue of 5000. The APP
preparation for the service for tire present
fiscal year is s., 900, 0D0. The estimate for
tsne next fiscal year, commencing July /,
! 1890, is -, 0o9. 4S5. The aggregate es-
innate for the compensation of postmasters.
! clerks in postoflices, rent, light, fuel mis-
! cellaneous and incidental items for the
/ Presidential and second class offices is $22
/ 9S7, 500, an increase of 81, 231, A20 as COM
/ pared with the previous year.
Second Assistant Postmaster General
Whitfield in his annual report says that
the annual rate OF expenditures for star
route services on June 3D. 1889, was
+ 50, DPS, 3S7. The number of routes is
! 1907, and the aggregate length OF the
routes is 2i3, 81.s al miles. The appro-
priation for the last fiscal year was s.,
40O, 09O, and the sum expended s., III,
49, AZ, leaving an unexpended balance
of 1922, SU4 81. The appropriation for the
current fiscal year is So $50, 900 and esti-
mated expenditures $500, 216, leaving
estimated deficits of $3.50, 216 So. He
recommends the appointment Of a COM
mission to recommend to Congress neces-
sary star route legislation, and also rec.
ommends that provision be made for the
families of postal clerks killed while on
duty in the shape of a civil pension list.
REUBEN n. GARDNER stabbed and killed
] Infav atfa Ernntz nj Mast MilIinrnun rnn-