Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-11-30

VI thI army ana lHllIldIS dCdu-
Neutrality-suspicious.. 24352, 22o 4e
Public works. including river and
harbor Improvements ............ 3.563G24 90
Miscellaneous objects............... 4110,7G5 -
Total .Se} $50 20) Is
The estimates of the department for tn
next fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, are
as follows:
Salaries and contingent ex-
penses. ...............S 2,01361O &C
Military establishments. ......... 25,403,l 4S Sc
Public Observation-Disclosures. 11.l9D,lA "A
Miscellaneous objects ............. 5,55l,040 30
Total. $44.151013 9j
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 coored
mon. 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 obedent, are seldom
brought before courts martial and rarely
desert.
The secretary recommends that the
limit of the retired list be increased to 450
from 400, the present figure Secretary
Proctor says that the public impression
eous. The total of desertions for the fis-
cal year 1899 was 20 3 of the enlistments
and It g 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 iIl-treatment Investi-
cation does not disclose that i'll Treatment
prevails ~ any appreciate extent The
employment OF enlisted men in ordinary
labor undoubtedly creates dis ontent 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 a 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
career; to the white man too often only a
refuge There is but little incentive for
young and intelligent men to make pro-
fession 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 e considerable extent, how
ever, the rem edy lies with congress-
The value of the National guard to the
country is fully recognized by the secre-
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 regular army as second
lieutenant
The exposed condition or our seacoast is
next dwelt upon and the necessity of
defensive work urged The principal
commercial ports should be at once placed
in a 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 1900 muzzle-loading guns
available for their armament, and defen-
alve work begun in July, 1890, could be
equipped the following year with with s.
inch reech-loading guns.
The secretary recommends revision of
the articles of war in regard to military
punishment, which at present are i'll
defined. Neither is it certain, and there is
nothing to prevent the heaviest punish
ment for the most trivial offense, and vice
versa.
Mr. Clarkson, in his annual re-
port, shows the number of postofices es-
tabllshed during the year ending June 30,
1890 to be >, no, a decrease over the
previous year of 1880. The number of
postoflices discontinued was IN a de-
crease Of 4gS The whole number of post
Offices in the country is -, 800, an increase
of ,f23 The total number
of postmasters appointed during the year
was 2O,O30 The total number of
free delivery offices is 4U1, an increase of
az. The total number of letter. carriers is
S,251, an increase of ,%1l. He recon-
mends the extension of the free-delivery
service TO all places having a population
Of ., 600, and where the postoiIice has an
annual gross revenue Of s. 600 The APP
propri,~io ion for the service for tire present
Gscal year i, S. 900, 900. The estimate for
the next fiscal year. commencing July /,
Io5o, is S9,OD $50. The aggregate es-
innate for the compensation of postmasters.
clerks in postohices, rent, light fuel, mis-.
cellaneous and incidental items for the
Presidential and second class offices is S22,-
9b1, 300, an increase of 81, 23i, i20 as COM
pared with the Irsviou, year.
Second Assistant Postmaster General
Whitfield in his annual report says that
the annual rate OF expenditures for star
route services on Juno 30. 1899 was
-, DDS iS,. Tho mum err Of routes +;
l5,Ois and the aggregate length Of the
routes Is 81 Elsl miles The appro-
priuuon for the last fiscal year was So
lOl uAu, aud the sum expended -, ~,
40 lj. leaving an uneNpeuded balance
of 500, sol g. The appropriation for tho
current fiscal year is -, $50 900 and este
mated expenditures Sj,gu3,31G. leaving
osfimutnl deficits 9f 1922. 4lG ~. He
recommends tho appointment of com.
mission Co recommend 90 Congress neces.
snry star route legislation. and also roc.
0mmaud that provision o. made f.r tbs
families of postal elorks kHled while on
duty 300 ihe shape Of "a civil pension 'I,t
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