The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-12-06
Washington te,cgram.l

tho ilseal year ending June 30, 1893, we're
as follow:
Salaries and contingent cNpenses.S l.9ysG!5 IL
Military estabiishncnts...... ..... 2l.3l4.G9. ::B
f:tolic works. including river nut
har1or Improvements. ........... la,4sl.s SIS 90
MISCELLANEOUS objects. G.sa,.a1i %
Total s4G.65f.12is4
TIL appropriations for the current fiscal
year ending Juno so, 1890, are az follows:
Salaries and contingent expenses.S 1855 ESQ On
Military establishment. Support
OF the army and military acad-
24,J52 go ~
Pubiir works, including river and
hlrbor Improvements. .......... 3,.5D3, 5.i 20
miscellaneous objects. 4,ll9.;G5 e
Total. 1850 $3.50 10
The estimates OF the department for the
next fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, are
as follows:
Salaries and contingent en-
2s.0l3.is5) 90
Military neutrality-suspicious.. a5,iIs, 1873 Sc
Public works. li,I9o.i 3l ~
Miscellaneous objccts............. 5.:i,i.O4D 10
~, Ijf.9I3 IS
Th Secretary recommends the reorgan-
ization of the artillery branca of the
army and the addition of VIC regiments.
ono or both OF which might bs of colored
men. The infantry and cavalry arms Of
the service have each two regiments Of
negro troops, of whom no says that their
record for good service is excellent. They
are neat. orderly and obedient, ore seldom
brought before courts martial and rarely
desert.
Tho secretary recommends that tho
limit of the retired list bo increased to $50
from 400, the present figure. Secretary
Proctor says that the public impression
that descrtion is OIL the increase is enron
cons. The total Of assertions for the fis-
cal year 1889 was 2a.3 of the cnlistments
and ll.G of tho total strength of tho army.
Tho causes assigned include restlessness
under the restraints of discipline, disap-
pointment at the details of the service,
and of its LACK Of inducements, dissipation
and in some cases itl-treatment. Investi-
eht;On does not disclose that i~il-trea&ment
prevails to M appreciable oxtcnt. The
employment OF enlisted mon in ordinary
labor undoubtedly creates disgontent. Tho
nth of the whole question is to make the
service worth seeking, and then enough
good mon will seeli 1t and be glad to stay
i'll it IL is a fact that the soldiers
in the colored regiments .rarely desert,
whereas the percentage of desertion in tho
rest OF the army is so large. Their previous
condition in civil life largely exrlains it.
To the colored man the service offers a
career: to the white man too often only u
rcfIge There is but little incentive for
young and Intelligent men to mako a pro-
fession Of soldering. The hope to achieve
q commission is but slight, but wen then
they receive less compensation than the
private soldier who is placed upon extra
duty.
The distance between the highest grade
of commissioned officer and tile COM
mtssioncd otlicer is far too great i'll my
Judgment. To q considerable extent, how
over, the rem edy lies with congress.
The value of tho National guard to the
country is ully recognized by the secre-
tary. To enhance its efficiency and pro-
mote the interest of the young men of tho
country in 1t, he recommends that mem
bers OF 1t, upon passing some proper sys-
tenn of examination, be made eligible to
commissions in the regular army as second
lieutenant.
Tile 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
i'll 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 ure
now on hand :, 900 muzzle-loading guns
available for their armament, and defen-
slve work begun in July, 1890. could be
equipped the following year with with g.
inch breecll-loaling 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 ofrense, and yico
versa.
Mi. Garrison, in his annual re.
port, shows the number of postoffices es-
tablished during the year ending June 30,
1850, to be 1870, a decrease over the
previous year of 1000. The number of
postotlfces discontinued was 7,147, a de-
crease of ass. The whole number of post
offices in the country is So, 500, an increase
of 1,f23. The total number
OF postmasters appointed during the year
was ?O,OsO. The total number Of
free delivery offices is 4O1, an increase of
4s. Tie total number Of letter.car,ie,s is
s,ss1., an increase of 1911. He recom-
mends the extension of the free-delivery
service to ali places having q population
of 1900, and where the p%ostoffcs has an
annual gross revenue of 80, 0OD. Tho up.
preparation for the service for tie present
fiscal year is s., 600, 900. The estimate for
the next fiscal year, commencing July J.,
1890, is 50, 0G9. 4S5. The aggregate es.
timats for the compensation of ~postmastsrs,
clerks in postoiiices, rent, light, fuel, mis-.
%cellaneous N incidental items for tile
Presidential and second class offices is SSes2
987, 500, an increase of 81, 231, i2O as com.
pared with the previous year.