St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-25
PROCTOR's REPORT.
The secretary of War Strongly
FavOrs Coast Defense.

Favors Coast Defense.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-Redfield
Proctor. secretary of war, in his report
of the administration of his departme
says: The expenditures of apprOpria-
tiOns for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1889. were as follows:
Salaries and contingent ex-
Military establishment: sup
port of the army and mill
1tary academv ...... ABA. 697 33
Public works, including riv-
er and harbor improve
mems -. ~. ........ 13.4s1.e 1856 90
Miscellaneous objects ...... 6,S94.o14 70
Total go. 90. :. ......SI6. 654.I2l "a
The appropriations for the current
fiscal year ending June 80, 1890. are as
follows:
Salaries and contingent ex-
penses -. -. -. -. 81, 953.6S0 90
Military establishment, sup
port of the army and mill
tary academy. ......... -. "a. S52.220 46
Public works. including river
and harbor improvements. 563.624 90
Miscellaneous objects >. ...... 4, 4,ll9.765 70
Total. $50. 9s9 300 ,s
The estimates of this department for
the next fiscal year ending June 80, 1891,
are as follows:
Salaries and contingent ex-
Military Establishment: Sup. 0'0O w
port of the Army and Mill
tary academy ....... 25, ,4n3. l4S S6
Public works.. :. ........... 1l,I9 .l34 II
Miscellaneous Objects. -. 5,551 .04O So
Total 4.I57,973 90
The authorized strength of thei army
is now $4,000. but only $4,000 is apprO-
priated for. This is but one man for
every 1853 of population. Contrary to
general belief, desertiOn Is not on the
increase. The aggregate of the ma
tional guard, regularly organized and
uniformed. is 106.500 men. and the
present annual appropriation of con-
gress for their armament and equipment
is only s4O0.0O0.
COAST DEFENSE.
l assume that the exposed condition
of our sea coast requires no proof, nor
the necessity of defending it any argu-
ment. If there is an apparent sense of
security among our people, it Is born,
not of ignorance, but of thoughtless-
ness. Although our position IN the
traditions of our national diplomacy tend
to the maintenance of peace. a defense
less condition will ever invite attack.
lie acCual Value or bne property tnuS
exposed to a .public enemy. although
many times the cost of amply protect
ing it. bears but little proportion to the
magnitude of the material interests of
the whole nation equally endan-
rered thereby. 1t is hot local
question. Not only is the na-
tional honor alike dear to all,
but a hostile shell in the streets of New
York strikes the prairies as well-their
corn and wheat share III the loss. Still.
the greater burden will fall upon the
stat contiguous to the seaboard
in the immediate maintenance of
the militia required to man
the defenses in case of danger.
| submit as basis to start from that no
time is to be lost in placing the capital
of the country. the commercial metrop-
lis on the Atlantic seabord. and at least
one port on the Pacific in the best pos
sible state of defense. How rapidly
the work shall be carried on until it enl-
braces every important vulnerable
point from the st. Johns to the Rio
Grande and the ports of the Pacific is
the only question. Inmy view progress
cannot be too rapid.