, 1889-09-12
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Postmasters, Consuls and Resident
MinLsters AppOIntcd.


| WAsfItNGToN Sept, 6.-Thc president
has appointed the following named post
masters Wilber T. Norton, ut Alton,
ILL.,, vice I. II. Perrin, removed; john
a. Childs, at Evanston, ILL.,, vice George
w, Hess, removed Jacob Ericdlich, Mt.
Sterling, ILL.,, vice George w. Mcmillan,
removed Howard Wells, Rock Island
ILL.,, vice August IIulising, removed
Harry Sanderson, at Winchester, ILL.,,
vice Samuel Berry, removed.
Levi W. Naylor of Wisconsin was APP.
pointed to the post of inspector on the
money order service by transfer of thu
treasury department.
The following consuls were appointed
to-day; Joseph r. Mason of Virginia,
at Mannheim; Bernard G.. Macauley oi
New York, at Managua, Nicaragua
Aubrok Palmer of tho District oil
Columbia, at Dresden; John ID.
Doolittle of Texas, at Bristol;
Thomas Anderson of Ohio, minister
resident and consu!-gcneral to Bolivia
Edwin Dun, secretary of legation of tha
United States to Japan Arthur w. Bar.
rott Of Massachusetts, secretary of lega.
tion of the United States, TO Nenczllolai
VIM. II. Gardiner of Indiana, second sec.
rotary of legation of the United States,
toJupan.
The subject of desorton from the
ulUlN Will ne Ifcdttu Ul lcIktll III tile
forthcoming report OF the secretary Oi
war. IL is one that has Secretary Proc.
tor 8 earnest consideration from the be.
ginning us well as that of the adiutant
generals stail. Various changes in camp
and barracks life with view to inCreas.
ing the soldiers comforts and interest
III his command have been instituted,
notably the consolidated mess and can
teen systems. These have worked well
wherever tried, and the result has been
that the percentage of desertions has
been decreased since 1883.
The official statement of the action
taken 10y the American nations upon
the invitation to participate in the con-
gress next month was issued by the
state department to-day.
II shows that every one has accepted
the invitation except San Domingo
The reason given by the government o
that country for declining to participate
was that tho treaty negotiated by the
representatives of the latter country sew.
orul years ago failed of ratification by
the senate of the United States.
The president has appointed A, Il
Roberts postmaster at Montrosc, Col,
vice a. Il. Budd removed
Ofdesertion, 90 per cent occur among
men serving their first and second yeai
, OF enlistment. In May last, Maioi
Theodore SChwan, assistant udjutant.
general, under instructions of Secretary
Proctor, made tour of inspection of tho
i recruiting depots ut Dayid'S Island, n,
, Y, Columbus, o., and Jefferson bar
!, racks, Missouri. The major is himself
u soldier who came up from the ranks,
and his report to the adjutant- general
contains numerous suggestions, includ-
, ing draft of q bill prepared by him last
winter after close study of the situation
calculated in his opinion to lessen the
evil Of desertion. Major Schwan says;
"Whatever cause of discomfort may mt
one time have existed, such as a lack of
= provision and care for the physical com
= fort and needs of the enlisted soldier,
or unreasonable demands upon and un-
l fair or harsh treatment of him, have
t been removed, so far as IL is in the power
I OF the military authorities to do so, and
eases are rare where failure of the gov
ernment to- make good its obligations
can be truthiully alleged as utiording
} even semblancc of justification for de-
! scrtiOn.'
Among other things, Major Schwan's
bill provides safeguards against readmis-
sion to tho service of ''repeatcrs,h or
! professional deserters. Another proys-
ion of the bill is that one-third OF a sol
dicr's pay for the first wear shall he re-
TUNED until his discharge and forfeited
it he docs not serve out his time. II also
! provides for the adoption of the British
: custom of permitting enlisted men to
purchase their discharges,
Acting djutant-General Mckeever
and other officers of the stan have, at
Secretary Proctors request, submitted
, memoranda on the subject of descrtiOns.
| Acting Adiutant- General Mckeever saws,
in bis opinion, the chief causes of de-
sertions are disappointment at the reali-
ties of militia life, employment of the
soldier on laborers work without extra
, pay, inequality of punishments as in
licted by court martial bad company
/ mnistration, tyrannical conduct
sometimes exercised towards enlisted
, men by the officers, and more especially
first sergeants, and too often the uuneC-
| ossary restraints imposed on the soldier.
/, lie also believes tile largest number OF
deseriers are American born.
following are the remedial measures
, suggested: Limit the tgrn of service In
the first enlistment to three years, and
re-enlistment 10 five years; grant dis
charges according 10 length OF service;
discharge men found to he incorrigbly
bad without character and th,ls bar
their re-entry in the service; secure "a
graded college of punishmcnts for tue
guidance of CouftmaItials; secure Il bet
ter class OF non-commissioned officers,
and especially first scrgeants, by ircrcas-
ing the pay; make the first punishment
OF deserters more certain than at present
: by increasing the reward.
One OF the members Of the board be-
fore whom at Annapolis, Wednesday,
tie proposed defective armor for tile
, protection of gtns on naval vessels was
. Tested, said that every shot fired pone-
| trpted the "turtlc back with ease and
; the fourth practically demolished it and
ended the test. The armor wns ordered
I. by congress and cost $4,000. The sccro-
tary of the navy was authorized by act
: of congress, if ho deemed it advisable, to
place the defective armor on the Chicago.
Aulick Palmer of this district, ap-
l pointed United States consul at Dresden,
: is said to be very intimate friend OF
Secretary Blaine. Mr.. Palmer il very
wealthy resident here, and halls from
Illinois.
. Thomas IT. Anderson appointed roi,-
lister resident and constil-gencral TO
BOLIVIA, is q lawyer residing at Cam
I, bridge o., and at one time held tho
! Office of prosecuting attorney ofGuernacy
0 county.
Bernard G. Macauly of New York, ap-
; pointed consul at Managua Nicaragua,
+ is y son Of General Dan, Macauly, ex-
mayor of indianapolis, who Is now said
I. TO be connected with the management
and construction Of the proposed Mica
;, rauga canal.