Los Cerrillos rustler. (Cerrillos, N.M.) 188?-1891, 1890-11-28
TIE ARMY.


- a 9 T. q murs thsn esaAt tAtef @Ms
MfmF
ofths recent art II Cnaxr~ss FeisfiaE n
tlussi promotion ana examinations tnf pro
tloas. the Secretary sHysi
sThs eu#rataau 81 the az l. postponed IN
fhe caws of rrwsent FIRST IAsutsasats onky.
Aaatevef advantages there m Eht have bevn
10 the Old sfstam uf rezimentsi rtnotnas
they wsrs such e. wuuid prevail 10 = large
armv rather thEu IN : small enc anu IN var
than ~ tlmu uf peaca ia their present
basis e certainly ceuid net increase the
esprit Dc eurus - Ind xldual rextmeuts
Tue change ls ne sminsutir lust - officers
and i nttinsly mxuEurstea In connection
uth IL COMPANION measure in the ; me
aeg That mea are provides Tor a system 81
examination. iur all unieers Of tie army
below the rank Of Major. and makes
their right to pfumnfttn conditional
on them There are exceptional pro
Visions however. IN the Inter st. 81 me r.
~Aa came n from the volunteer srttuH
The measure as = Shaie l. one ct great iu-
portaate e. the efficiency and high pfnfe=-
sluual standing 81 the officers Of the army
Although g. keeping with the practice Of ali
the great European Powers. IL i thorough
Is American IN Theory. be.ns based on a
rseuEni lon q merit aud capahtiity. Here
tafurs oHirers have been entitled 10 promo
ton in regular rute, without any regard q
eomnetenes or Incompetence Efficiency or
inenleienry
Under tie head Of courts martial the sec
retary Gays Ky the act Of April n the time
within VII ch a person can be prosecuted
tor desertian has been limited 10 two years.
The act Of Oetobuf l. lnstifutlng SUN
mary courts for the trial uf cert IN petty
onauses. pr vtdes n prompt aud very salts
factory method for the adjustment OF sheh
matters. II wfloftentim $ save tbs soldier
n, m q long precedent confinement In the
guard hau- e and relieve tine luvesttRatton
OF his ease from the eumbraus machinery OF
a formal court martial The Interests Il the
accused are carefully guarded by the terms
Of the law, aud the right is especially re.
served to him 10 deman and receive trial
before q court IN rtiai u he So desires. Tue
ml.dtnael linn = OF pa ti=hmont IN the art.
cles Of war hive lcuu corrected by Oh act
q september q, authorizing the President
when punlshments are eft by those mr.
Giles to ths discretion Of the court
martial. to prescribe ant define limits
which In time 81 peace they shall not
exceed As thirty Of the thirty four
art Giles of war, under which enlisted men
can be tried, cave tue pu iishment entirely
to the discretion of the court martial the
only cheek heretoio= upon their variable
noes aud tue disparity Of punishment Pre-
Will ng In different DEPARTMENT. has ben
the executive ctt m ncy II has ueen the
aim OF the dcpartm nj, ny "A system ot re-
mission Of sentences d. emed excessive, to
D. rtially remedy that evil a course only
d., ensibl on the & ounl of it, lmper tive
necessity, since Il tended To impair one OF
the most satutary elements of all punish.
IA Mt its certainty. and 60 pefVeFt tue
proper use of the pgrdoniug power Toe
net places the whole subject upon a very
proper aud satisfactory basis. II may be in.
tnrestinu to not that, althougl the iegisla-
tlon referred to was enacted to0 late TO have
h Il effect curing the present year, still the
numuer ~ courts martial w.re reduced TO
: lisa the past year from 1893 the year be.
. fore. 81 d e rease of az or II per cent.
The subject af cua-t dtf nse rect ives from
i. tue ser tary a large share Of attention. lie
saws: 1t has been our traditional policy
fro the nsst to void entangliug alliances
W. ar separated by an ocean from the
, Powers which na n ain rrcat armies, The
: military res urees Il the Nation have been
50 recently demonstrated aud hsn twork OIL
: railroads is = adapted t. a rHpide ncentfa'
: tion IL troops o any threaten d point that
= n hosti e Tor , is key TO seek an ounl
/. or v Il US on our own oil a small army
sent uuun our shores could not hone Tor
: sue. ess 1 IL not ptobablc that an. lufg'
: one will in ur tn risk We huv 3, tue rrtore,
! little to fear tton inv sion and aref &c from
u the nee sslty of muintu ming larse staining
armies or OF furtifying against land attacks
: But our ne coast llnr Is peculiar y eN'
' nose to an ut aCk from the sea So toug hs
= AN enemy can rpa II Vulnerable rotnt - with
. on exposing htmsF ( to our land forces he
may iufict blows which we are unable 70
!. pa ny and which may cHuse losses Ill TO bt
endure a modern aud battery constt'
/" tut as a permauent defense upon a battle
field, chosen In advance, whore no Ranking
= IL possible and where an enemy must force
hts way r. abandon the attack. In such q
contest ships of war are placed under every
disadvantage. THO channel is selected
where their deployment Is difficult, while
they are ut the center OF a concentrated nr'
: from many dispersed guns"
= He suggests $1,000, 90 per year as ample t.
: prepare the coasts In ten years.
= The question OF drsertiun- SO much dis
!. eussed throughout the public press within
!. the past yeur the Secretary deals with al
:. length. lie says: "fne number of ueser
:. tions from tive army Tor tho past twelv'
y months ending September 30, were R,1sf, a
- against 2,ibi 4, + the same yer cd las year,
~ decrease If u per cent This result Is du
to such improvements in the service Il
= couId be accomplished under existing leg
= i~slation. Tue act of CONGRESS entitled. "A
- act to prevent desertions, and for other pur
- poses approved June III, 1887. was passed
!. too la e to have had much effect up to tht
- date. Bscan-e of the time requ red TO wor
!. out its details, the general orders to carry
' into operation were not issued till JulS u
and euuld hardly become fully eff ct We a
:. once. The figures. however, for August N
- september were sOs, Ms compared with 4
M the sumo months last year AMI 5i5 the yea
~ before. a decrease of IS and % per cent"
~ The Expenditures OF appropriations undo
:. tue direction of the Secretary Of War fo
GO the fiscal year ended June 30. 1891, were d
follows:
NC Salaries and contingent ex.
n. nenses ........,....., t...........s 10000
nk Military establishment support
Ie- Of the army and military acad
ga envy 80 eoi So'd
Pubic works, nclu ling river and
liz barb and improvements. 1854 ,Isti
-. Miscellaneous obiscts....... 6,G7! tGD.
-
NV Total. si7,sli ,756.
nc The appropriations for the pres Mt isc
III wear. ending June ~, 1891, ars as follows: