St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-17

and Gettysburg campaigns ana inc inpof-
tant seiges of Vieksburg and Hudson. In the
preparatory WORK seven more books have
been stereotyped ana twelve indeXeu, OF
which eleven were ready for publication al
the end of the fiscal year, thus carrying the
official accounts TO the end or 1868. Forty
five books have been published and distrib-
uted Up TO June 80, 1890.
Signal Corps.
By the act approved Oct. /, 1890, the
weather bureau service, which has heretofore
been under the charge of the signal corps. Ii
TO be transferred, OH the 1st day OF next
July, to the department of agriculture. The
growing importance OF this service IN us
general interest TO the country has resulted
in its development and extension TO
the detriment of the original purely
military duties OF the signal corps.
The disassociation of the two must certainly
place upon more favorable basis this very
important though small branch OF military
service. There has already more attention
been paid to it during the past year than
heretofore. Three hundred and ninety-three
officers of the line, representing for the first
time III many years every regiment IN the
army, have been under Instructions, and at
least !, 800 of the enlisted men.
Military Posts.
The policy of the department to concen-
trate its troops at larger posts rs rapidly as
the requirements of the service would permit
has been carried out during the year. ana
sixteen posts have been given up and the
reservations turned over to the department.
of the interior, in order that they might be
taken up by the people for private use. Thls
has only been done, however, where it was
felt that the presence OF the troops in those
particular localities was no longer neces-
sary and that their maintenance there was
making needless extra expense.
Post Traders.
During the year the licenses Of forty-two
post traders have been revoked, and only two
new traders have been appointed leaving
the total number of traders at present in the
service thirtyfour. In the earlier history of
the West, when military posts were generally
upon the extreme frontier, some such sys-
TEN as that OF post traders was necessary.
Since then towns and cities have generally
grown up in the close vicinity of posts. and
which have merchants who can now furnish
to the garrison such stores as q post trader
has usually kept. 1t is believed to be wise
| policy to discontinue rapidly as possible
q privileged class. and permit the trade OF
| military posts outside of regular government
| tai supplies TO take its regular channel
National Guard.
Being impressed with the importance of an
! effective militia as prominent and neces
| sary factor III any military organization
| suited to our country. the department has
| endeavoLed by its cooperation to encourage
! and aid the national guard so far as possible
| under existing law. Officers have been de
| tailed to assist in their instruction, and oe
| taehments of regular troops nave been or
! dered to participate in some of the larger
| state encampments. The departing Mt has
endeavored to cooperate more especially
| with those states which have manifested the
| most interest in the mat er by their OWL
liberal appropriations and earnest efforts
| The results have been very satisfactory Its
direct benefits are palpable, aud It's indirect
| influence perhaps even more important.
Any money which the national government
| expends for our citizen soldiery goes to help
those who help themselves, and is bound &c
give proportionately large returns. Under
| the present law there is annually appropri
ated for the benefit of the militia S40U. OnO
| while the individual states appropriate in the
aggregate, so far as known. over S2,000.0 tio
| and in many states the militia receive also 9
| conSiderabl support from local and private
sources. If the appropriation of the general
| government should be increased, and wish
| il might be. believe that it would be gener
ously met by corresponding Increase by the
! states themselves. | heartily commend every
intelligent effort to increase theseficiency OF
| the national guard. and to bring them into
| closer relations with the war department. and
| hope that measures to that end may receive
| favorable consideration of congress. One OF
| the most useful directions which can ne
| given to the drill and training of the militis
of the Seaboard states is in connection with
coast defenses where its services are mos
| likely to be needed, if at all In that partic
! ular training the general government must dc
| more than cooperate; it must take the in
| itiative.
| Colleges.
| To secure better cooperation between tbs
war department and the agricultural college:
! and other institutions at which officers art
! serving as instructors under the act of con
gress authorizing such details, a circular wa
issued in February last. after full consulta
! ton with and approval of a committee o
| college presidents, defining the relations o
these officers to the institutions II is be
! lieved that this action will secure create
| uniformity and efficiency.
There are applications from leading inst
! tutions for more officers than can be detailed
| under the law: and would recommend tha
the act be so amended as to allow the detail
of seventy-tive officers from the army or q
| least one for every million of Inhabitants a
| the last preceding census. This would alloy
| for future increase if necessary.
| Relief of Sufferers From the Over
flow Of the Mississippi.
Congress, by joint resolution of April %
1890, appropriated S15uO00 to be expende,
by and under the direction of the secretar
OF war for the purchase and distribution o
subsistence stores to such destitute person
as might require assistance in the oistric
oyertiOwed by the Mississippi river and il
tributaries. Stores were distributed there
Fill.