Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-26

l
show that 50 per cent were disposed of and
answered within twenty -four hours of their
| receipt. There were no cases left over IN
| disposed of June 80, 1891.
The number of cases received during the
| past year was 15S, $50 in excess of the
| previous year, being an increase in business
| of 80 per cent AS about two-thirds of the
| business of this division is in connection
| with the pension bureau of the interior
department, take the liberty of quoting
| from the report of Commissioner Raum to
the secretary of the interior September y,
| 1891. in which he says: 1.-THE great improve
ment which Maj. Ainsworth has brought to
that branch of the public service enables
| this bureau to receive within twenty-fOur
hours from the day of the calls full reports
as to the military and medical history of
claimants as shown by the records of the
war department, whereas in former years
these requests remained unanswered for
months
In addition to the current work of the Of
fee, the clerks of the division have also
been engaged in transcribing the original
records by the card-indeX system. The
copying of the hospital records was COM
pleted in 1890, and work was then begun on
the muster rolls and military records of all
soldiers, not only in the war of the Rebel
lion, but also in the Mexican war and Che
Florida any other Indian wars. Work was
first begun on the rolls of the New York
troops, which were the most difficult on ac-
count of the large number of different or
CARNATIONS. 1t required eleven months to
complete them As this work progresses,
however, the labor of searching is dimln-
ished. and the current business of the divis-
sion can be managed by fewer clerks, leav-
ing larger force for the permanent work
of the preservation of the records. 1t is
expected that by 1.-THE first of December next
there Will remain to be transcribed only the
rolls of the eight following states: Illinois,
Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New
Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
These records were rapidly going to de-
structIon. although for generations they
will be indispensable for the transaction of
public business. l have already spoken in
my previous reports of the necessity of
their preservation and of the excellence of
the card-index system, not only for the ac-
complishment of that purpose, but also for
the most economical and expeditions use of
the information they contain At the pres
emit rate of progress this work can be COM
pleted within the next year and half or
early in 1898, at which time this depart
ment can dispense with the services of
about 600 of its present clerks, at a saving
to the government in salaries, rent, and
otherwise, of at least 81, 600, 900 yearly.
These clerks, who have been faithful to
their work and whose efficiency has been
proved. are entitled to consideration and |
transfer to other departments OF the gov
ernmental service instead of making new
appointments in those departments.
CIVILIAN APPOINTMENTS.
AS result of military legislation of the
last session, it has become necessary dur
ing the fiscal year to give effect to the act
of June II, 1873, by selecting number of
candidates from civil life for appointment
as second Geutenants in the army. 1t has |
been the purpose of the department in |
making these selections to secure |
he best possible material, and |
tons on file were carefully scutlnized |
and the instructors at the principal col
leges at which military instruction is given |
We're invited to submit the names of those
students who, in addition to high scholar
ship, had evinced the greatest aptitude for
the military service. The candidates thus
selected were subjected to rigid examine
ton as to their physical and mental qualifi-
cations, and only those who successfully
passed were recommended for appoint
meut. OF forty-one candidates who were
Authorized to appear, twenty-three
succeeded in passing most creditable exam
nations. OF these thirteen have received |
military instruction under army officers at
colleges. Ten were members of the Ma
tional guard. Those first selected have
been ordered to Fort Leavenworth for spe-
cial military instruction, and satisfactory
reports have been received of their apti-
tude and capacity, and of the zeal and en-
ergy with which they have entered upon
the performance of their duties.
APPRENTICE BATTALION.
The formation of an apprentice battalion,
to be composed of boys from sixteen to
eighteen years of age, has often been rec
commended by prominent officers of the
army, and the question of its organization
under the present law has been considered. |
The purpose of the plan, however. would
be better accomplished by the aid of some
legislation.
1t has been suggested that this battalion
be composed of superior class of lads, one
to be selected from each congressional dis
trict, and that they be given good English
and military and manual training,
so as to fit them for either civil life or mill
tary service.
am not prepared to give the measure
recommendation, but it is IA
vored by so many officers of ability and ex-
perience that it is entitled to consideration.
MILITIA.
The present method of allotment of the
annual appropriation of 800 900 for arming
and equipping the militia. which is pre-
scribed by the act of February u, 1887,
ga Stats, 40l,) and which gives to each
state an amount proportionate to its con-
representation, is not such as to /.
produce the best results. The aid given
different states is very disproportionate.
The amount of government aid received by
some states is not more than half that re-
ceived by others that maintain double the
number of men in their national guard
There is no inducement for the mainte-
nance of greater number of militia than is
actually required by the law, but rather
the reverse, if economy be consulted. The |
allotment as now made is not based upon |
what the the states do in return for the APP
but what they ought to do. 1t
would be better to help those who help
themselves. If the appropriation, or even
one-half of it, was distributed upon the
basis of the effective force of the national
guards maintained by the several states, it
would better accomplish its purpose of en-
that organization
BY the detail of officers and troops to the |
various annual encampments throughout
he country, the war department has rem
Tered the national guard of the several
states such assistance as was in its power |
The association of this force, necessarily
he main dependence of the country in any
treat war, with the regular army, is of |
,reat advantage to both organizations. In |
his and in every other way possible the |
federal government should cooperate with
he states in the maintenance and education
# the national guard.
AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL
PARK. ,
The act of August 49, 1890, established a
rational park at the the battlefield of
and placed its supervision
md control under the war department