Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-08
MILITARY MATTERS.
Extensive Changes emplated by the
War Department..

NEW YORK, March 8.-According to
the Washington correspondent of The
Herald an important conference on
military matters will be held at the war
department upon the arrival of Gen.
erals Miles and Merritt. Secretary
Elkins and General Schofeld are plan
ming busy times for the troops this sum-
mer and number of changes lookin z
to the increased efficiency of the service,
and the two visiting generals will be
asked for their views.
The immediate purpose of their sum-
mons, as recently stated, is to have
them appear before the appropriations
committees of the two houses in con-
nection with the bill appropriating
100000 for the establishment of large
military post near Helena, Mon. Both
Generals Miles and Merritt are familiar
with the military necessities of that sec
tion of the country and their expert
testimony, which is favorable to the To-
cation of the post at Helena, will, it is
expected, have considerable weight with
the appropriations committees.
Other subjects, however, will be dis
cussed at the coming conference at tho
war department, The war department
authorities are contemplating one of the
most extensive changes in stations of
troops that has occurred for years. I'M
portant incidents of these changes will
be the abandonment of a number Of
small posts and plans for practice
marches similar to warlike operations.
Ii these plans are carried out as con-
templated the greater portion of TIE
army will be on the move during the
early summer. An unusually larre
transportation fund is available owing
to the good behavior of the Indians DUR
ing the last year, and as transportation
is one of the items booked for attack by
Mr.. Holman, it is the purpose of the al
thoritles to improve the opportunity by
giving change of base to as many regi-
ments as. possible. 1t is proposed to
make a large number of transfers by
marching, thus giving the soldiers q
large amount of practical experience on
the road, and at the same time keeping
down the expenses.
Many Protests.
The difficult problem in connection
with proposed change is the abandoning
Of small posts. Citizens of every sec
tion of the country having a post will
up IN arms 5alnst any movement that
will take the troops away from thern.
Delegations are already making visits to
the war department to plead for the re-
tention of posts in which they are inter-
ested. Mr.. Elkins, however, has deter
mined that the military policy of aban-
doning small posts and concentrating
troops in large garrisons must be carried
out. Several posts in Montana and Ne
braska are known to be slated for aban-
donment.
The question of utilizing Indians as
soldiers will be the subject of public
hearing before the senate military com
mittee at an early date. The Indian
question will doubtless be discussed in
all its bearings, but the immediate point
of discussion will be Senator Proctor's
bill authorizing the enlistment of 5000
Indians in addition to the present al
thorized strength Of the army. Secre-
tary Eikins favors Mr.. Proctor's bill in
so far as it proposes to increase the num-
ber of enlisted men so as to enable
Indians to be recruited. He wants to
see the condition of the Indian improved,
but not at the expense of the army. and
in the plan he will advocate the Indians
are to be additional and independent of
the present organization.