The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-11

The Bin Tor Conveying to the Retired List
Army Omcera Who served In tho War.

SHELpING THE VEJERANA
Tho Bin Tor Conveying to the Retired list
Army Omcers Who Served In tho War.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 10. Tho opening week OF
the session has seen the introduction OF
another promotion project for the army. 1t
appears In bill submitted by Mr.. Pepper by re-
quest providing that all officers and enlisted
mon below the grade OF Maior-General who
have served thirty years and who served In the
civil war shall. on their application. be retired
upon the grade next above their rank at retire.
ment. 1t Is further provided that applications
for this purpose must be made within the next
three years. and that sergeant majors. all non
commissioned staff officers. signal corps SER
eeants. regimental auartermaster sergeants.
chief musicians. and first sergeants shall be
graded as second lieutenants not mounted.
The object Of this bill Is stated by Its advo-
Gates to be the increase OF the flow OF promo
ton. while paying tribute to the veterans OF
the war. 1t may not be expected that the lat
ter would. in great numbers. ask for retirement
| on their existing grades. The retired list fur
nlshes but three-fourths pay. with no chance
OF further promotion. go that In time Of peace.
when little trying active service is in prospect
there is less temptation to seek the retired
list. Many men who are still In middle life.
| and sufficiently vigorous. might not care to
give up one-fourth of their income and their
chances OF increased rank and pay even for
the privileges Of freedom and leisure. Ac-
cordingly. this bill offers them the emptaton
Of an advance by u full grade il they will ap-
ply for retirement.
1t should be said that the project Is not q
new one. Either in Its present form or with
notifications. 1t has been brought forward for
years and always with the Same purpose Of
giving the juniors better chance by putting
the seniors out OF the way. While Mr. Lincoln
was Secretary Of War he found that. taking
June ]. 1860. as the date governing tho pro-
posed legislation, 1t would allow the retro
ment OF all the general officers. all tho
| colonies. all the lieutenant colonies. nearly
all the majors. more than two-thirds OF the
| captains nearly one. third of the. first lieu
His ointment was that SO large an addition
| to the retired list OF the army would not only
eedanrer Tie sxsence Of III the Whole Of IL:
p5e as S tim. fsH passss s.s ps
tirements under the bill would be 1872 and the
retirements IN the line 75p. making an agGre;;
| 2.l77. or about one-half.
| Lapse Of time would now. Of course. make
then been many promotions. retirements. and
deaths . but undoubtedly the high .,,, grades
as es tSe nd
ditional provision which includes enlisted
men. giving aome OF them IN the hgher grades
| a commiss ion. This last addition Is u con.
was wholly Tor promoting, commiss!!oned
Gays had war service. that would make
ii Is also suSeested that the s' measure
would. either as ultimately PASSED or else
suprsmensay sGsa9n ,s on the score
already on the retired list. and have had war
service. to DO advanced u grade should this
| n war l "A
taking it as it stands. the bill! would call Tor
i Ee[y iar:s amount OF money every year In the
y, %ns iast Th!sh O %iFht work against favor:
short tin ngo. in ths last Congress. a bill was
fHe sf ts the H eomSa
sorry limited ags list. The consequence was
n anS wsn Sess sas If hs S
army. It is therefore doubtful whether: arsrt
would SO soon be taken Ly additional! expense
to mako further and perhaps a far more
general system Of promotion through increas-
Our present system OF ths retired list
the s OF the
Should b secured throlGhout he army and
allowed 70 continue: But before that time. al;
though there had been famous officers and
war and IN u"ors nn ret,red fst had DIN hean
added Even when first established 1t was
limited to seven per cent Of the whole number
OF officers. whereas since that time 1t has
grown by successive additions until 1t now ex.
ceels twenty per cent
| The anxiety for getting up In the world IL
natural in the urmy as elsewhere. but would
tho people like to see general exit ofthe vet.
Grams OF tho war from the active list? Many
ofthem are still ablo to do good service, GER
tainly in time Of peace. and their experience
Of actual warfare ought to count for some
thing in practical use They are moving at
tolernbly rapid pace to the retired list undel
the compulsory age statute, the forty years
law. and other enactments. A leaveninG Of thei,
FOR the army. apart from tho question o
economy The case Ia different now from
what 1t was in Secretary Ltncolns time. hu
tho difference is only one OF degree. At tina
time the Senate Military Committee reported
adversely on the plan.