The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-07

The report of the secretary of war brings
again to the attention of Congress some I'M
portant suggestions as to the reorganiza-
ton of the infantry an artillery arm OF the
service and which his predecessors have
before urged. Our army is small, but Its
organization should all the more be put
unon the most approved modern basis. The
conditions upon what we have called the
"Frontier'' have heretofore required the
maintenance of many small posts, but now
the policy of concentration is obviously the
right one. The new posts should have the
proper strategic relations to the only
i.Frontiers" we now have, those OF
the sea coast and OF our
northern and part of our
southern boundary. l do not think that
any question of advantage to localities or to
States should determine the location of the
new posts.
The reorganization and enlargement OF
the bureau of military information which
the secretary has effected is work, the use
Culness of which will become every year
more apparent. -
The work of building heavy guns and the
construction of coast defences has been well
begun and should be carried on without
check.
department. Oh ous'i'e.
The report of the attorney general is by
law submitted directly to Congress but
cannot refrain from saying that he has con-
ducted the increasing work of the depart
ment of justice with great professional skill
He has in several directions secured from
the courts decisions giving increased pro-
tecticn to the officers of the United States
and bringing some classes of crime that es-
caped local cognlzauce anu pui,isn'l. 80 ..,.o
IT,. oo,,ld be tried with impartiality.
The numerous applications for executive
c,o,,,e1,cv presented in behalf of persons con-
.;o4ad u TT,;ted States courts and given
,,a,,ita,,+;arr sentences have called NV atten-
r.. ~ fsct refe,-red to nv the attorney
~arara1 IN bic re,,ort namely. that time
sslloyvance for Good behavior for such pris-
oners ;s nrescr;bed bv the statutes only
1,rhoro +ba Sta+e in which the penitentiary is
1aaotod has ,,,sda NO snch nrovision. Pris-
$500 a,a c,;yon the benefit of the provisions
90 - Stoee low reo,,lat;ng the penitentiary
~ ,,b;o ,J,' tbov NAV he sent. These are va
" r,arbens foo liberal and some
. .a"aans too ill;hsral The result is that
pe.p for fva wears means one thing if
esasn;s,,ar 10 cont to one state for confne-
.ne and o,;+s different thing if he is sent
- ,,' ana tho recommend that a uniform
ore dpt for eood behavior be prescribed by
Conare .S.
5ave exnressed NV concurrence in the
rooonroendat;on of the attorney general that
daoraas ~ T,urdar should he RECOGNIZED in
rbe faderal stat,,tes as thew are I believe, in
a., tba States These Grades are founded on
90, d;st;nct;ons in crime. The recogni
49, ~ then, would enable the courts to ex
st,,,,a d;scrst;on in annortioning pun
, 1850 and ,ronld greatly relieve the ex-
a.'t;,a &c ,shat ;s coming 70 he very heavy
- Tho oysn,;nation of these cases on
o 49, Nv for conomntat;on.
fr r,o a,raraaa+e of claims nend;ne against
tho ooveT7,T,,ent in the court of Claims is
snor,nors CLAIMS TO the amount of nearly
stnn noo ooC, for the taking OF or injury to
Pr r,,srtv If nersons claiming to lie ioyal
49, re var are now before the court for
or ,,7 When 70 these are added the
Ind,an .Ienred,tion claims and the French
s, r claims an AGGREGATE is reached
4b p ;s indesd STARTLING Tn the defence of
III t,asa ZOOS tho Government is at great
d;saJrsntsge The claimants have preserved
:, r - .