New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-26
REFORMS IN THE ARMY.
ACTIVITY OF SECRETARY ELKIHS.
Ills PLANS TO BRING THE REGULAR AND STATE
TROOPS INTO CLOSER RELATIONS
rpy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDuNE.i


WASHINGTON April 2j.-In the short time Secretary
Fllns has had control Of the War Department II"
has shown an active purpose to commune anu S'pP'
ment the many reforms In the Army system ~ ""Npi
ciousy begun under the direction OF MS pr'NeVcasor
Reference has been made heretofore 10 the 'ioF''n'
change introduced in the methods OF ARMY 'u"n'"'
tratjon ty the creation Of the Bureau OF Ih!orhoh,
much tho somc I'm character the Naval bureau OF
Information, but OF much wider 'c"lS' anu "o'o
general utility. The Bureau OF lniorhauon, ""o"e
other important functions. was 10 imVe urc't ''''e0
Of all matters pertaining 10 the mitiA e9''oN"'V''
and was to cndcavOr 10 cnect cloScT anu ~
practical union Of the volunteer and regular iorooS'
r. ,src ,beeo tvo branches into actual and Success
fI coonerutIon Is indeed OF the cher aims OF
the urc,nt administration Of the War Department.
and secretary Elkins has taken many opl"r'n" -
demon ,tl.lte that he Dclievcs m"ilhcu i"''o"
the regulars and volunteers can easily DE acco"i Wv
In confidential talk before the senate co'ih'''ee
- ACCOMMODATIONS last week Mr.. Edns explained mt
anna length his views on the subject of enarSns ''u
ropnlorzlnc the Army by bringing the Fcdefin anu
state troops info closer relations. and MS opn"s .
Arguments will be OF wide popular ih'c'''"
Secretary believes that. In Vie" VI INC ~.
,noo, - r,nuIation in the United States, military
os,allIs hment OF 10000 men VIII soon W Il h"'s''
The time he thinks, has come whcn INC 49,
60 q, the Union should have stationed "'hh
, ,or,o corri,ous OF Federal troops, composer
either of an entire regiment OF C''""S' u ,s
Infantry or a mixture OF all three corps. i"s 49,
NOT only guarantee peace and good oTicr 10 Any ~
noeo emergencies Which. however HhPio'no''' "
y, all times posslblc but would also anoin W '"'
,, c,,.ernrncnts Of each state much EIrScr oIP''
| ,,,i,,. ,o improve the efficiency OF the ml'" VI
yonizations 4 large garrison of troops "''' -
STATE aside from the moral erect "i .'N -,
would 90 far by way Of example 10 lc''" 'o ~.
| tbe duties Of practical soldery. hheS anu -
,s cou,d be adopted by which the S'ah ou'nD''''o
.no sorvc.s az n certain number oil omoers d "
.-,ctors Of state troops. while IL "oulu ,,
nractcable to arrange for an Hhh'l" '''''
mcnt Of Federal and state troops -, Cha States.
| ,rhts has lccn done recently In FEW oi '"o 80
| .a1,- On uinois California and Texas, anu s''"'
a r,e,i,cd I'm Texas last year The chu'c GU"
lit, ,ros mobillznd nj Austin. and GencTh H'"o'
o,nrn,p,,ing the Department Of Texas WIS hu' % 20
IN assemble ut that point dunne inc S'''' ,,,,r
| comnmcnt NIL % the infantry. caVhrs M"
stationed ut san Antonio The lnpfO'e'H,' ya,ue
r,oa The state troops went there with Only '"H
,"a %, ,ccncntal and brigade drills but NJ INC Gnu
| ., rho cncampmcnt there was hardly a hei o'"'',
could not manoeuvrc his regiment, nor ooi'io' WIZ
| could not handle "A brigade ,, =, ,os
Tho secretary believes that this idea. which ne mas
entertained for long time has only 10 u nio n''' -
., tho STATE authorities TO be generally lndofNn' "
| each STATE or some city in such state WOMB o''' " w
| -aI {. Government a piece Of ground OF not eNS ''i
600 acres N such point rs might be- decided nPoh ~
,hc most suitable for n large GARRISON i' '''""
cess would encourage the building OF permanent p''N
| ., such places. Already hec such ohcr9 hA'o wv"
made and the bill for large post AT Ile'ha 's y
| it ,,s-cd Congress Little Rock offered the "oV
| onrcpi l 900 acres Of land. and bill providing ior
| , ot that Mace has also been passed Tie cnHeh'
:, Mexico have also offered 900 acres OF ahd ~
santa Fc FOR an enlarged garrison. ana the pNopos'uo
| has received the approval 81 the Department anu WI"
| bo recommended 10 Congress.
Tho Secondary suggests that II the largo ana der'eb
onnl,tcd statcs-New- York. ohio. Missouri. Indiana
| r',ii, I'D ,,b,rs-would take the matter in hand and
| oe similar offers Of land IN the 7ncra Government
,or garrison pnrpoecs II would bc an easy ma''er ~
| obtain the sanction OF Congress
| Tho Indian problem having to a large extent be
comc settled and In tho future large lndah wars ho
,,, ,i,clv to occur only portion Of the Army need
| hc kent hereafter Indian duty. WIN tmS TACT INV
other, I'm view the policy Of congregnung the troop
IN LARGO carrisons has already practically begun WHINE
| y t.v years a number OF the smaller posts In reinot
eoc.ons ~ the country which grew ont OF ncces'i'
that no longer existed. WERE for reasons OF economy
| and military prudence, abandoned ana large I"r'So"
~ ten companies or more established at central p','
| s Tor cynmplc the Preside Of Sau Francisco FOR
sam Houston Barracks at san Antonio the new p''u
| -, newer Chicago Atlanta. Fort Riley, Fort LeaV'l
,ror,h. Fort Assinabonc. Fort ID. a. Russell For
| Douglas, etc. #, ,.,r,
IN further this plan lie believes that the Army car
he more economically maintained ut large posts cen
trallv located. and sees no reasons why Siai pos.
hicb have long ago outived their usefulness shoh'
-, ,,o,r.oIncd Indeed. the Secretary goc
further and expresses the opinion that an Army al
most double The Size of the one we have al preSch
could be supported with little. II any. increase III IN
| c,rccatn amount Of expenditures now required Tor
mailer force OF nc has in mind the saving
TRANSPORTATION OF supplies to numerous SINAI po'''
| 81, of keeping many minor ETIlNO
| Establishments and believes that, with troops Assem-