New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-08

by the TACT that whereas during Inc year ehuiui
March 81, 1882 the number of soldiers per thou'
sand who abandoned their colOrs was ll2, the loss
from dcsertion during the year Just passed has
been reduced TO ffty-scycn per thousand.
The Department also began the experiment OF
enlisting Indians as regular soldiers. The object
was three fold
First. To give to the Indian race place III
the national forces, as an important step toward
their civilization and sef-sdpport.
Second. To open channel for the legitimate
exercise Of the military instincts OF the young
braves who might otherwise he a constant menace
10 the outlying Western settlements, even though
not engaged in positive hostilitles.
Third. To benefit the entire race ny means
OF the reflex influence Of the soldiers upon the
various tribes from which they are drawn, py ,
furnishing an object lesson IN the matter; o.
punctuality and respect for authority. ABOUT
800 Indians, including five full troops OF cavalry
and sevea companies of infantry, representing d
number of the more war-like tribes have peen
enlisted, and Judging from the reports oil inc VI
icers commanding them and Of inspectors, inc eA-
pectations of the Department are not likely 10
he disappointed.
has been most pleasing Ia officers ana ehliSte'
men alike, has been with respect TO army garri,
sons. Within the last four years a number o.
those isolated posts on the frontier when h"i
long outlived their usefulness and were rendered
unnecessary by the changed conditions ol me
country, were ahadoned. Indeed, abont one fourth
or the frontier g0rrlSOUS nave Decn
the troops concentrated ut the larger ana more ire
centrally located posts, from which they can Dc
distributed as emergency requires SEVERN ". VI
the posts have been considerably enlarged 1or
the accommodation of entire reglments-a 1act
which has tended 10 increase the spirit ana
elevate the moral tone Of The regiments stationed
there In connection with this, II may W s'a,eu
that Mr. Elkns. the present Secretary of War has
recently announced his purpose 10 ABANDON as
fast the conditions Of The service VIII per-
nit the remote rarrisons, and to establish within
ba Sfate nd Ierr a 3.
larger posts He has announced publicly that ne
will fayorably consider the proposition OF any
State or Territory 10 ccdc 10 the tni,ei o'at"S
COO 10 900 acres of land for military pur-
poses. and already three such propositions nave
lecm Endorsed by the Department.. SECRETARY
Elkin's idea is 10 establish, If possible, within
certain geographical districts near large cities, and
on railroad lines. large garrisons which VIII NOT
only as corscrvatOrs Of the peace, hut may Dc
used In insiructlng the militia organizations OF
the States
Acting with the full approval Of the Presl-
dent. Secretary Elkins has already formulated his
ideas into a well-dclncd policy OF assisting and
Encouraging the militia organizations OF the Sfates
in n manner whcc promises to he productive ot
great good In all that pertains 10 the inilitia
organizations throughout the country, II is pro
posed not 10 coniine the efforts of the Depa rimenf
10 the strict routine prescribed by the law, but
10 exercise wherever practicable dat full dis
crction vested In the Executive, whereby the
State troops will I've placed upon higher plane
of efficiency and brought in closer and more
intimate relationship with tie regular army. only
last year large force of Federal uoOns was
messed NJ Austin, Texas. 70 cooperate with The
entire State mitin Of Texas. which WIS modified
AZ that point. Upon that occasion regular army
officers assigned 10 each regiment OF Texas
soldicry, who acted the part Of advisers aud in
siructors in all regiment1l and brigade move
mcni-, I'm addition TO tins. there was n regular
army officer detailed MS INSPECTOR 0f the Ene1mp-
mcnt. and all in all the results obtained were morr
satisfactory than at any other cncampncnt ever
held
Secretary Ekins, with the consent Of the Pres
i1ent, proposes ~ carry this idea 10 tS fartheSt
extent. aud will cooperate with the state troops
in similar manner wherever practicable. In other
words the President and Secretary Of War firmly
believe that one Of tho duties of The Regular Army.
aside from that pertaining Ia It's own chief pnr-
poses, is 10 instruct the state troops and 70 main
tain the closest possible connection with them III
all that pertains ~ them.
With this in view. one 81 the first features
OF Secretary Elkinss administration which net the
endorsement 81 the President. was Ia enlarge the
Division Of Military Information heretofore cre1-
ted So as 10 extend its Inquire" ana uSrinlnc IN
ranged to make the Information Bureau or our
War Office thc equal Of similar institutions of oil
the larger Nations Of the world but to collect
every form Of data and information respecting for
eign armies, and 10 SECURE complete ana archfh'
record II every feature ~ our own country that
conld possibly enter into military trrVlce ~ VIII
he an easy matter hereafter for the President Of the
United States 20 mobilize any number OF Federal
and State troops NJ any given point. knowing weII
In advance every facility Of railroad and water
characterization resource Of the country. and. IN
fact everything upon which the wcll-bcing of The
Army may Approximations entirely overlooked IN
former wears.
Incidentally. also the Bureau Of Information. a.
thus rcoreanizcd will be charged with the duty OF
doing all in it, power 10 fnrsh nhciul information
10 the Governors Of State Thus IL viii I've seen
Nat under President IIarrison's ADMINISTRATION not
only have the affairs OF the Federal Army b'rn
administered more successfully ana win greater
benefit than ever before. but the state troops.
without regard 10 section. have received greater
oncorIra cement and more valuable assistance Than
YVES ever before extended ~ them II Is a. l'rcsi-
den. llarrsons Administration. therefore, mat th'
thanks OF all who are interested III American Sol
dery are due. m,
are hundreds Of Thousands OF persons Whose claims
upOn ,hc Government growing out Of service IN
the Volunteer Army of the war. have been accel-
Grated and benefited by the action Of President
Harrison. One II the frs' things undertaken ny
The present Administration was 10 eliminate as Tar
as possible rcd-tapc methods In regard 70 the Pen
sion Records Division in the War Department.
The entire record Of the Volunteer service IN the
late war embraces 400 900 rolls and 10000 bound
volumes The calls from the Pension Office alone
for information from these rolls averages about
2O5. 600 annually; the inquiries from tnc second
Auditor in regard to bounty pay ana siiniIsr nrn.
the total for the year 300. 900. AT the beginning
of the present Administration il was found that the
work of rendering this information was dlstrlbll-
tnd among thirteen divisions and subdivisions OF
the War Department. AMI IL was found mat the
Democratic Administration had cit az
relic Of its management OF These ohaif5 Ten tho".
sand cases unanswered, while large number OF
cages wire constantly subjected 10 delay OF two
and onc-lalf and three months. and even Longer
rcriod. by a system Of complete rcorganHatol
The entire records were concentrated In one Oh
vision, under the management OF n most cnclcn'
officer of the Government, 80 that now the .,0oo,-
600 tjnmes and lO,000,000 items Of record may
bo referred and replied to on the day on whch
annlication Is made In one year 10000 cases III
arrears had been brought up 10000 new ones
had all been disposed Of, and lo7 clerks were DO,
ing the work that had formerly occupied GAG, ana
are now keeping the entire work Of tie Office mp
ia date This is matter of the greatest I'M
portance TO the old soldier element In III" United
States all of whom have President Harrison
resulted TO them in the SPEEDY settlement and adj
iustmcnt Of claims, upon which perhaps depend
their support.
President Harrison, from the very BEGINNING