The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-23
DEsEHr1oNs GROWING FEWER.
The Low.watcr Mark Reached - Reasons
for the Rece.t Gain.

for the Rece-t Gain.
WASHINGTON. Oct. %. - In tho report just
made by Adjt.-Gen. Ruggles. one of the most
gratifying statements Is that desertions in the
army have fallen off from 1882 the year prcvi-
Gus to only 1.073 for the twelve months ended
June 80. 1894.
This Is q most surprising as we'll as welcome
statement. gain so enormous is almost IL not
quite unprecedented and desertions have now
reached the lowest point known for many years.
The result is all the more gratifying since, dur
ing the year previous to the one now reported
upon, desertons, after steady decreases, had
unexpectedly taken a turn and shown an In
crease. The cause of that increase was not very
clear, although one theory which was not very
satisfactory, was that the legislation Of Con-
gress In regard to retnlistments had disheart-
ened or disguised some of the men. However
that NAV have been. we now find the tide again
turning. and an excellent result secured.
In order to understood the significance OF
these figures 1t is necessary to look back little.
In the year 1856 assertions numbered 5000.
and there general feeling of relief that
they were so few The following year the they rose
in 1850 the number reported was 2,sl4, or. ac-
cording to some figures. 2,s;'5. It will. there
fore. be seen what an enormous gain has been
effected in five years This gain. 81 course. has
been gradual. In 1890 the number was still
2.j44. but In 1892 it had come down to 1903
which at that time was Il surprising gain. Last
year, as has been seen II increased by about 100;
but now we have another and most remarkable
five look still further back. we find still more
Ss s.asgs OF s Jsserton Il iSso
ing actually about two-ffths as great as the
number Of enlistments; in 1884 ii reached the
and a half times whit il is to-day. To show
further the almost incredible extent of the evil
ten years ago II must be remembered that the
legal maximum OF $4,000 enlisted men was
often considerably greater than the actual
cuded not only those who had the benefit Of
their establishments giving larger pay. but also
Certainly 1t is matter of congratulations that
there is 81 much difference between the record
OF 1884 and that OF 1894.
To show what desertiOn means TO the Govern
ment reference may be madeto the calculations
Of one OF Gen. Ruggess predecessors, Gen. j. &.
Kelton. The latter officer found that from Jan.
]. 1867, to June 30. 1891. there were SS.415
desertions from the army. Taking the pay, the
furnished to the cuprits. most of whom
away before rendering much service that would
the average loss as $3.50 per man Then the cx-
ponses OF recruiting men to supply the places OF
the sSt.o men must be considered and alto
(which toots up the enormous sum of S23.OU3,-
800 has been All actual loss To the Government,
but even that does not tell the whole story.
because during the period spoken OF over 10000
deserters had been caught or surrendered: and
the rewards paid, the expense of transportation.
and that Of converting courts martial for their
Sa.50o, 900. Putting the whole number Of men
enlisted and reenlsted for the period of little
ss sd ,n4 ad o. sr century at men
would have only been necessary to enlist 1877
231 TO keep the army full. Hence Il appears
that over One-third of the number enlisted have
deserted. This condition OF affairs can be re-
garded only as military humiliation and,
Cohhsiiidrrihg ~ ITS effects ana consequences, u
Indeed. in addition to the enormous loss in
money IL can be understood how much the mo
rale Of the army may have been affected by the
desertion OF 50 many men, especially as the pro;
until recruits are obtained. the men left in the
garrisons have extra work thrown upon them
by this reduction Of numbers.
The importance OF the present extraordinary
decrease ia this source Of drain upon the army
strength being understood, HE next question is
ar TO how IL has been brought about. ndoubt-
eddy the great falling OF from the figures OF
1880 to those Of 1892 may he accounted for
lishment OF the purchase system allowed men
an honorable method Of getting out Of the army,
tax. advantage Of this system; and while II oh
viously must be added to the total losses of the
yet at least the decentralization of so much de.
sorting Is to that extent overcome. Other laws
have been introd uced which secure better sys-
tenn of administering justice hy summary
courts. and especially by establishing definite
penal code, instead Of leaving punishments in
large measure to the varying judgments OF diff
ferent courts martial.
Again OF late years the ration has been i'm
proved by the addition of vegetables the pay
ment Of troops has ON the average been more
frequent. or with fewer delays; the building Of
new large and connections posts has made
army life more agreeable, sports and pastimes
have been encouraged. and in various ways the
lot OF the enlisted man has been improved.
Yet since year before last there .
slight increase In assertions, and last year .
heavy falling of, we must evidently find some
other cause. This, perhaps, is TO be sought in
the fact that during the last year and a half
there has been noticeable Improvement in the
character Of the recruits. The labor troubles
have brought to the army many good men who
enlisted because there was SO little chance for
them in the trades and other occupations. Not
n few excellent men have also been attracted by
the, chance of winning commission Alto
gether the proportion of recruits who are not
disappointed in army life, and hence had no
reason for trying 10 desert, and also OF recruits
who would shrink from quitting the cOlOrs dis
honorahly, has evidently increased.
80 long as these causes continue to operate,
the gains thus made will doubtless he perma-
nent. When the decrease Of dcsertiuns requires
fewer enlistments, the recruiting officers have
their pick among candidates, and can take those
who not only come with good characters, but
who look upon army life privilege and can
In most cases he relied upon not To want To
desert. The statement by zen. Ruggles that
twO-thirds of those whose cnlistments expire
this year hav" expressed an intention To re-
enlist shows the new tendency.