The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
rHE ARMY SUPPLY BILI.
The Proposed Dtminutiou or star Omcers
Fort Leavenworth Prison.

WASHINGTON. bee. 1 5-Ths appearance Of the
new Army Appropriation bill, rs completed by
the House Committee on Military Affairs, shows
that little will be attempted by IL In the way Of
reorganization Of the personnel.
Such a project, In fact, as the one Of Secretary
Lamont for this purpose does not belong 20 =
routine supply bill. IL was not represented In
his list OF estlmatcs and could not DO added to
the bill now. under the House rules, since u
would not be In the direction Of l~esseaing en-
pendlturcs. II might, perhaps, be introduced
under the less restricted Senate rules; but IL 10
too grave a matter TO be hitched upon q money
bill. aud there are separate measures both for
infantry and artillery reorganization.
However. one OF Secretary Lamont's sugscs-
lions relating TO the stat is incorporated In the
present bill, namely. that Of reducing the num-
Der of officers in the Par and Subsistence De-
partments. Mr.. Lamont desired a complete
consolidation Of these two departments with the
Quartermaster's Department a. q single Bureau
OF supply. lie said that IL this were done tho
additional expenditures caused by his pro-
posed increase In the number Of limo officers
could be more than Offset by the reduction In
stafr expenditures.
II has sometimes been suggested that a like
merging Of the AdJutant-Genernl's and In
spector-G Generals Departments would be ndvan-
thgcous. Tho combined force Of officers would
take rank rs now, according to seniority. and
the entire force would be available at different
seasons Of the year according as duties that now
fall to the one or the other Of the present de-
partments should demand immediate attention.
The project Of consolidating the Quarter
masters, Subsistence, and Pay Departments Is
a very old one, having been proposed not long
after the end Of the civil war. Mr.. Lamont says
bluntly that the only reason for their continu-
ance is their past existence, and that their
maintenance a. separate departments involves
an expense not justified by the service required.
Indeed, the Secretary urged that, even II the
proposed consolidation should not be effected by
Congress. rs q matter OF justlnable retrench-
mcnt the numbers of officers in the Pay and
Subsistence Dep artments ought TO be cut down.
Accordingly we lnd the present bill proposing
to reduce each OF these departments by casu-
atty. or by not hlling vacancies ms they occur,
till each has Eve fewer officers In Its lowest
grade, which ls that OF Major for the pay corps
and Of Captain for the subsistence. The pres
s svtn nnrnS Smd OF ~ Na 9l.n,a III shg pay ne Sorp .ab Is tSen,
twelve. The comparative REDUCTION In the
In hardly q doubt that Congress will sanction 10.
simply OF, not filling vacancies. as they occur.
is reached. A reduction in the. pay corps wac
effected some time ago, but the Senate. u mem
than the House had proposed, 80 that the mat.
ter now comes up again, Perhaps tho Senate
IIn nny go sI,T anI 't e. .nnD,ntmen Is t S,' tbs p,y az" rerp no
Secretary Lannon'S argument for the reduction
In staff officers is based on tho concentration OF
OF railroads, thus requiring less travel by pay
masters, and on tho practicabliity OF paying
troops through their own officers and with tho
aid OF local banks.
The money dl.bursed by .paymasters in the
the the T ATTENDANT liant "sasDpuennssee was $3.50. 4sa. II, or
" "SS H. "A iopT Ss ssr rnn,l 81 bei Silf shs. s of Ea 55%plc 'Si.
are Paid bye BY cheek e and With the mail, 81 express %ss.s
and banking facilities OF the present day. and
plan could we'll be extended to cover the entire
service, the actual distribution. OF the funds
sons Ind their subotdinates." As IT, the sub
%sistcnce Department. he expressed the opinion
Tint Tths simple IMP o statement len en- ,t tsat u Of cost ! cd the
mission of ~ per cent. to buy provisions for the
army, with attendant expenses, exposes the de-
Sc, i6s.iUg, and the expenses ss5s.oee.
bill, that Of transferring the Fort Lcavenworth
military prison to the civil authorities under the
Secretary La,no St'Ts" report %a' His recomInenda,
ti0n was, based on the belief that IL would he
practiSaSle 70 Keep most Of the military Irison;
posts, while the prison could then DO used for
other purposes IL appears that, at g recent
date. tho Fort Leavcn worth prison had ample
CAPACITY for 900 conyicts, and contained 493.
OF these 90 were confined for crimes under the
civil law. and jT3 for offences against military
law and regulations. II required an apprQpria-
tion of S7e,4sO last year. besides a guard OF y
other army officers The cost OF transporting
prisoners and guards, from various posts IN
creases ths cost to perhaps Sloo, 900 a year,
sum. because prison accommodations, food. &c,
would still be required az the posts, and in add.
partly directed toward furnishing come things
needed in the army. In Capt, porc's report for
OF shoes had been made at tho prison during tho
fiscal ,yenr, and II great number OF mess tables,
thousands Of kitchen articles, such as boiler,
kettles, and pans. with great quantities Of stove
Island prisoners, 900 corn hrOnms. and 80 on.
Of course, also. many articles for the prison IT,
self were made. THIS system could hardly be
other hand. II il suggested that the prisoners
could he made 10 do much fatigue and other
the work thct is distasiefui to The soldiers. and
that sometimes makes them ready 10 desert or
n inp 5Sssi r mpHa "1i sl . ns , M psha iIrh there, there
would be more leisure for strictly military
duties, and perhaps IA higher grade OF efficiency
Again. II Is argued by Secretary Lamont that
the objects of punishment for violations OF mill
the confinement Of the nfTenders'in smaller
numbers at the posts than by the questionable
In their transportation amounting To about
Sl5,000 = year might he effected.
As to thN other Consideration, the establish
ment Of a prison for United States ~coUyiCts has
been contemplated for many years, and three
sites for three such institutions. 10 cost not
more than s5nO, 900 each. although ne auprO-
priation was made 10 carry the acts into effect.
Secretary Lamont says that the transportation
Of lGl United States prisoners 10 brooklyn from
Arkansas. Texas. and the indian Territory
during tho past year cost 81 100. of which sum
iwu-thiris could have been sawed by Transport
tatiun 70 the prison at Fort Lravenwnrth; His
plan, therefore, .or the transfer Of the latter
seems 10 be one of economy.