The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-04

the prosecution OF WHICH We nave DeeI
isteadily engaged for some years, has 81
liar developed as to suggest that the
ieffective strength of the army be now
made at least equal to the lega'
strength. Measures taken by the de
/ partment during the year as indicated
have already considerably augmented
the effective force and the secretary Of
war presents a plan which he recon-
mends to the consideration of Congress
to attain the desired end
Decentralization Formation.
| Economies effected in the department
| in other lines of work will Offset to 9
great extent the expenditure involved il
the proposition submitted. Among
other things, this contemplates tht
adoption of the battalion furma-
/ ton of regiments, which for severa
years has been Endorsed by the secre
| tary of war and the generals command
ing the army. Compacs in itself, Il
provides a skeleton organization, ready
to be filed out in the event of war
which is peculiarly adapted to soul
strength and requirements; and the fac
that every other nation, with single
exception, has adopted this formation
to meet the conditions of modern war
fare, should alone secure for the re-
commentator an early consideration.
me army ana TIC StTIkes
1t is hardly necessary to recall the
fact that in obedience to the commands
ON the constitution and the laws, and
for the purpose of protecting the prop
| erty of the United States, aiding the
process of the Federal courts and re
moving lawless distractions to the per
Torrance by the government of its le
! Ultimate functions. it becomes necessary
in various localities during the year K
employ a considerable portion of the
regular troops. The duty was dis
lcharged promptly, courageously, and
with marked distinction by the officer:
and men, and the most gratifying proc
was thus afforded that the army de
serves that complete confidence in it:
deficiency and discipline which the coun
| try has at all times manifested.
! The year has been free from disturb
ances of Indians and the chances Of
| further depredations on their part arr
constantly becoming more remote aIlt
improbable.
| War Department Expenditures.
The total expenditure of the war de
partment for the year ending June 80
1894, amounted to S59,039, 009.34. Oh
this sum s2,000,614 was for salaries
and contingent expenses. 1866. 156.1t
for the support of military establish
ments, $50, 001 1928 for miscellaneous
objects, and s25, 81, 1886 for public
works. This latter sum includes $19,.
494, O37.49 for river and harbor improve
ments. and sS,974.S63.56 for fortified,
tions and other works of defense. THE
appropriation for the current year ag
gregated $50, 42s, 112.73, and the esti-
mates submitted by the secretary OF
war for the next fiscal year call fol
appropriations amounting to $52,3iS,-
1885.
The Ordnance Department.
The skill and industry of our ord
nance officers and inventors have, 1T is
believed, overcome the technical obsta'
cles which have heretofore delayed tht
armament of our coasts, and this great
national undertaking upon which we
have entered may now proceed as rap.
idly as Congress may determine
large caliber already on hand, tc
which additions should now rapidly
follow, the wisdom of providing car
Eiages and emplacement for theil
mount cannot be too strongly urged.
The Enrolled Militia.
The total enrolment of the militia
of the several states is 1883, officers
and enlisted men, an increase of 5,34;
over the number reported at tine cioSt
of the previous year. The reports Of
militia inspection by regular army Off
GERS show a marked increase in inter.
est and efficiency in the state orgaini
cations, and 1 strongly recommend 3
continuance of the policy of affordins
every practicable encouragement pos
Sible to this important auxiliary OF
our military establishment.
The Apache Indian Prisoners.
The condition of the Apache Indians
held as prisoners by the government
for eight years at cost of half mil
| lion dollars has been changed during
during the year from captivity to one
which gives Them an opportunity tc
demonstrate their capacity for self.
support, and ait least partial civiliza.
ton. Legislation enacted at the late
session of Congress gave the war de,
partment authority to transfer the
survivors, numbering 346, from Mount
! Vernon barracks, in Alabama, to tins
many suitable reservations the depart
rnent selected as their future home the
military lands at Fort Sill, Indian terri
tory, where, under military surveillance
the former prisoners have been estab.
lished in agriculture under conditions
favorable to their advancement.
4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS for Soho
field.
In recognition of the long and dis
tinguished military services and faith
full discharge of the delicate and res
ponsible civil duties by Major-Genera
John NJ Schofield, now general com
manding the army, it is suggested tt
Congress that the temporary reviva
of the grade OF acknowledgement il
his behalf would be a just and gra
cious act and would permit his re
tirement, now nsar at hand, with {
rank BETTING his merits.
Report of the Acknowledgement.
The report of the Encouragement
notes the gratifying progress made by
the supreme court in overcoming this
arrears of its business and reaching c
condition in which it will be able t.
dispose of cases as they arise without
any unreasonable delay. This result
lis, OF course, very largely due to tins
succecessful working of the plan in
augura ting circuit courts of appeals
In respect to those tribunals. the sug
gestion is made, in quarters entitled
to tine highest consideration, that al
additional circuit judge for each cir
cult would greatly strengthen these
courts and the confidence reposed il
ltheir adjudication. and that such al
addition would not create a greater
force of judges than the increasing
business of such courts requires.
commend the suggestion to the careful
consideration of the Congress.
/ Other important topics are advert
led in his report, accompanies
by recommendations, many of which
have been treated at large il
previous messages, and at tfli:
time therefore need only be nam
ed. / refer to the abolition of ths
fee system as a measure of compensa
ton to federal officers; the enlarge
ment OF the powers of the United
States, at least in the territories; ths
allowance of writs of error in crimina
cases on behalf of the United States
and the establishment of degrees il
the crime of murder.
Justice in Indian Territory.
A topic dealt with by the attorney