New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-04
ARMY NOTES OF INTEREST.

o~..-. and others interested in the Army have
becn expressing their views in the columns OF the
papers and magazines devoted TO defensive o'a'e"-
es OF the Government. on why Don't Ihev Ell
list?" and why They Don't Enlist Ihe FORMER
question recognizes that there are a large number
~ unemployed who would make good soldiers
and who would In the Army be great ceal better e
and as TO QUANTITY and quality of food to eat and
clothes to wear. Besides. al the end OF eacn noun
R wtI thew don't enlist al least, those who are
most desirable as soldiers do not oter 10 se''e
their Uncle SAM
why They Don't Enlist" gives the true rea-
son for men not enlistng" II says that the soo'er
Is not thought well enough Of; that the peop'e
outside OF the service too likely TO can '.'"
rogues. drunkards. etc. and that the ehiS'eu mon
is too often required TO do too much win 'he a.
pick and shovel, In building earthworKs ana i""N
Ing clearngs. Another complains that some u Wv
recruiting officers are too particuar a.. sr. sxam
is cited when recently eco applicants VEN Mere
ned in Chicago and only '1r he infantry One attn
ietlc young fellow was rejected because aybied the
ciaws of hammer and he was not deemed capable
Of marching and carving knapsackS s h ofYsr was
Sec 1 1' he Concluded that the Army only wanted
the finest body OF men In the world
There seems TO be some encouragement ne'o our
for men to enlist in the ranks. however. me var
Department has Just ordered twenty selected en-
u~ted mon 10 report at Fort Leavenworth at such
time as win enable them TO appear for competitive
examination for commissions as officers
The War Department has issued an impor'an,
order relating to post exchanges some OF the c"'.,
provisions Of the order are that the exchange sn"i
combine the features OF reading and recreauo"
rooms a cooperative store. and a restaurant us
urinary purpose is TO supply the troops at reasoh-
able prices with the articles OF ordinary use wear
and consumption not supplied by the government
and to afford them means OF rational recreation
and amusement Its secondary purpose Is through
ing the messes post exchange viii be set up al
every post where practicable. The superintendent
OF the affairs Of exchange Is to be vested III d
council. 10 consist OF three officers one OF whom
is to be the officer in charge. the others inc TWO
company commanders longest off this duty at the
most The council is 10 be authorized TO designate
the articles to he put on SALE fix the prices AZ
which they shall be sold. and authorize the pur-
chases OF all supplies. 1t is provided that gambhg
Of any sort shall not be permitted; that no civilians
other than those employed and resident on inc
military reservation shall be permitted 70 enter
the authority OF the commanding officer; that ne
c%chenge SHAH be prohibited but the commanding
officer may on the M @ OF ,h me cSntcrn
by the drink, whenever ne IL sausnea thht k'Sins
The sO Msu the he p @ % vi them from
resortng for strong intoxcants 10 p,ares ana
such limits. and tend to promote temperance anu
discipline among them,
"Can West Point BE Made More Useful when
commands more than usual attention among ofiicers
OF the Army. He cites that In some respects 'he
Military Academy remains the same as II was hiy
years ago. that although the course OF studies mas
undergone radical change. the number OF professors
and instructors increased. the scientific apparatus
improved. and the number OF cadets increased win
the growth OF the country. yet the qualifications re-
ouired by law, with some few additions remain
about the General Gibbons makes special OBJ
lection the rule that candidate OF certain age
and he,ght should weigh at least certain runber
81 hounds He maintains that this objection may
be overcome in a few months with good rations ana
exercise. but that IL adhered TO strictly GRANT,
Sheridan even Napoleon would be shut out. ne
the Military Academy among the people at large
because Of its supposed arstocratic charac;er He
f,l by Extending its education in such TO
h n t case of Wa the Forces would be in better
state of preparation TO take the Held tnan 'hey nave
ever been before.
Iieutenan. NJ. F. Steele. Of the 9Th Cavalry. who
has received q prize for his essay on 'Disciplne.'
makes several pertinent suggestions. Among other
things he says: Justice Is the backbone OF dis
cipline; not harshness and not mercy. Mercy can
not be shown to offenders without tramplng upon
the rights Of good men. When tho President
shows mercy to an officer whom court-martial
has adJudged unf. for the service. he does an In
justice to every other person In the Army and 10
the people" He also says that what is most
cipiine discipline which thinks. but does not stop
to argue; which is respectful TO superiors. but
courteous to interiors; which is just but not merc
full and which Is careful of its good name that
man can have higher certificate Of character
than the soldiers parchment of discharge, which
bears the word Excellent" He also says: I'VE
have today the best Army Of its numbers on the
face of the earth. Our men may not be as smart
and well set up as the English: they may not be as
automatic in their drill the Germans: they may
no, be seville to their subordinates as the Rus
slams but LET hem be matched against 5000 men OF
any other nation in any test of campaign or
battle and who doubts what their work will be-"
Rurnor has II that New-York Is 10 lose the pres
ence of Major-Cieneral Nelson A. Miles in another
month The regrets that Will be felt will be
severe and sore but they will be tempered with
fhe happy fact that when General Miles transfers
his command to another II viii be FOR the reason
that ne goes to Washington 10 be the Command
ing General Of the Army. vice Lieutenant-Genera
John NJ Schohed. retired