The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-02

his kindred.
He finds that his life at Du Chesne is
hell.
CHORUS:
Over the burning plains Of Utah,
Under the snow and rain,
He thought of the stories he'd have to
If ever he got home again,
He treasured with care
The dust in his hair
To remind him of his life at Du Chesne;
His cares were in vain,
He was ne'er seen again,
That lad from the post of Du Chesne.
On the banks of the Missouri.
Stands gloomy old prison,
And within it's grim walls
A poor convict remains,
He lifts his sad face
All. there remains but a semblance
OF that once happy youth
Fer he went to Du Chesne.
He thought of the justice
OF Uncle Sans standing army
OF that miserable farce
A court martial it's name,
And the great men, who are
SEEKING the cause of deSerton-
They could solve that great problem
By going to Du Chesne.
The closing of the gambling houses
in the city will prove to be a good
thing for the Fort Douglas soldiery as
well as for many other speculatively
inclined people. 1t is a pretty we'll I'M
derstood piece of information that
nearly, if not all, the public games in
town were run on the brace principle.
Now the boys in blue will speculate
among themselves, for, above all other
things, they must gamble a little on
payday.
The post exchange has been liberal
again. Lieutenant Newton's half bar
rel of beer to each company was quick
ly disposed of and greatly enjoyed.
And now comes the unwelcome in
formation that the high class marks
mems medals will not be made of the
precious metals in future. This course
of the authorities is almost universally
condemned and Jealousy is believed to
be at the bottom of it rather than
economy in the service.
The Logan football eleven has &C
cepted the challenge of the second
eleven of the post and will schedule
a game this week to come off on the
Fort grounds. The All Hallows team
will be revenged.
Writing ON promotion from the
ranks in the Kansas City Times of
November 2S, some wonderfully intel
ligent young man who doubtless be-
longs to that unambitious element
known in the army as dog robbers"
has a few critical words to say about
the service before taking his Thanks
giving dinner. His chief complaint is
that soldiers who fail to pass a sue
cessE.l examination for promotion are
lost TO the service, as they are al
lowed to apply for their discharge i'm
medlately afterward and the expense
incurred by the government in making
drilled soldier is thrown away"
of the barrack room produce a knowl-
edge of the lieutenant's idiosyncrasies
that would not have been gained by
the rank and file had not the officer
come in through the hawse holes.
The barrier between the grade of
commissioned officer and enlisted man
should be so secure that NO loopholeS
exist for the passage from the in
ferior to the higher grade, and the
man who enliStS should remain an en-
listed man during his career as
soldier, unless by some specially
meritorious service he is recommended
for promotion, having proved his
ability to command men in some
other way than by answering questions
relative to his knowledge of mathe-
MATES and surveying. The mere fact
that he wants to be an officer carries
with it no obligation on the part of
the government to consult his wishes
and make him ONE. If he wishes to
be a soldier let him enlist and work
his way up, and let him be able to
work his way to something higher and
better than exists in the enlisted con-
tingent of today. The service desires
a recruit who enlisted to do as he is
told; in fact to soldier, be a soldier
and remain a soldier to the end of his
military career"
This is a peculiar view of the situa-
ton and oe the knowledge of am Of
ficer's "idiosyncrasies." There are a
great many people in the army who
are of the opinion that is on account
of the thorough knowledge of a young
mans 'idiosyncrasies" as we'll as
everything else connected with his
history that he has been considered
a. fit subject for promotion. And there
are lots of folks inhabiting the globe,
who think it an honor rather than
disgrace for a young man to rise from
the ranks, or in the words of this cor
respondent, come in at the hawse
holes" We might enuTnerate a long
list of officers who have helped to
materially carve out a. good deal of the
history of this country within the
lust thirty-fve years who were not
averse to coming in at these "holes."
Why should there be an impossible
barrier between the grade of an Of
ficer and that of an enlisted man?
Would he have all the officers of the
army born to the purple?" In these
peaceful times what chance is there
to perform specially meritorious SER
vice." Cannot soldier, if he be a
non-commissioned officer, prove his
ability to command men other than
by answering questions relative to his
studies? The mere fact that a soldier
in the ranks is ambitious to climb
higher, presupposes some inherent
qualifications for the position to which
he aspires. He desires a commission.
He is in good health, intelligent, hon
est, sober, Industrious, has no bad
habits, and can give a satisfactory ac-
count of himself from the date of his
birth. He lis willing to serve the
country as an LrmY officer all his life.
The government wants just such a
young man and if he will do few
things required of him it will COM
mission him a, second lieutenant. In
so far as this the government is under
an obligation to him, in short. con-
suits his wishes.
This ancient talk about a soldier mot
being able to work his way up to a
commission without a pulp is losing
its force in the light of recent events.
That word pull is now taking on a
new meaning. When you sift it down
to the bottom it very often means
merit which has been recognized nv