The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10

Their Csntsen. Are Their castiss-F1aees
for west Fointers-eoiss on the Shelf

Their csntssn. Are Their C~sstiss-PIaeer
for West F~ointers-soiss Q" the shsiL
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The decision OF Judge
shiras OF the United states Circuit Court, dl-
reoting the release. by a writ Of habeas corpus,
Of tho officers arrested Mt Fort Robinson. may
be far reaching In its consequences. Its asser-
tion Of exclusive Federal Jurisdiction shows
that LIQUOR may DO sold on any army reserva-
tion where the State has no Jurisdiction, what
ever tho law OF the State in which that reser-
walton is situated. This would apply. appar-
entity, to tho Raincs law Of New York on such
reservations as are under national Jurisdiction
only. IL not modified by express statutes of
Congress regulating the canteens. or by any
rules OF the War Department for their main
tenance. In cases where the kaines law may
hold, on account OF lack of exclusive jurisdic-
ton, the license is to DO paid out OF the post
exchange funds.
Not only do the people OF Crawford. Neb., get
q judicial rebuff in this matter, but they have
also had a pecuniary setback for their zeal. IL
seems that 1t was the liquor saloon keepers who
sought to make tho Fort Robinson canteen pay
q license under the State law. The garrison.
when the trouble arose, consisted Of six troops
OF the Ninth Cavalry, colored. A, G., f, @, II,
and X The post canteen everywhere 10 q CO.
operetive institution. and the less It's cost OF
maintenance the greater Its per centage Of
earnings or the lower its prices for goods. The
troopers Of the Ninth Cavalry resolved to boy
colt the tradesmen Of Crawford, as q result Of
the attack on their %cantcen, and thus this latter
proved a boomerang.
1t Is now practically certain that the reorgan-
ization OF the line will go over to the next ses-
sion, II not TO the next Congress and the new
Administration Even the moderate scheme OF
Secretary Lamont will involve a large annual
increase OF expenditures, and a Presidential cleo
ton year l. not a good one for this purpose. The
AnnAtR hill In nnTnnGa In INV nf the nnn-rnNn
missioned officers also may not get through the
House this year, but IL will perhaps have n bet
bill is also likely to share the same fate Of post
ponement.
The Qualifications and Navy bills are those
that have profted most by the war alarm of
last winter, although there has also been u great
rush of individual bills for the benefit Of army
and navy officers, and particularly the Increase
of pensions for the relatives of deceased officers.
Even upon the Navy bill the effect of tho lapse
of time since the, first outbreak Of excitement
over the Venezuela dispute may become some
what apparent, although II will certainly be most
liberal. On the whole, the session has been a
valuable one for the public defence, while mat
tiers concerning, the reorganization OF tho ner-
sonnet both of the army and the navy can safely
The researches made into assured and posi-
bic r~etirements, with a view to making places
three members at West Point, have borne good
fruit. The age retirements. taking together
motions to the lowest grade will come from the
line, are of good number. During the present
G %Gn 3 s sh Ger done S%ce pai tn"s EStir Psr hsanG AND
Capt. Clio and one staff officer. Col. He; Wood.
The GLOWING month n a. b brings Iyg two artillery re-
X. O.. Shaw. In the subsistence Department
Lieut.. Col. Wilson's retirement occurs on June
tires June 81. On July 8 the age retirement of
Col. Barriger of the Subsistence Corps is due:
In the later months occur the retirements Of
Major Randlett. and Capts. DE Rudio and Mum
son OF the line; and Col; vincent, Lieut;;Coi.
OF these numerous vacancies. one. that Of Col.
promotions. because the gap among the Second
Lieutenants so caused will be filled by an officer
others. except Z" II possibly that of Major Robinson,
will lead to vacancies that can be. used for the
graduates. Major Robinson Is Of the Pay Corps:
civilians. and 1t is said that an enormous num-
Der Of applications for the expected vacancy
mont's earnestness for places for the graduates
will probably insure its going to the line this
Besides these prospective places there are two
now In the cavalry and six In the Infantry, max
cancies on the limited retired list. and efforts
are making to find candidates for them among
officers physically disabled. -Four have already
from. II we si look forward ward to tie next year r. there
coDsiderinT 1880 "a alone. t may be assumed that
places for a good part of the West Point class
Will De round.
The foregoing IN suggests another
point. namely. the number of high officers soon
to be laid upon the shelf. These include two
Brigadier. Generals commanding STAFF depart:
ments. General Batchelder and
General Morgan. for the latter re-
tires next January. They also include. in retire;
commanders-Co Col. Gordon, Sixth Cavalry; Col.
Parker, Eighteenth Infantry: Col. Closson,
Fourth Artillery; Col. Lodor, Second Artillery,
and Col. Biddle. Ninth Cavalry. AS has also
been seen. three Colonels and two Lieutenant.
COionels OF the staff and one Colonel
of the line are on the list.
1t is said that there are now over a thousand
retired enlisted men. and that the number In
creases rapidly. Such q body ought to furnish
a suggestion to recruits Of the value OF a service
that looks out for the old age OF its faithful fol-
lowers, and, in fact. begins its benefcence when
the soldier may be hardly beyond what is called
middle life.