Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-25
GEN. STATIONS REPORT
Work Performed by the Pay Corps Of the
Army.
fncrea>e In the Force is Earnestly
Rerom neaded Large Sums Ham
died without Loss Daring War.

The ANIMAL report Of Gen T H Stanton
Esymsster general of the arry made pub
Tic today. contains mass Of interesting
Information in connection with the expenses
Of the Spanish war. July I, 1897 officers
of the Fay department were charged with
pIlblic funds asgregating $59s.Ss4. During
The fiscal year 1893 these officers received
from the United States treasury and other
sources additional sums of money which
swelled the total balances and receipts to
So, 499.0e9. or this vast sum, s14632 500
was expended on account of pay of the
army: 81 .5Ia 1Jg on account Of pay of vol
unteers, st37.341 was expended on account
of volunteers. and other sums on various
military accounts The balance charged
against the pay officers July 1, 1893, was
s5.Ra.37l.
comparison of the expenditures of the
last fiscal year with those of the preceding
year shows a net increase of s., 32G, SOt II.
This increase Is accounted for by the fact
that by act of March s. 1898 two additional
regiments were added to the strength of the
army Again, under act of April y, 1898.
the regular army was. by order of the Pres
dent. recruited TO its maximum strength,
making about 81 ,OO0 men,
Under act Of April =, 1893 the President
April 90. 1898. called for the enlistment of
I2I.0S volunteers. following the same May
-. 1895. with an additional call for 1000
volunteers. three regiments of specials, ten
regiments of immunes. three regiments Of
engineers and signal corps. thus providing
for an army Of over 2S0,0O0 regulars and
volunteers
To meet the payment of this extraordinary
force estimates were prepared and submit
ted to Congress and liberal appropria tons
we're made for payment.
During the year soldiers made 81 SJ6 de-
posts aggregatinS s613.513 a decided in
crease over the record of previous years
The fact of this increase. the paymaster
general says, evidences a growing interest
ia the provision made by the government
TO assist the enlisted men in saving their
earnings and reflects much credit upon the
class of men now In the army.
The question of mileage, General Stanton
says, has been quite satisfactorily and
cquitably settled by the allowance of :
cents per mile for transportation, and much
tabor and expense saved by this fixed al
iOwance.
During the past year all payments to the
army have been made monthly. Previous
To the declaration of war these payments
were made by check or in currency by ex-
teer force it was not found practicable to
pay by the above mentioned method con-
Sequently all of the forces in the field have
been paid by the paymasters in person.
The Increase In the army necessitated an
increase in the force of the pay corps to
enable the department to make prompt
payments; therefore, the President June
30. increased the corps by Seventy-two ad-
ditiOnal paymasters.
These officers and their clerks entered
the service with very little no knowledge
or experience in regard to army accounts
and it appeared necessary to place them
under instruction to fit them for their du-
ties.
This preparation. the paymaster general
says. has horne It's results, as the payments
10 troops have been made promptly and in
diligently, resulting in fewer errors than
would have otherwise occurred. He recon-
mendS legislation increasing the pay of
paymasters' clerks ~ Der cent for every
I'VE years of service, the salary not to ex-
coed 81 500
General Stanton says that the service in
our new possessions makes change in the
laws necessary so that the Secretary of the
Treasury be vested with the same author
ity for relaxing the rules and regulations in
regard to the rendition of accounts by the
administrative departments beyond the
Tint OF twenty or sixty days the same as
in the case of the rendition of accounts by
the accounting officers
In view of the increased army and added
responsibilities, General Stanton earnestly
recommends that 10 the regular pay corps
of the army there be added three assistant
paymaSters general, five deputy paymasters
general and twenty majors and paymasters;
the promotions to colonel and lieutenant
colonel to be made from the officers now in
the pay department according to seniority,
and upon the mastering out of the voun-
teer forces and the reduction of the regular
army to the basis prior 10 the act of April
20. 1898, no appointments shall be made in
the pay department until the number of
officers in each grade shall he reduced 90
the number authorized prior To the date of
the act above mentioned.