The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-21
WHAT Ais OUR ARMY:

Seattle. Wash. Aug 10. 1905
10 the Editor; As the smoke OF war
drifts away. another smoke Of less r!o-
rtous odor is ohtrud'ng itself upon me at
teation of the country. and threatens TO
make great deal of quarrelsorne disc,,s-
sion before it IS over. The present war.
Ike all the others or country has ct
INTO. mas saowu az the outset a grear
amount OF waste. inesficfeacy and ulis,nar-
Sgement, especially In the uuarsermas,ar
and comnissary departments People WIT
uTaily wonder 4 all that IL necessary. with
all the srmy Ct West Point graduates
that the government has az It's seryiss
bat little analysis may show the reason
fer IL. and also point out the remedy.
Under the established routine Of rear~
the sTste:n OF rAecks and multiplied ST.
peryisson was so sufficient that with he
good average OF competence possessed tyy
TIE graduates Of West Point and Arns no.
Is there WAS little chance for serious mis-
takes or scandal; but in the sudden ener-
gency If war when there was a demand
for grea. practical ability, skin. ingenu-
sty courage and honesty among al. he
officers Of The service. whore every man
aer Of temptation and embarrassment was
thrown against them. VS. and. 10 our "a
bonaI disgrace. that many Of cur officer.
were either In some branch az the se-v.
tee fer which they were not best nttof ~
Perhaps hU; few would rot have done we'll
Ia SOME position hut 5he evidence < si~o.sl.
sfai many Officers ~sre ogt Of their proper
element. ard s5aI valuable tine and f~ii-
Hons u dolssrs were ssuandcred wAle
great suffering and hardship were enair-
Cd ant cven life was az eFifsc@,s occsuee 4
e. This aeQs0fsn le conc ton ;s n%argv al
caraael 10 the army. naturally. fo- ma
va service Required but little charge from
- aAf Il Nas accustomed: TO, auti as De from
= lack of ammunition ard ~caI sitgF.y had
iltt3e preparation 20 make R9t frnru our
national policy % maintaining no r@al ar
rSy. bat instead. a lsrKA su-mbsr of email
guards FER government gv~euerty with al
equipment ~ - GERS . 30 aatf but 5iifl.
moro than a theoretical EuenIe sge Of war.
- founa cur country greatly and Cts
Swacefeity cEs haTrss=ej a. me whom
haste mas Da0St essential.
] believe AL ths costly ard sfaxxrs~afsu
laundering cosld sse easily avoided rs ,hs
app>3ea slan Of a lite progressive s~.en q
aHa comm 2 sryss@. ard 4 = worth cur
tlTne AID eTs~s 80 starr TIE agitation TIE
two arzds mics ~ West Point soss Araazs-
o3}s aye the fgho.s scsrce 81 wAs-h W.
<i@fqa4 saT f@atmsA officials nny 0y Y IN
AZ 81; for tsae construction q Sah,Ic
- 1yhs ana .sspgaVsss IT'S IN t5gGse af usare
Trey are usually ~ se,efi from TIE var
ous caa grsSsiG@&f 6sstrt-ss. ard hy a Esa-
srat custom aye selected fAg5NgA 81 q. - u
TIVE examine tss3s. arsn 70 tae "a 81. 3 ~
trlv- ara as q eiass. ta@y 10 ret hare
catlY sR2aa IN aag other coE.sas ss.n5n1 cg
class 81 the world a s0k a. TIE cn2r-
&fser ~ tae sxs Slss2aE.oa- r5weysg. AL
STOW * 4ere the tregsnle teSsns Il Pc
cures q Ese8. s9oasa FAR :geTu psgfe~:
physical ccss4sl13az.- NTH certain mini
.n9 - AAG aaAs~- s9-h as rs: ~ &uow
s. gsa.as fleets OK tae <vsgesf. 4 c&sszazs-
"A
gss& ae1s&esz3gc ssi&e,f31 n % Z xAnssa.
character. fseya1d fasss osTaesai csGs@rSa-
sssSa has aas saaagas1 Of rssnE: yet, tn
~ q Vii 20 further. lie service wls;