The times., 1898-11-15
To Reduce wnr Exnense.


of the coming session of Congress, there
is not a word about the early reduction
of war expenses. Senator Hanna talks
of an immediate revision of the tariff
because the revenues are not equal TO
the expenditures. and various means are
proposed to enlarge the income of the
Government, but not thought appears
TO have been given to a reduction of
the outgo. 1t is a fact that the daily
expenses of the military department are
as great as though we We're still engag-
ed in war. While part of the army has
been mustered out, there has been no
material diminution in the staff ex-
penses.
Quite as important and imperative as
an enlargement of the revenues is n
reorganization of the army that will
quickly carry us to a peace footing.
While the Government can legally re-
tain as many of the volunteers as it re-
quires. it is virtually a violation of
good faith to hold them for garrison
duty III the newly acquired tropical isl
ands. They enlisted for the war, in the
reasonable expectation that as soon as
hostilities ceased they would be releas-
ed. Most of them gave up permanent
places with the understanding that they
should be employed again when muster
ed out of the service. Yet il is i'm
practicable for employers to be bound
by their promises for an indefinite time
The result will be that when the men
have been kept in Southern garrisons
for several months longer, they will be
discharged with little money and no
certain employment. Whatever the
legal rights of the Governplent may be.
it is positive that all the volunteers
counted on discharge when the fighting
should cease. Many have families de-
pendent on them and their pay will not
provide proper support. There seems to
have been no discrimination. in most
cases. In selecting volunteers for muster
out. Only in "a few instances have parts
of regiments been ordered to be dis
charged, and the remainder consolidat-
ed with parts of other regiments. Ye.
ii would have been easy TO favor the
married men and others on whom per-
sons depend.
That We are TO have a larger regular
army seems to be no longer question.
Its size should be determined at the
earliest moment and enlistments should
begin then. For every man enrolled in
the regular army, volunteer should be
discharged. 1t is probable that Con-
gress will take the sensible view that
the larger part of the garrisons in the
islands should be composed of natives
under American officers. This would
not only be economical, but it would be
polite. 1t would gain the confidence
of our new wards and have a most
Wholesome influence as means of edu-
cation for the responsibilities of free
country.
In any event, the expenses of the
military department should be cut
down. The useless staff officers, includ-
ing the mischievous incompetents ap-
pointed as a favor to influential poll
ticians, should be taken off the salary
list Army reorganization should be the
immediate concern of General Miles.
| who will doubtless be called upon by
| the House Committee for advice. 1t
| should be the first matter to engage the
attention of Congress, with the view of
the return to their homes of all volun-
| teers who are not disposed to serve in
the regular army. There is no doubt
that large proportion of those who
have seen service in Cuba and of those
who have never gone outside the Ameri-
can camps, would be willing to enlist
for five years from the date of their
first enrolment. The sooner they are
placed under trained officers the better
1t is entirely Republican, however, to
think more about enlarging the income
than reducing the outgo.