The record-union., 1899-12-19
Contained In the Annual Report Of laspse-
- tor 6sneral Breckenridge.
Points Out the Necessity Of a
Systematic, Progressive 1nstruc-
, ton Under Campaign Condi-
lions During Time Of Peace In
Preparation Of Our National
Guardsmen for Hardships in the
Field.

NEW YORK, Dec. 1S:-A special to
the Tribune" from Washington says:
Inspector General Breckinridge's an
nual report to the General commanding
is this year. as formerly, a searching
review of the conduct of the army and
expert criticism of it's organization OF
the most interesting and valuable char
acter. It is ami unusually voluminous
document, with many excellent photo
graphic illustrations, and will prove en-
PERTAINING and instructive, not only to
officers in the service, but to legislators,
who will be called upon to consider
needed reforms in the service. All the
Inspector Generals recommendations
were adopted by Secretary Root. Gen
eral Breckenridge says:
"All experience shows that we may
periodically have war, and our late
mere mobilization shows what inexperi-
elce may cause us and our children
to endure.
Sanitation, where there are no family
ties nor modern conveniences. is more
difficult to. teach and enforce among
greenhorns than the manual Of arms
or musketry, and the more troops go
under canvas and learn tactics and
tactical operations ON the ground and
how to take care of themselves, the
better it will be for the army, especially
for the new organization called out for
the defense Of our country's flag.
s"Our present transport fleet has ex-
cited the admiration of foreigners and
is perhaps as fine as lavish expendi-
ture Of money could so quickly make
it, under department Of the Govern
ment which was almost novice in this
work, and not controlled by men who
have made such matters a life study.
ut has been sufficiently demonstrated
historically without need of argument
how easy and effective is the proper
training and maintenance OF an efficient
militia as the hope and support of the
nation when called to arms and to. pro-
tect the individual citizen from unnec-
sary suffering when rallying to the col
ors for the national defense. During
the last fiscal year we have been ex-
pending over $4,000 a day, but this
peace, practice, essential for proper ma
tional defense and for the proper train
ing Of we'll cared for and we'll armed
militia, costs only about 81 100000 =
year, hardly two days expense, even
on a peace basis, and would not add D
per cent to the annual military appro-
priations and would actually save large
sums in the long run. But if our peo-
pie prefer to conduct war upon the rec
ognized principle Of main strength and
awkwardness, though they are so
proverbially acute and energetic in l.
and everything else when their atten-
ton is attracted to war, the incidental
dissatisfaction and suffering in the early
stages of war will, perhaps. continue
to recur; such as shoddy clothing and
its other features, we'll known to every
soldier of the Civil War; though less
pronounced, of course, when only a
quarter OF a million instead of a million
of unframed men are suddenly called
to the colors.
Practically we have practiced our
mobilization with $4,000 men instead of
with $4,000, as they. do in Europe, and
much needed and instructive military
maneuvers have been largely omitted.
Z We have generally had only camps,
5 and transportation and reviews of. any
large masses Of men in this country