The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-29
SUNDAY. JANUARY %, 1899
Army Reorganization.

ARMY
We are unable to see wherein the ques-
ton of army reorganization. now exciting
the House of Representatives, presents any
issue of sufficient Importance to create
the turmoil that discussion of the Hull
Alger bill appears to. Certain members
identified with the Administration. but
more particularly with the Alger-Corbin
ring in the War Department, are pressing
measure which, while il recognizes
demand for a greatly enlarged regular
army, in which it is notorious that nine
tenths of the American people join, does
so in way to perpetuate all the evils
and corruption of the present staff sys-
TEN; TO continue the army organization
as a political machine to be worked with
degenerate sons of useful politicians and
broken down party hacks, and TO place
il permanently under the control of the
present ring, its heirs, successors, and as
signs.
All this the Hull bill proposes, and, out
OF the abundance of opposition foolishness,
its proponents will succeed in fastening
upon the country for time. In its text
il has offered the best possible grounds for
legitimate and patriotic antagonism. Ii is
opposed, in every technical feature TO the
ideals and experience of modern soldiers.
II laughs to scorn the first principles of
scientific military organization as under
stood and accepted everywhere else in the
world, and ignores the best thought of our
leading professional men as exemplified in
the bill prepared by General Miles.
Vet NE Dttrnhar nf Depnnorats in
the House of Representatives fighting the
Hull-Alger bill, not because Of its vicious
contents; not because it provides for
political staff oligarchy useful for nothing
but the corrupt practices OF Algerism;
not because it defies prudence and the
good OF the service in falling to secure
the education of officers destined for COM
mand in all branches of their business; but
simply because it does provide some sort
of an army which everybody knows the ma
lion must have.
These same dog in the-manger Demo-
Gratis oppose the Treaty OF Paris which
Will bring us peace, and struggle to keep
US in state which, legally, is one of war.
Yet they decry an army. If, in their own
minds, they are able 10 find any reason
for their attitude, it can only be that they
think ii consistent and a brilliant thing
10 resist anything desired by the party in
power, and have not the faculty of per-
ception 10 understand that the country ex-
poets legislative opposition to present
some sane alternative TO measures of pub
lie necessity which it attempts TO defeat
As We have remarked, there would be
sense in opposing the merits of the Miles
Hawley bill to obnoxious features in and
coHuptIng tendencies of the Hull-Alger
bill but nothing seems to be further from
the policy Of the minority, which is to
offer blind and illogical antagonfsm to a
proposition which, however bad il may
be, is vastly better than no army reorgani-
cation bill at all, and, hence, viii be ac-
cepted by the country as the only thing
it can get in the premises.
Thanks 10 the insensate attitude and
tactics of the House proyincialists, the
Hull-Alger. bill win go through without
sllfaealty ana practically as it stands To-
day. IL might hsrs been amepde@Ex1fh
direcl9Sn CT modern milstery Sepuiremenis
and ecency. An ,lcrlye and in
telli |of7ry sgiaehtf have been able
10 sb6N Us Week.-Mrs. and dishonesty in
prerefsing aneystsf Syststtt shieh has been
our disgrace m ~ Spanish VIZ, and the
chance itofers 10 make our army bureaus
nests OF fayoritism and corruption. The
net result of the contest is that what
changes have been made in its provisions
are for the worse. Even the lieutenant
generalcy has been eliminated, and, unless
the Senate shall come TO the rescue. we
shall have an army of fifty thousand
men, the chief command OF which must
dcvolve upon an officer with rank only
designed for the commander OF division
OF n few thousand.
Yet, with all these objections and pain
ful certainties in view, the Hull Alger bill
docs offer the country a body of men sufi-
cicnt in numbers TO fairly protect the in
terests Of the nation and the honor OF its
flag. We should take it rather than 20
without any army at all, which is mani
testify what the enemies of American
growth and prosperity want. Rather than
no army, let US have fifty thousand
soldiers with Algerism attached. The
American people will club that excresaence
10 death in any case before long.