Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-02

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to the negotiation by General Bates with
the sultan of sulu. and it is pointed out
that it is not only subject to congressional
approval. but the sultan has been informed
that such approval did not carry with IL
the consent of the United States to the ex-
istencc OF slavery in the islands.
Recommends Laying rncinc cable.
A strong recommendation is made for the
laying of a Pacific cable as a matter OF great
importance. The cost of such cable is
placed at not exceeding SS,50O,OOO, running
by way of Hawaii, Wake island and Guam
from san Francisco to Manila.
The secretary deals in a forceful manner
with the subject OF post exchanges. He
expresses his agreement with the construc-
tion of the state on this point laid down oy
the attorney general and produces statistics
from the United States forces and elsewhere
to show that the overwhelming testimony
of the army is to the effect that the present
regulation has promoted the temperance
discipline, morals and health of the enlisted
men and that in the interest of morality
and effective service 1t should be retained
The secretary says:
THE practical question to be considered
is not whether the soldiers should drink or
should not drink, but whether they
should be permitted to drink beer in
camp surrounded by the restraining innu-
ences of discipline and good association or
whether they should be driven to drink bad
whisky in the vile resorts which cluster
around every military post, especially around
those in which prohibition is maintained.
| have no doubt that the present regulation
furnishes the wise answer to this question"
Under the question of river and harbor
improvement, the secretary while character
zng the estimates as generally meritorious,
states that he has felt it necessary in view
of extraordinary appropriations for mill
tary purposes to reduce the estimates Of
the chief of engineers from $219O6, ,S21 to
$14,993741.
Other recommendations are that General
Shafter should be retired with a rank of
major general, that a statue of General
Grant be erected in the national capital, that
the memorial bridge should be built across
the Potomac to Arlington with a broad ave-
nue. connecting Arlington with Mount Ver
non and that a national park be constituted
over the battlefelds of Fredericksburg,
Salem church, Charlottesville, the Wilder
ness and Spottsylvania courthouse at
cost of about $65, 900.
Radical Army Recommendations.
One of the most important chapters of the
report deals with the subject of army re-
organization and on this point the secretary |
makes some most radical recommendations. |
pointing to the nadequacy OF the present sys- |
TEN and the insufficency of the force. Start |
ing with the premise that the real object |
OF having an army is to provide for war |
and that the regular army would never be |
by itself the whole machine with which war |
will be fought, the secretary proceeds to
outline scheme of reform supported at
each stage by succinct argument to demon
strate its necessity.
He first lays down the necessity of
systematic study, by responsible officers, of !
tho plans Of actions under all contingencies |
Of cCuflict and points out the lamentabe |
we are at in this respect as |
shown by our past experience, more espe
caly with regard to mobilization and en-
campment and training of volunteer troops.
Next there should be ample preparation
Of material for war, keeping pace with
the progress of military science and avoid
ing the state of unpreparedness in which |
we were found at the outbreak OF the last
war. This should be the business of COM
petent men. There should be an adequate
process of selection according to merit and
among the officers of the army,
may be placed il positions of RESPONSE
oiity and authority.
Fourth, hc says there should be ample
exercise and training of the army in the
movements Of large bodies approXimating
war conditions. 1t is recommended that an
army war college be established, Including
he major general commanding and COM
posed Of the heads of staff departments and
number of the ablest high ranking Off
,ers in the army, and to this college should
20 entrusted the execution of the plans laid
tut under the above four heads. Every Off
,er below the field officers not a graduate
,f the service schools should receive in
truction at this college
All staff appointments should hereafter
,e made from the line of the army for
nly fixed period of say four or five years,
he holder to return to the line at the end
Il that period, and these staff appointments
hould be made on the war college records
# efficiency and fitness, making allowance !
OF gallant conduct in the field and except
ng only the technical branches of engi
eer ordnance and signal service. The pres ;
mt system of promotion by seniority should I
e modified to officers below field rank
" dividing the promotions between those
ased on seniority and those based on efii-
iency and galantry. STAFF appointments
nd line promotions other than those for
eniority should be made by boards Of off,
ers based on efficiency records.
There should also be active cooperation
etween the army and navy in the matter
( their respective war colleges to provide c
o. join: defense and action. s
The artillery branch of the service should 4
ave a head, a member of the war college, G
nd on the staff of the major general COM |
handing and the inspection corps should be Y
increased.
Turning to the volunteer element, which
lust be relied upon to supplement the reg
lar army in case of war, the secretary lays
tress upon the Importance OF preserving
he same forms of discipline, using the
anne arms and generally ensuring that the
nited body shall be homogeneous when as
embed Thi1 matter should receive the
special consideration OF the war college,
'hich should invite the conference and CO.
peration of state military authorities and
pen its courses OF instruction to national
uard officers In this way the secretary
presses that an elastic machinery will be
rovided that when war threatens and
)ng before 1t is declared the multitude
men who are to do the work of organiza-
ion will know without waiting for an act