The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-17

opposed to this law the war department,
protected by the subterfuge furnished by
the annull1ng decision Of Attorney Gen.
eral Gr1ggs, ignores its provisions. One
OF the principal reasons urged by army
officers for antagonizing this law is that
the profits derived from the sale of liquors
at military posts-which at posts having
as many as 800 privates and non-commis.
stoned officers, 1t Is stated, amounts to
about $1,000 month-are used and needed
10 furnish greater variety of eatableS
tnan are supplied in the standard army
rat1ons. This Is manifestly not a tenable
reason for continuing the sale Of liquors
at military posts. If, as the officers in
innate, the present army rations are not
sufnciently varied to provide suitable
changes in the soldiers fare, the defect
should be remedied in legitimate way
rather than through the profits on the
sale Of liquors at military posts
The opinion widely prevails among the
masses that the pay Of private soldiers
is too small in comparison with the ex-
traVagant salaries paid to the superior
officers. Better pay for privates could
well be afforded if congress would, in
addition to proper economies in authoriZ-
ing other army expenses, cut down, say
from one-fffth to one-third, the lavish
salaries and extra allowances now paid
to commissioned officers and apply the
sums thus saved toward providing for
talr increase of the pay of privates and
non-commissioned officers This would
enable them to buy such articles Of food
as they required to vary the usual army
rations without depending upon the prof
It's on the sale of liquors at the "canteen"
to supply the means in this questionable
way for improving their ordinary fare.
Ii the pay of priVateS and non-cOmmis-
stoned officers was made reasonably pro-
portionate to that received by commits
stoned officers, and an impartial system
for the promotion Of soldiers in the ranks
Tor proficiency in the study and acquire
ment of military tactics and for COM
mendable conduct generally in time of
peace, as well as for meritorious services
IN time of war, was provided by law, the
regular army would offer more desirable
employment and attract the best class of
young men to enlist in the military serv-
ice.
With proper economies in army ex-
penditures, by equitable reductions in the
present excessive pay of the higher
grades of officers, including the retired
list, and systematic economies in other
branches of the military establishment
the pay of privates could be increased to
a reasonable rate without materially in
creaSlnS the aggregate annual appropria-
ton for the support of the army. The
paid to army officers average very much
larger than the average salaries or pay
received by civilians filling equally re-
sponsibe positions in the various branch
es of business and lines of trade and in
dustries and the professional calIings
The intelligence, practical experience and
capabilities and the hours of diligent
work required to conduct the usual bust
ness, Industrial and professional voca-
tions successfully, are fully as great, if
not greater, as rule. than are required
TO regularly manage army affairs under
the prescribed army rules especially in
time OF peace; and therefore It would
seem that army officers are not Justly
entitled to better pay for their services
than civilians receive for performing
equally important and arduous duties
of a general business nature. There are
apparently no valid reasons why army
officers who are receiving high salaries
should also receive extra allowances to
cover their living and travelling expenses.
The faVoritism which has heretofore
been shown to the higher ranks of mill
tary officers with respect to salaries and
extra allowances seems unreasonable
when it is considered that the generality
of civilians are obliged to provide for all
Of their expenditures from very much
smaller average incomes than commits.
stoned officers receive from their overly
large salary. If congress would adjust
the pay of such officers on a basis of
rates which would conform more nearly
with the comparatively small incomes
which the great majority of all other
classes of citizens receive and have to be
cOntented with for their toilsome efforts
to gain a livelihood, and who are gener-
ally producers and are the main con-
tributors to the support of the army and,
in fact, of the nation, it would seem
that such congressional measures for the
equalization OF pay would be eminently
just and would unquestionably meet the
wishes Of the generality of citizens
G. H S.
St. Paul July 49,