The times., 1899-12-02

The annual report of the Secretary Of
War has been submitted to the President.
IT recommends a reorganization of the
Army along lines which will insure the
promotion Of officers through merit and
not political influence; that the artillery
arm of the service be largely increased;
that an army war college be established
TO train officers in the handling Of large
bodies Of troops and in other ways perfect
an organization prepared to. meet the exi-
gencies of war should they arise; that the
West Point Military Academy be enlarged
and its number of students increased; that
Congress enact laws for the government OF
Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines per-
mitting the natives of those countries to
assist in carrying out the laws until such
time as they are capable OF governing
themselves.
The total expenditures of the Army for
the year ending June 30, 1899 are shown
10 be $500 567 S69; appropriations for year
ending June 80, 1900. SI24, 504. 81; esti-
mates for year ending June 80. 1901, S1S5-
SO3,55l- A deficiency appropriation Of SOL,
000.O00 is asked for the year ending June
30 1901. OF this sum S35 600 coo is availa-
bic from the 1899 appropriation, making a
really new appropriation Of only $l6,000,
600 necessary.
Strength of the Army.
The following figures showing the num-
Der Of officers and men of the Army are
given: Regular Army, 81 ,999 enlisted men
and 2,24S officers, making a total of 81 PAT,
and new volunteer force Of 81, 050 enlisted
men and 1924 officers, making an aggre-
gate Of 34,574.
The troops now in the Philippines com
prise 905 officers and 30,57S men OF the
regular force and 594 officers and 15,3SS
men OF the volunteer force. making an ag-
gregate Of 1,499 officers and a., $50 men, and
when the troops on the way have arrived
the total force constituting the Eighth
army Corps Will be 2,05l officers and g.
483 men"
To show that the Philippines are not
unhealthy the report states that the death
rate from disease among the soldiers has
been 1920 per thousand. as compared 10
2074 in Washington.
On the Army organization the report
says:
IT is not conceivable that practical
/ people should eNpcnd the great sums We
are devoting 10 our seacOast fortihcations.
and the delicate and complicated machin-
cry Of modern ordnance with which we are
equipping them. aud not provide an ade-
quaJe force Of men TO care for, preserve,
and become familiar with the use Of the
guns and machinery An increase in our
I artillery force VIII be absolutely necessary
for this purpose The present heavy artil-
I lery force is about one-fifth OF the requis-
I lie number
"Au staff appointments should hereafter
( be made from the line Of the Army for q
fixed period Of. say. four or five years, the
/ holder TO return TO the line at the end ot
I the period and not to be eligible to re-
. appointment until after at least one year,
4 service in the line, and that after the
I expiration Of a reasonable period the selec'
4 tion Of staH appointments should be made
on the basis of proficiency and fitness, a:
shown in the War College (or heretofore il
the service schools. including as element!
for consideration both the work done dur.
ing the period of detail and the post
graduate work Excepting however. tha
such appointments should also be per
miJTed for gallant and meritor!ous con
duct in the field shown by recommends
tions of commanding officers for breve
promotion made during the progress of
war. and excepting that for the technica
and scientific branches of engineering
ordnance. and signal service examination
should be continued; that all promotion
in the staff itself be upon the basis pre-
Z scribeG for original appointment, mblue,
with efficiency Of service in the staff
''All selections OF candidates for stat
1 appointments and for STAFF promotions an
for line promotions. other than those mad
for seniority should be made by board
Of officers appointed for that purpose, upoi
an examination and estimate of the eff
! cheney records exhibiting the grounds 70
appointment or promotion above stated
Nothing can be more important than tha
the officers Of the Army shall feel tha
their rise in rank depends upon what the
do: that ability, intellectual activity
faithful performance Of duty, and gallan
conduct are more certain claims to prefer
ment than social OF political influence
system OF promotions which is divorce
from the efficiency record is not merely un
just but it destroys ambition and check
the effort Of the Army. The way TO pre-
vent the separation is by a systematic pro
vision 10 enable every officer to show wha
there is in him, and to preserve a ful
record Of what he does, by providing
competent and disintereEted body TO pas
judgment on the record. and by a Lar
making the judgment thus reached on thi
basis the imperative and sole ground c
selection for promotion
| After stating that it will take seYera