The evening times., 1900-05-18

/ retary OF War:
Headquarters OF the Army.
Washington May 10. 1900.
| The Honorable the Secretary Of War.
"Sir: Referring TO our conversation Of
! yesterday. in which the Importance and
purpose of pending Army legislation were
/ consio,:td. have the honor to submit the
| following
Senate bill 1890. now before the House
| Committee on Military Affairs. passed in
/ the Senate with such unanimity and with
so little objection that trust II viii com
mend itself tc favorable consideration.
"It has bes-e carefully considered by the
! Military Committee OF the Senate for sew
eral weeks, and Some features Of the origi-
| nal bill to which objection was made. have
/ been omitted from the present bill.
The bill is not A measure for the Teor-
ganization of the Army, but. as its title
! indicates, one to Increase the efficiency
1 of the military establishment of the United
| States In fact. it will Teadjust and i'm
/ prove the Regular Army and make a nee
! essary increase in the artillery force, low
J inperatively required.
| AT it's last session Congress authorized
I temporary increase Of the Regular Army
/ to 65, 900 men, and an auxiliary force OF
| IS 900 men, but positively refused to e.
| organize the military establishment. prac-
/ ticaIly postponiEg this step until July. 1901
At that time. II no legislation Is had, the
4 Regular Army mast be reduced TO approx
| mately Y eco men, and the entire volun-
| teeT force discharged from the military
| service. This will neceSsitate legislation
! for the reorganization of the military es-
\ tablishment mex: winter Before that time
I the Twelfth Census will have been taken.
! and IL is hoped that peace will be restored
/ in the entire territory controlled by the
United States. In the legislation OF next
/ winter It viii undoubtedly be necessary 70
authorize an increase OF the permanent
I military sstabi shment in which legisla-
! ton the services of volunteer officers and
/ soldiers will lssuredly be recognized
/ The Importance OF the present bill is
/ that il gives a more homogeneous character
/ TO the entire staff and lire Of the Army
/ In my first annual report as Commanding
| General of the Army. in 1895. made the
= following recommendation:
! e. Concerning the officers Of the Army II
/ is in my judgment, desirable to adopt some
| system of improvement regarding the ad-
! vancsment not only in rank but in qualih-
! cation for the service that may be required
| of them 7 believe there should be such TO
tation in duty as will give ali the officers
a thorough knowledge Of all departments Of
the service except the medical department.;
| that their experience, instruction. and
/ training should be such as 10 qualify them
I eventually TO become general officers
! should the conditions OF the service require
I them IL that capacity. Ii is important that
we should educate men that viii be able to
| organize. discipline, instruct. mobilize. aad
| command regiments. bTigades, corps, and
/ armies. and men skilled in any one partic-
glar byanch of the Army and devoting
their whole lives TO that service are not as
well equipped as they should be TO organize
and control an entire force be il diyi-
sion OF an army. composed OF all its
branches and elements
The first paragraph OF the present bill is
intended TO effect the same object by giving
to officers practical experience In both the
line and staff departments Of the Army.
! thereby broadening their military knCwl-
edge and, at the same time, developing
their best qualities in that branch OF the
service in Shich they can be most useful
in time of actual war.
The second and third paragraphs give
in detail the method Of carrying into ef-
feet this excellent system. which VIII be
{ a benefit to our service, and has been
found most efficient in foreign armies.
Paragraphs 5. s. Z. 5. 9. 10. II, Il. and
l3 provide for the reorganization OF the
| field. siege, and sea coast defence artii-
| lery. and make a necessary Increase. but,
under the thirteenth paragraph. should
Congress approve OF this excellent pro-
vision, IL viii not be carried into full ef-
. | fect until the expiration OF nVe years
! Promoting the efficiency Of the artillery is
a measure imperatiyely required for the
. best interests and safety Of the great
commercial ports and harbOrs OF our coun-
. try. The Government has now spent ap-
proximately $50. .000, 600 on coast defences
and, at the rate of sic. 600. 900 per year foI
. FIVE years. which time will elapse before
even this limited increase becomes avail
!. able. the nation will have 800 .000. .0O(
: worth of coast defences. recurring edu-
: Gated. trained, skiIlful aUtillerists to main
tain and preserve them
Paragraph is provides for additiona
cadets az West Point. an increase Whicl
| is imperatively needed, as il is highly i'm
r pOrtant that the Government should hav,
a reasonable proportion OF skilled OH ,er
educated at the Military Academy. DlIinl
the last two years I31 graduates OF ives
Point have been commissioned in tn
Army, 81 have been promoted from tn
4 | ranks, and 1I6 have been appointed from
, | civil life Considering the military neces
stiles OF the country in connection witt
2 this additional Increase OF cadets recon-
mended. the proportion of graduates (
, non graduates commissioned in the Arm
would be practically the same four year
hence as at the present time.
Many military men believe that IL the
were to frame a law entirely in accord
ance with their OWE views IL would h
, ! more satisfactory to themselves but a
! | this bill contains so many admirable feat
, ures which would promote the efrcienc,
J: of the service and the best interests of tn
] Government. | commend il to fayorab
!, | consideration and recommend its enact
: ment- Very respectfully.
4 NELSON A. MILES.
q | Major General Commanding u. S. Army