New-York tribune., 1900-08-19
OFFICIAL MONEY WASTED.
APPARENT LACK OF BUSINESS PRIN-
CIPLES IN QUARTERMASTER'S
DEPARTMENT
fB1 TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

often wonder if. in the discharge Of their duties
higher military officials at all consider the
question of economy in the relation of time and
money. Astounding examples Of their mis-
directed energies and criminal waste through
utter heedlessness of plainest business prin-
ciples, or something worse. daily come under
public notice. and inevitably lead to the con-
clusiOn that these officers bother themselves
little over the vulgar question OF where the
money comes from.
Their methods are curiously Illustrated by
three things noted in connection with the ship
ment Of the troops from Porto Rico TO Wash
ington, which arrived Monday. The men OF
Troops l. K l.. NJ and N. 5th Cavalry, with
some three hundred horses. were loaded upon
Of the War Departments transports at
San Juan three days before it ready to sail.
where they remained until 1t did sail. In the
course OF this three days walt steam pipe ex-
ploded scalding to death some two score OF the
horses. All this occurred within eanpon shot OF
Department headquarters. where abode briga-
dier-general In command supported by thirteen
staff officers of high rank After this beginning,
1t is not surprising that the voyage up eigh-
teen more horses died from seasickness or other
disease. and that upon their arrival at Jersey
City part of the herd broke through Enclosures
and stampeded net OF railway tracks,
where nine were ground to pieces by locomo-
tive. These were Government horses under the
control Of the Quartermaster-GeneraIs Depart
ment OF the United States Army Instead Of
being landed at Fort Monroe, they were taken
250 miles further to the northward to New-York
and then transhipped back by rail $50 miles to
Washington, losing some 400 or 800 miles net
in distance and several days in time. besides un-
dergoirg the dangers and discomforts incident
to the additional travel The additional un-
necessary cost must have been a pretty sum-
A ROUNDABOUT JOURNEY.
Why troops ordered from Porto Rico to Wash
ington should go around by way Of New-York
is beyond the comprehension of everyday folk
who do things directly, the more so as the men
were transported on Government vessel with
out any fixed commercial route. Taking into
consideration the three primary items OF ex-
pense, comfort and time, what sane person max
ing the journey from Porto Rico to Washing
ton would elect to go by way Of New-York. and
would he be more likely TO go by way OF New
York If he had an investment in the form Of 26O
head Of suffering live stock on board? In face
Of such developments. where is the advantage
of Government ownership OF the large fleet OF
transports under the exclusive direction Of the
War Department? It is easily conceivable that
a small individual fortune might have been
saved to the Treasury by only ordinary atten-
ton on the part Of somebody in authority TO that
economy and expedition which business men de-
vote to their private affairs. The whole affair,
Viewed from a practical business point OF view
is Of a piece with the economical "logistics'
which two years ago sent Pennsylvania reg1-
ment across the Continent and thence to the
Philippines and contemporaneousiy brought
eastward regiment from beyond the Mlssls-
sippi and sent IL to Cuba.
That sort of bunglng. Of which there were
mary examples was ascribed generally to the
'inexperience" OF raw civilian officers who had
crowded themselves into positions OF trust
through baleful political influence. What the
explanation is now II is difficult TO divine, but
that there will be one of bureau consistency
and dimensions ample to cover the case, no one
need doubt
CAUSE OF ORDER NOT APPARENT.
There is a third surprising thing about this
business which will need explaining. Why should
800 horses of the 5th Cavalry be brought back
to the United States at all at such heavy ex-
pense Of transportation bursting OF steam pipes
and fatal seasickness? The Government needs.
and is doubtless constantly buying horses for
the Porto Rican service. From the accounts OF
the soldiers OF the 5th these very horses were
originally sent to the island for the mounted
service, where, after hard experience. they had
become fairly acclimated and therefore doubIy
valuable 1t appears from a local report that
even now the Quartermaster Departments
agents are busy on the island buying native
horses TO supply the places of the 800 American
horses Withdrawn. which are now liable to the
vicissitudes of another sudden change of eli
mate. This being true, the absurdity of trans
porting 300 horses over the sea to New-York
and thence by rail back to Washington needs
no further emphasis.
1t is possible that at the outset thorough
paced business man without any peculiar ideas
in his head. having taken a contract to conquer
Porto Rico, might have shipped this cavalry IN
the island 10 further that purpose. though II is
extremely doubtful. But granted that the
horses were once there, in a precarious climate
for American stock and partially hardened ~ n
ana that they were required there for further
service, as appears to be the fact and at +he
same time required here likewise. and purchas-
aole az either end of the line il is a Certainty
tnat MS business instinct and experience would
instantly have told him it was false economy 10
reShlp them TO the States, that there was nor
only risk OF shipwreck and bursting steam pines
loss. ~
A FORMULA OF BUREAUCRATS
But military officers handling an 'appropria-
ton do not seem to do business by the same
methods as civilian. Their theory is of the
order which possessed the simpleton who once
ran a mile 10 jump stone wall They COM
placently do everything by mathematics
Canned beef is purchased. rock piled up at Suuv
ten Duyvn and horses and men shipped bv sea
all upon the same invioIable systenl-accordjns~
TO Daboll. Daboll unerringly and safely provides
for such contingencies as scalded horses rottsD
beef and unavailable rock Expended in tba
disposed of. The bottomless public tressnr(,
pays the piper. Doubtless the War Department
is perfectly satisfied with the results obtained
In this latest example of its wonderful trans
portation service.
Charles NJ. Pepper stated over his own sis
nature few weeks ago that when Colonel
in the Neely case a Government tranSRRors
was ordered for his exclusive use TO expedite