The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-30
Secretary Roots Army Bill.

The army Reorganization bill prepared
by Secretary Root and made public last
night does not contain any essential feat
UFe not heretofore presented TO the coun-
Try through other bills and statements
from Administrative sources. 1t proposes
al establishment with a minimum of 90. s24
ana d maximum of loo. 724 officers and
men The President is given authority
10 increase the force to the maximum
whenever It is short OF that point, and he
deems ii advisable.
This is novel idea in our Government
al practice, but 1t is logical enough. For
some time the power of the executive has
been steadily growing at the expense OF
the legislative branch OF the Govern
Inent and without exciting much, if any.
resentment among the people. Indeed it
may be said that they endorsed the in
stitutional change when they reelected
Mr.. Mckinley. They knew that he stood
FOR strictly Executive Government Of the
new Territories to the exclusion OF the
Constitution, and, when they voted for
him, they consciously voted for mainte-
nance of the theory and system he repre-
scented From this viewpoint. it would be
4U4S ~ uOlO mat tLG new pC&EL 10 u
late jhe effective strength of the Regular
Army, should not be conferved upon the
President The trusts and monopoIies
.shich have so much at stake in the prob
lem Of future suppression5 OF discomfort
among the Iaboring classes will feel that
they are relieved of a serious menace if
N1r. Mckinley and MS successors, and not
Congress. enjoy the prerogatiye Of nearly
doubling the size Of our military estab-
Iishment in time Of emergency
The Root bill provides in way for staT
reform. by means Of detail system which
is good as far as it goes, bat does not go
far enough. \ provision that volunteer
officers now serving viii be ineligible to
appointment to any grade higher than
frs lieutenant in the Regular Army, if
adopted. viii be a serious disappointment
10 many Eieritorious officers of field rank.
who may have looked forward to some
thing better under the Reorganization.
But some such arrangement might have
been expected When the Army was re-
organized after the civil war there were
plenty of colonies who were glad to ac-
cept subaltern commissions We recall
the case of one gentleman. who had been
colonel ana brevet major general Of vol
unteers, who vas quite satisfied to don
second Heutenant's straps, since he could
do no better The principle of Secretary
Roots proposition IN this regard is the
correct one When young man has been
at the pains and expense of an education
fitting him for the Military Academy. and
has spent years OF arduous study under
severe discipline il that institution. his
right 20 preference in connection with the
prizes OF the ser vice would seem to be IN
questionable.
In Mr.. Roots bin. as in everything else
connected with documentary evidence that
Nse have an Army, the case Of sI.atriT1ea
Easan a&turaIIy crops out One provfs-
ION gives the President power TO retire
ne head OF a staff department. who may
be uissier suspicion. by court-TuartiaI ser
tence or executive order, for a time run
ming 20 or within one year of his re-
tiFeznent Tor age. Il enacted into law.
this would aTcrd Mr.. Mckinley an op3or-
tanity 70 set rid OF Eagan, which would |
Be well. 1. woula also place a power in