The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1901-12-03

the most valuable light.
ing man aud the most digficuit to
perfect IL the rincman who Is also
"A akilifui ana daring rider.
The proportion OF our cavalry reEi-
menta has wisely been increased,
The American chvairyman, trained
to manocuvre aud night with equal
facility on foot and on horseback.
IL the best type OF soldier for gem
eral purposes now 20 be found In the
world. Tho ideal cavalryman OF the
present day IL a man who can light
on foot as effectively az the best
infantryman. and who II in addition
unsurpassed IN the care and man
Augment II hts horse and In his aDtl-
ity TO light on horseback.
Create a General staff.
A general stan should be created.
A. for the present stan and supply
departments. they should be filled
by details from tho line. the men
40 detailed returning after a while
10 their line dutlce, IL II very I'M
desirable 20 have the senior grades
OF the army composed ~ men who
have come 70 MI the positions hy
the mere fact u seniority. A ays-
tom should be adopted By which
there ehall hr an elimination grade
~ grade OF those who nesm unfit
TO render the beat service ia the
next grade, Justice 20 the veterans
OF thu Ciyil War who are atlll in
the army would seem 90 require that
In the matter Of rctifcmentF they be
given BY law the same privileges
accorded 20 their comrades In the
navy.
The process OF elimination Of che
least flg should be conducted In a
manner that would render il prartl-
caiif Impossible 20 apply political or
social pressure on behalf "a any can
didatr, 90 that zach man may be
Judged purely on hla own mefisH.
Pressure for the promotion Of ctvil
officials for political reasons ~ bad
enough. but Il u tsnfold wofAe
whore applied on behalf u onicera
Of the army OF navy. Every pro-
motion and every detail under the
var department must b. made SOLE
~ with regard 10 the good Of the
service anu 20 the capacity and
merit of the man himself. No pfeaa-
are, political, social, OF personal. %
any kind. Mlll be permitted To nx-
ereise thu least effect tn any asteh~
ton Of promotion or detail. and IL
there " reason 20 believe that such
pressure IL exercised at The instlsa-
Aou Of tho officsr concerned. 1t viii
be held 60 initiate against him. In
our army We cannot afford to have
rewards or duties distributed save
on the simple ground THAI those
who BY their own merits are entitlud
10 the rewards get them. and that
those who are peculiarly ~ to do
the duties are chosen 10 perform
them.
every effort should Do made TO
bring the army 70 n constantly In
ereaasne state Of efficiency. When
on actual service no work save that
directly In tho line ~ such service
should be required. The paper work
Ia the army. a. Ia the navy. should
be greatly reduced. what i need.
ed IN proved power u command and
capacity 10 work well In the field.
Constant care 10 necessary TO pre-
vent dry rot In the transportation
and snrnmlsaAFy departments
Need Military Excellence.
Our army n 80 small and 20 much
scattered that u = very dilstenlt TO
rive the higher officers tas wei as
ths lower esnrsru ANA the sultsseA
insnl . chance 10 practice man
oeuxres IN mass and on a compare
lively large scale. In time Of need
no amount Of Individual excellence
would avail against the paralysis
which would follow inability o. work
na coherent whole. under nktilful
and daring leadernhip. The con-
wrmas should provide means " hereby
Il wiIi he ponAihln 10 mud Geld ex-
erclnes ~ At least division og reg
ui@rm. and II possible also division
% national guardumen. once a year.
These exercises might take the form
Of feid mano~uvres. or. n en- the
Gulf coast or this Pacific or Atlantic
ssabcard. or IN the region 81 the
Great Lakes. the army corps when
assembled could be marched from
some inland point 20 some point On
the water. ,kere embarked. silnarn-
barksd after a couple of days jour.
ney ~ some other point. and agmin
marched inland. Only by actual
handing and providing fer men In
masses while they are marching.
camping. enbagking and dssefn-
barking, win u be possible 70 train
the higher officers 60 perform their
duties well and smoothly.
A great debt n owing from the
public 70 the men Of tho army and
navy. They should be 90 treated
a. to enable them to reach the high
est point Of efficiency. 50 that they
may be able 20 respond Instantly 20
any demand made upon them TO
sustain the interests Of the nation
and the honor OF the flag. The In
dividual American enlisted man 10
probably on thu whole a more for
midabls lighting man than the regu-
lar Of any other army. Every con-
asdsration should be shown him, and
In return the highest standard Of
usefulness should be sxacted from
him. IL IL well worth while for tho
congress TO consider whether the
Pay OF enlisted man upon sscond and
subsequent enllstments should not
be increased 10 correspond with the
increased value Of thu veteran SOL
der.
Reforms In the Army.
Much good has already come from
the act rcorxanizing the army. pass
ed early in thu present year. The
three prims reforms. ali of them Of
literally insstlmabls value. are, first.
the substitution OF four-year details
from the line for permanent appoint
ments in the so-called staff divisions:
second. the establishment OF corps
OF artillery with n chief at the head:
third. the establishment OF a maxi
mum and minimum limit for the
army. II would be difficult Co over
estimate the Improvement In the ef-
fciency OF our army which these
three reforms are making. ana have
in part already effected.
The reorganization provided for by
the act has been substantially nc
conpiiahed. The improved conditions
in the Philippines have enabled the
war department materially TO reduce
the military charge upon our rev.
euue and to arrange the number ui
soldiers so as 20 bring this number
much nearer 20 the minimum than
20 the maximum limit established bS
law. There II, however. need of sup
Elementary legislation. Thorough
military education must be provided
and IN addition 20 the regulars thu
advantages Of this education should
be given 90 the officers Of the Ma
tional Guard and others in civil IFS
who desire inteiligently TO NJ them
selves for possible military duty. The