The Leon reporter., 1901-07-25
A.. Limit In tho Army.

Army men have long complained
that the age OF "a at which they are
all compelled to retire from active
service on rs per cent Of full pay by
operation Of law is at least four years
too soon in the case of average officers,
and that the law is detrimental to the
public interests. Practical observation
and the conclusions Of astrological
students tend to bear them nut in this
contention. "A recent Circumstance
serves to give emphasis to tleir view,
\ and at the same time suggests modi-
fication OF thansese1t lannn khis was
erai Davis Of T. !l0 lll!( =, etired,
lately colonel and judge ocate, as
paid leading coYpsss,senl saEern1
ment againalrsDs M. Carter, Ben2
js5nt11 10. Greene, John P. Gaynor, Will
Nam T. Gaynor. and Edward H. Gay
nor, who have been indicted for con-
spiracy to defraud the United States
out OF some $2,500,Ooo. Carter, for
merly captain OF the corps Of engi-
neers, Is already serving term in the
Leavenworth military prison for his
part In the alleged conspiracy. Pro-
ceedings are or have been pending to
secure his discharge on various tech
nicalities. Greene and the Gaynors
are doggedly fighting to avoid being
taken to Georgia for trial. Under his
retainer it will be part Of Gen. Clous
business to fight Carter's efforts for
release and to prosecute the Greene
5Gaynor case to conclusion. 1t is
generally admitted that he is mentally
and physically well equipped for the
work required OF him, although the
accused parties will be defended with
all the energy and ability that money
can command. Gen. Clous has of
course been familiar with the case
from the day Carter was first accused
OF misappropriating government funds,
which gives him special advantages
Tor its future conduct, and doubtless
determined his retention.
tt will be remembered that when
Judge Advocate General Lieber retired
from age on May 81, Col. Thomas F.
Barr was appointed to the vacancy
and Immediately retired. In turn Col.
Clous was appointed to the Barr va
cancy. and likewise at once retired at
his own request, although in pursu-
ance Of an agreement, he went out
aho,lt three weeks ahead of his retir-
ing date, which Was June 3. There
upon Col. George Is. Davis was ap-
pointed Judge advocate general. Now,
those who know Gen. Clous personally
unhesitatingly affirm that he is every
whit as competent for any of11clal duty
as he was prior to the day Of his re-
tirement, and will probably continue to
he tor several years to come. They
saw that he is still as vigorous and
alert as any officer on the active list OF
the army. Gen. Davis doubtless holds
him equal to the task, or he surely
would not have retained him to con-
duct so important and complicated a
case. In short, at the age OF o. Gen.
Clous Is IN every attribute undisputa
NV fust as efficient an officer as he was
ten 81 twenty years ago. Probably. in
deed. his capacity to discharge the du-
ties Of q military lawyer are at their
zenith. And the same may be truth
1dI:s said Of nine out OF every ten
army Ulcers retired by operation OF
law IN W York Sun.
Nor. r1remsn Tnan soldiers.
There are more firemen in the
4 United States than there are soldiers
& Iii Uncle Sans army. In New York
y city. for Are purposes, the two bor-
oughs Of Manhattan and the Bronx
with 1,4o0 firemen are Joined. The
two boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens,
with 1000 paid and 1000 volunteer fire.
men, are Joined, and Richmond, with
1,700 firemen. is separately organized.
There are, therefore, in New York city
..6,1OO firemen, paid and unpaid.
There are 1900 fremen in Chicago,
800 IN Philadelphia, 700 in Boston, 400
L. 1so1%incorn snO in Puffalo 4SO in he.