The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-04-03

..; H.. ~ ,,,. of the Root bill would make II pos
s,be FOR the secretary Of war and the adjutant sen ~
exercise the rankes favori,ism, to place any 0 ~
in the general staff and ignore merit ana woi'" " $50,
ner possible under the rules ana tesu''u irh,
in vogue An officer as far down in rank as Captain
Ne nroroted 10 brsader eeneralship, and theh 70 %
si,ou 81 chief OF staff, all Of the ofHeers fes'y ~
promotion being ignored entirely secretary W. - 81.
denied these contentious lie has, during INC eou,s "
hearings before the committee confined himself almost 81
sl 20 s-e,r,erts IN the effect that the creation OF
general staff would largely decrease the WORK required "
secretary OF and the adjutant general ae - -,
hcas could not possibly do the work required OF eu
time Of war he said without seriously impsrng tnef heS'n
and o,obsbv breakins down completely He further alleged
that the idea was to have general staff merely plan LOT
the men who give the orders He pointed out thar he COM
mauder in chief could accept these plans or NOT Ju 40
chose. II will be remembered that the president Is W o
mande in chief OF the army Apparently, therefore tne
commanding general OF the army would be allowed 70 cut
only very insignificant figure unless he was man thor
oushly in accord with tho administration
II is admitted that the Root plan might be all right II ap
piled the large standing armies OF countries having =
monarchica form government During the course OF MS
recent testimony before the committee General Miles
called attention this and then proceeded to read stae
such great military leaders as Napoleon WASH
ngton Wellington and Grant TO the effect that the pest
interests of an army could best subseved by having but
head and controlling authority speaking urther
on this phase Of the matter General Miles said according TO
the official testimony which has been given the public
Ohe plan Tor he general saf) is eentrsizaton ~
the most pronounced type augments the power OF te
and effect further from touch with the henue
OF the army. The scheme Is revouuonsry casts 70
winds the experience and abandons mehods
which successfully carried through the most memotaoe
fort adopt and foster republican form of government
system adapted monarchies having immense standing
armies. 1t would Germanize and Russianize NE
small army Of the United States
One of the significant uerances Of the general dur
ing the time he before the committee aud one which is
generally conourred by army officers and military author-
tics in general follows;
It seems that you throwing the door wide open
military despot Il is not in accord
with the principle and theory OF democratic government
for the best interests OF the army which has existed for
than years and fufled all your requirements
The provision for the general staff not the only in
the bill which is favoraby regarded by military
The measure provides practically for the complete abolition
the corps Of inspectors who have had much do in the
past with correcting and preventing evils calculated inn
pair the efficiency the army. 1t also consodate the quar-
temaser subsistence and pay departments the depart
supply and provides for the transaction bust
the three departments named which
believed be for the best interests OF the service 1t
provided also that all patentabe inventions possessing
military value which shall be made by officers in
vice. shall be the property of the government
The Root army reorganization bill and the Dick bill with
reference the militia OF the country both tend straight to-
ward Imperialism They perfectly consistent with tho
republican position but they less meretrcous on that
and the fact that the republican lead
favoraby inclined toward them particularly the
FIRST, is particularly significant
c. ARrHuR WILLIAMS.