Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-09-18
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, SEPT. Is. 1903.
Arizona To Be in New Military De-
'partment?


A special dispatch from Washington
states that the new general staff CT the
army proposes to redistrict the United
States and change the boundary lines
of the military departments. The first
thing done. it is said, will be the crea-
ton of a new department to be known
as the department of Kansas. This viii
include. we are told, Kansas, Missouri.
Oklahoma, Indian territory, New Mex
leo and Arizona
While the information as the creation
of new departments and q general
change of boundaries is undoubtedly
correct, it is to be hoped that there is
a mistake in the statement that Arizo-
ma is to be included in the department
of Kansas. This territory and New
Mexico properly belong in the depart
ment of Colorado. where they are now,
and it would especially be disappoint-
ing to Arizona to pass from the depart
ment comma nded by General Baldwin.
In rearranging the boundaries CT the
several military departments in the
United States, the general staff, it is
explained, will be guided by the rail-
way map of today. AT present there
are nine departments. 1t has been the
belize of Secretary Root and is the be-
lief of the new staff that the depart
ments as now constituted are not prop
erly formed. The theory upon which
on transportation facilities-the facili-
ties which existed many years ago.
Since that time thousands of miles OF
new railroads have been constructed,
stage lines have been abolished, and
the character of the army itself is not
exactly as it was. For all Of these rea-
sons, which it must be admitted are
forcible. it is deemed advisable to lay
the lines of the new department to con-
form to the trend of railway systems.
It is recalled that General Sheridan
built line of posts along the frontier
from Texas to Montana. These posts
are now obsolete. and the greatest need
of troops is not upon the prairies, but
which they can be moved with great
rapidity to centers of disturbance.
We have seen no statement of the
number of new departments considered
necessary by the general staff. but it is
safe to say there will be considerably
more than nine. The army is now three
times as large as when the existing de-
par:ments were formed. From time to
time it has been noted that some of the
departments have grown unwieldy.
For example. the department OF the
east, with headquarters at Governors
island, New York, is an immense in
stitution with nearly seventy garrisons
under its jurisdiction. 4 department of
4 division of the eastern territory. and.
as we have seen, new department to
include Arizona is to be created by tax
ing slices from the departments of
Texas, the Platte, and the Colorado
1t is to be expected that the move
contemplated will awaken great politi-
cal activity for the establishment of
departmental headquarters and new
garrisons is prolific Of strenuous effort
on the part of congressman and of bit
ter controversy between rival commune
ties. Happily. the new programme does
not contemplate the abandonment of
any of the posts now garrisoned. On
the contrary, nearly all of these will be
over the selection of department head
quarters and the location of new gar
risons. In the past it has taken a bold
secretary of war to abolish an army
post or decide between the claims of
two rival towns for the establishment
of a new one.
Quite naturally, however, army Off
GERS generally will regard with equan-
unity any possible complications which
may arise, foT every new department
created means a dignified command for
another brigadier general and the crea-
ton of a number of good positions on
his stiff. The army at present is =
little long on brisadiers and short On
satisfactory places for them. The con-
trary is the case as to the lower grades.
however. The effect of another draft
upon the line for more staff officers will
he TO confer important commands upon
still more young officers. Many conf
pan.es of infantry and troops of cav
airy are now commanded by second
lieutenants. many of them appointed
from civil life. 1t is somewhat surpris-
ing to learn that there is shortage of
officers in all branches of the service
There are now sixty-nine vacancies in
the rank of second lieutenant.