New-York tribune., 1906-09-17
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
From The Tribune Bureau.1

Washington. September IS
MAJOR SCOTT MUST FTGHr-Army officers
who have an interest in the Military Academy are
not at all pleased with what appears TO be a re-
OF the criticism Of the administration OF the
institution. The relief OF General Mills from duty
at West Point and the assignment OF Major H
T. Scott 20 be his successor have evidently been
taken as the occasion for opening up on the
methods Of tho authorities and agtating, IN the
columns of certain newspapers. the policy OF allow
ing the academic board all TO regarding the In
struction OF the cadets. we'll the selection OF
the officers who are TO act as conInandant OF
cadets and superintendents. respectively This was
something which the board did for many years.
and they succeeded IN making the superintendent
a hgurehead. until President Roosevelt stopped IL
He refused 10 take the advice OF the academic
board and selected General Mills 70 be superlntsnd-
despite the wishes Of the board Then Logan a
criticism OF the plans for the new aeadenys tne
proposition OF starting new instftution-'anot
sho-d have as little as possible to do with the
education of the cadets who should receive more
The agitation reached such a limit and produced
so mnen ghres re sc1ss s ssereyarV Root issued an
order prohibiting further discussion and called
The warning appears to have been forgotten win
the change In supeEntendents. and IL Is predicted
measures TO repress the members OF the academic
board there will ensue trog3Ies1me state rarsa 9l G
with keen interest by the graduates of the academy
scott viii have 10 fight tbs fght that was won by
General Mills.
NEBRASKA VS.. UNCLE sAM.-Ths Nebraska
state officials have been trying TO enforce the state
fish and game laws the military reservation at
Fort Niobrara. Neb. The local military authorities
hold there can be such enforcement and this
attitude has been sustained by the War Depart
ment. The act OF the state Legislature which
ceded the tract Of land 70 the government Of The
United States also ceded jurisdiction. excluding the
ST. az aUDlViug its laws excepting In certain
special cases mentioned In the law Information
has been sent to the post commander at Fort Mo
brara that he may ignore The orders OF the state
game warden and advise him OF his lack Of au-
warden may be ordered of the reservation II he
he still persists ne may be elected from the
walton. There has never been any doubt on tnis
control OF the AFFAIRS Of the military reservations.
NEW MONEY FOR NEW NAvY.-Ths equip
ment Of ships OF war will hereafter be met
out OF the naval bureau funds instead Of being
charged up the continuous appropriation for the
increase OF the navy, has been the practice for
years For some time the people in the Navy De-
partment who have charge OF accounts have been
insisting that IL was not proper TO supply the new
ships with material and fittings out OF the fund
for increase which should be preserved for the
important work OF construction. An attempt has
been made recently TO have the new condition ap-
ply only 70 ships upon which the construction be-
gan since July OF last year. but the Secretary OF
the equipment OF which became necessary since
the date named. shall be equipped out Of bureau
in the disbursements of the bureau money. and
may require an increase in the estimates 70 meet
the new obligation The estimates from the naval
bureau chiefs are now being prepared. and II is
expected that rigid economy Will be exercised in
the recommendations
NEwBERRY FOR COSIPETITION.-The pur-
chase OF supplies IN the open market for the naval
service will hereafter be limited. This f. the re-
suit OF an investigation which Assistant Secretary
Newberry has been conducting into departmental
methods He believes that altogether too much OF
the material acquired by the government for ships
Of war and for the various naval plants Is bought
without competition, on the ground that the sup
plies are needed at He hEds that the officers
with whom the requisitiOns originate ara prone TO
represent that the situation is urgent one. SO
that the supplies may be bought without compeu-
tion 20 meet an emergency. Hereafter. when such
recommendations are made from the Brooklyn
Navy Yard and other sources the requests will be
submitted TO Mr.. Newberry himself who wiz de-
termine whether not there Is any necessity for
departing from the rule OF inviting bids and award
ing contracts to the lowest bidders. Some OF the
purchasing officers say this viii lead to much
trouble IN one way or another. especially when
certain gnake OF goods is required and when com
petition would avail nothing. As matter of fact.
the Navy Department officials say there Is little
occasion for buying goods In the omen market. and
In other years there were all sorts OF fav0ritisu
suspected OF those who We're concerned in these
what TO the amount OF work which devOlves upon
the bureaus. but he believes this will be Justified
in the ability or the department heads 20 keep
track OF what is being done 1t Is purposed to OBJ
hope OF reducing the cost Of supplies by COmpeti-
tion.