The Washington times., 1906-11-06
TAFT WILL SCOUT
FOR BRIGADE POSTS
Recommendations to Con-
greSS to Follow From His
Western Trip.
SMALL ARMY POSTS TO GO
Purely Defensive Barracks, However,
Are to Be Maintained,
IT'S Said.

Secretary Tafts trip of inspection TINS
week. 20 various Western army pos'S'
in company with Quartermaster General
Humphrey, Brigadier General barry
acting chief of stan. and Capt. Grote
Hutchinson. OF the general stan, is mt
InateIy connected with the question OF
where brigade posts are TO be established.
President Roosevelt, Secretary TAFT. ana
army officers. generally, are united IN
the belief that the present system OF
maintaining a large number or sliaIi
army posts in various parts OF the coun-
try should be abandoned and that, aside
from the purely defensive posts, there
should be seven or eight brigade posts,
Secretary Taft and the army officers
with him have planned 10 visit Fort u
\. Russell in Wyoming. Fort Robinson
in Nebraska. Forts Leavenworth and
Riley in Kansas. Fort Sam Houston IN
Texas. and Fort Oglethorpe i'm Georgia.
Most of these forts and their reserva-
tons will be studied with reference 10
their fitness for brigade posts Secre-
tary Taft's trip will have a direct bear
ing on his recommendations 70 Congress
ON a number of matters and especially
on the brigade post question.
Opposition by Congressman.
There is certain to be great opposition
10 the brigade post policy. for il means
ultimately the abandonment OF posts,
which have no defensive value and are
ntted TO take care of "A small number of
soldiers. Every member of Congress
who has a small post in his bailiwick
and who sees il -yill be impossible 10 get
a brigade post for his constituents. is
apt TO be hostile TO allowing appTopria-
tons for building up brigade posts in
some other part of the country.
When the brigade post system gets
under way. each post probably will have
"a full REGIMENT OF cavalry, a full regi-
ment OF infantry, and two or three bat
teries OF field artillery viii, of course
be- smaller forces at defensive posts For
Ethan Allen, Vermont, is likely TO be
settled ON as the brigade post for the
East. Senator Proctor, of Vermont has
this particular fort pretty securely bas-
toned 1t is one of the political forts
that will probably have 10 be treated
With consideration. There is a good deal
of talk of establishing one at NJ. Gret-
ma. Pa
Fort p. A. Russell in Wyoming. care
fully foStered by Senator Warren. o.
that State. chairman of the Senate Mill
certain TO be made brigade post. An
other probable brigade post is Fort Ben
jamin Harrison at Indianapolis
Fort sherman. In the suburbs of Chi
Cago, viii also probably be made "A brig
age post Forts Riley In Kansas Sam
Houston in Texas. and Sillin Oklahoma
seem 10 be slated for enlargement For
Oglethorpe i'm Georgia has "a good pros
pect OF being made brigade post.
Hull vs.. War Department.
In the case OF Fort Des AIoines. which.
like Fort Ethan Allen. is political
post" established by the influence of
Representative Hun, chairman of the
House Military Affairs Committee. the
War Department does not want it made
"a brigade post while Captain Hull is
determined il shall he and has promiseC
his constituents IL will be. on the Pa
cifiC coast, Vancouver has strong back
ing. No brigade post will probably b,
established at the Preside at San Fran
cisco. but some troops viii he kept Their,
always as "a matter of defense. Monte
rey Is favored