Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-10-24

Tire following editorial from ths
New York Sun OF October 2f speaks
Tor itself. Those having the interest
&C the service az heart will surely sup
port = measure whicb will benefit all
and IN the interest Of the united SER
vices.
While it Is unfortunate that ine-
qualities u pay should exist in all
the arms Of the military service. using
the term ia its br0adest sense, no
grievance grounded in dinerenCe Of
pay for the same rank should be al
Toss ell 90 interfere with tho enactment
of tbe Dick-Capon pay bill which Is
% be introduced in Congress at the
session beginning IN December. -
such inequalities should be dealt
With Ia q separate Enactment. The
bick-Capron bill as drafted at a con-
ference between The Acting Secretary
~ War. the Acting Secretary Of the
Navy aud Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury is a measure easy TO under
stand compiicate It with attempts 10
correct the various inequalities grow
ing out OF allowances and the con-
struetious improperly placed upon
them. and the bill would be the de-
spair 81 members OF Congress pulled
this way and that by conflicting in
teEests. The result would probably
De the failure 81 the movement to
increase the pay of officers and en-
listed men. az least temporarily. Who
could tell when it would have an
other day in C0urtt We think that
those who are protesting against the
uick-Capron bill. which proposes a
straight percentage increase Of pay
for officers and authorities the Presi-
dent g. fix the pay 81 enlisted men,
would cheerfuly assent To its enact
meut IL they understood the difficulty
ol getting any important bill through
Congress.
The infantry branch Of the army
with reason that the mount
"a allowance. as it works out in prac-
tice and Is carried into retirement
pay, is an injustice to unmounted off,
GERS and causes n discrimination that
threatens 20 impair the efficiency Of
the infantry. It is easy 90 show that
a cavalry or a field artillery officer in
the course of term Of years receives
a considerably larger amount for his
services than the dism0unted infantry
officer. and il is true that by n per-
vortcd construction Of the Law the re-
tirement pay Of the infantry officer is
also less. lt logically follows that
the West Point graduate IS disposed
o. turn bis back upon the infantry
and ask for assignment.t0 the cavalry
0r field artillery, and advertisements
iu tho service journals Of officers Of
infantry Offering bonuses for an eX
change into the cavalry branch prove
that the desire 20 get the mounted
allowance runs through the whole
army. This Is not we'll for the ser
vice, and the perquisite with ITS train
of unearned rewards should be cut
cut that IS 10 say. the mounted allow
auce should bee limited to actual cost
and should not be drawn unless the
cost is incurred.
Eve think that we have stated the
case for the infantry officer fairly
others besides him have their little
complaint of inequality to air; never
lhclesss We advise him for the good Of
the service and in his own interests
to have faith in the promises or those
v ho are laboring for the enactment
of thc Dick-Caprou bill-how hard
ae probably does not know and
save his ammunition for the day
v hen bill to correct inequalities Of
pav Is before Congress. Better make
sure Of the substance and not be
90 drop il by the shadow.
-apiain Johnson Hagood, Of the Coast
Artillery Corps, an uuselish iaborer
n the cause OF saving the army from
Try ROT. In an appeal for the enact
mcnt of the service pay bill, refuses
30 believe that Infantry officers would
-ather SEQ the bill defeaeted iban passed
n its present form. We share his
mere lulity."
NAVY.