Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19
military establishment, which amount an
nuaily to more than $sOOOO,O 200.
Expenditures for Military Posts.

This year We are spending So, 72O, S85 in
building and extending military posts at
railway centers and other strategic
points, so that troops can be moved
rapidly and economically where they may
De needed. There is no longer any dan
ger from Indians in the west, and a hum
ored or more little posts where from one
company to five companies were for
merly kept near Indian agencies for the
been abandoned. The property has been
sold at auction. and the troops have been
concentrated by regiments, brigades and
divisions at Chicago. Des Moines. St.
Paul, CHEYENNE, Omaha. San Antonio.
Leavenworth, Fort Sill. Fort Riley, Dem
Yer. Salt Lake. San Francisco. Seattle
and other prominent points where new
posts have been built with all the i'm
provements that military science has in
vented.
Many millions of dollars have been ex-
pended in this way in the west, while a
chain of Notifications has been con-
structed along the Atlantic and gulf
coasts for the protection OF the country
against foreign invasion, and enormous
guns nave been mounted at the entrance
TO the harbors of Boston. New York
Philadelphia. Hampton roads, Charles
ton, Mobile. New Orleans and other gulf
and Pacific ports. For the current year
the sum of $6.726,ONU will be expended
upon these fortifications, and similar
amount must be appropriated for each
year until the plans of the board of forti-
hcations for the national defense have
been completed.
The arSenals at SprinPfield and pocL
Island. where the guns are made. cost
$eo9,6Oo to MAINTAIN and operate this year.
Benefit of Aged Veterans.
1t costs $4,000 each year to furnish
artificial limbs and trusses to old veterans
of the civil and Indian wars, which are
paid for from the appropriations for the
War Department instead of those for the
pension bureau
1t costs $4,000 to maintain national
homes for old soldiers throughout the
country. This does not include the
Soldiers Home at Washington which is
Tor the benefit of the regular army ex-
clusively. and is supported by con-
tributions of 13 cents a month from
every enlisted man. This contribution
entities him. after he has served one
term of enlistment, to use that institution
as hotel while visiting Washington, an
asylum when he Is afflicted a hospital
when he is SICK. a summer resort when
he wants vacation, and he can go and
come as he pleaSeS. 1t is supported by
the soldiers themselves for their own
benefit, and is managed by n board of
officers appointed by the Secretary of
War.
The national cemeteries, in which the
heroes or all our wars are resting. are
maintained at an annual expense of
$:343. 40
The appropriation for rivers and har-
bors this year is $o0.919.O54. and is being
expended under continuing contracts Sec
rotary Dickinson asks for SD 1872 80 this
year, reduction of about $7OOOOO
President Taft is trying TO reduce the
expenses OF the government, and admon-
tshed all the members of his cabinet that
they must cut out of their estimates eyery
unnecessary penny and reduce their ex-
penses to a minimum.
Secretary Dickinson Complies.
Secretary Dickinson has obeyed him to
the extent OF $46.OOO.OOO. which is the
difference between the estimates for this
year and those for last year for the War
Department; and, what is even more re-
| markable. the estimates for this year.
ar l have already told you, are nearly
eleven and half millions less than the
amount appropriated for the War De-
partment for the current year He cut
down the estimates for building and ex-
| tending military posts, s. 600 Geo: forth
| f1cations, $l.5OO.OOO: new quarters. ST.
| 100000: clothing. 81 ,OOO, 600 and trans
| portation. 81 100000. Other items were
reduced in a similar manner. but there
| was an increase of more than 5000 in
| the appropriation for the militia to carry
out the new law of Congress, which is to
Improve and enlarge that body Of citizen