The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-21

Such evolution can Z OF develop impair
TALLY If the banks of one system are
given or permitted any advantages of
opportunity over those of the other
system. And 1 trust also that the new
i legislation viii carefully and complete
~ protect and assure the individuality
and the independence of each bank, to
the end that any tendency there may
1 ever be toward a consolidation of the
money or banking power Of the nation
shall be defeated.
1t viii always be possible. of course.
to correct any features of the new law
| which may in practice prove to be I'M
wise; SO that While this law is sure to
be enacted under conditions of I'M
usual knowledge and authority, it also
| viii include, it is well to rememb er
] the possibility of future amendment.
With the present prospects of this
! long awaited reform encouraging US, it
would be singularly unfortunate if this
monetary question should by any
chance become a party issue. And I
sincerely hope it will not. The eX-
ceeding amount of consideration it has
received from the people of the nation
I has been wholly nonpartisan; and the
congress set its nonpartisan seal upon
il when the monetary commission was
appointed In commencing the ques-
ton to the favorable consideration of
congress. j speak for, and in the spirit
Of the great number of my fellow citi-
zens who without any thought of party
OF pdIllSduSHlp IHGl with TemdrkdDlS
earnestness that this reform is neces-
sary to the interests of all the people.
The War Department..
There is now before congress a bill
the purpose of which is to increase the
efficiency and decrease the expense of
the army. IL contains four principal
features; first, a consolidation of the
general staff with the adjutant gen
erals and the Inspector generals de-
partments; second, a consolidation of
the quartermaster's department with
the subsistence and the pay depart
ments; third. the creation of an army
service corps; and fourth. an extension
of the enlistment period from three to
five years.
With the establishment of an army
service corps, as provided in the bill,
l am thoroughly in accord and am
such a corps will result in a material
economy and very great increase of
efficiency in the army. It has repeat |
edly been recommended by me and my |
predecessors. I also believe that !
consolidation of the staff corps can be |
made with a resulting increase in eff |
cheney and economy, but not along the |
lines provided in the bill under con- !
sideration.
I am opposed to any plan the result |
of which would be to break up or in |
terfere with the essential principles of |
the detail system in the staff corps es-
tablished by the act of February ?, /
1901, and lam opposed to any plan the |
result of which would be to give to the |
office selected as chief of staff or to
any other member of the general staff
corps greater permanency of Office |
than he now has Under the existing
law neither the chief of staff nor any
other member of the general staff
of more than four years, and there
must be an interval of two years be-
tween successive tours of duty.
The bill referred to provides that
Gel tain persons shall become perman
ant members of the general staff corps,
and that certain others are subject to
redetan without an interval of two
years. Such provision is fraught with
danger to the welfare of the army. and
would practically nullify the main pur-
pose of the law creating the general
staff.
Too Few officers.
In making the consultations no re-
duction should be made in the total
number of officers of the army, of
whom there are now too few to per-
form the duties imposed by law
have in the past recommended an in
crease in the number of officers by 500
N order to provide sufficient officers to
perform all classes of staff duty and to
reduce the number of line officers de-
ached from their commands. Congress
number of officers by 200, but this is
lot enough Promotion in the line |
IF the army is too slow. officers do
lot attain command rank at an age '
.arly enough properly to exercise it.
t would be a mistake further to retard
his already slow prom otion by throw |
ng back into the line of the army
number of high-ranking officers to be
absorbed as is provided in the pro- t
POSED plan of consolidation. t
Another feature of the bill which / {
,elieve to be a mistake is the proposed Y
Increase in the term of enlistment from :
hree to five years I believe it would {
,e better to enlist men for six years. t
elease them at the end of three years '
rom active service, and put them in {
eserve for the remaining three years. q
2eenlistments should be largely con- t
med to the noncommissioned officers T
md other enlisted men in the skilled a
trades This plan, by the payment of
comparatively small compensation
Turing the three years of reserve, L
would keep large body of men at the @
ali of the government, trained and T
eady1 for service. and able to meet any e
xigency- f
The army of the United states is in !
God condition. It showed itself able f
o meet an emergency in the success #
III mobilization of an army division of c
rom 15 600 to 10000 men, which took n
lace along the border of Mexico dur v
lg the recent disturbances in that q
Ountry. The marvellous freedom from $
he ordinary camp diseases of typh old t.
ever and measles is referred to in the O
eport of the secretary of war, and h
hows such an effectiveness in the san ii
airy regulations and treatment of the q
MEDICAL corps. and in the discipline of
he army itself. as to invoke the high Il
st comm endation- is
I beg to renew my recOmm en- dalton II
f last year that the congress appro- "
rate for a memorial amphitheater at &
rlington, Va, the funds required to c