The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-25
AS TO FORT DOUGLAS.

The Smoot organ rallies nobly to the
'detense' Of Fort Douglas. 1t is al
ways the way with that organ to rush
TO the defense of something that needs
no defense. Fort Douglas has never at
any time been in any danger Of absp-
donmcnt. 1t is quite true that the
House army appropriation bill cut out
expenditures for Fort Douglas, and also
those at Fort D. A. Russell, Fort Lo-
gan, and other army posts, where no
one had the slightest idea that aban~
donment could be had or indeed was
desirable. So far as Fort Douglas is
concerned, we have always considered
it and have always written of it as the
most desirable post in the army for its
sightliness, its sanitary advantages, its
pleasing climate, and the convenience
and promptness with which troops can
be dispatched from it in any direction
at call. We have urged these things
time after time, and have reason to be.
lieve that there is no danger whatever
of the abandoning of Fort Douglas, So
that the Smoot organ is engaged in a
work of supererogation in coming to its
defense. The unanimous opinion of the
army is that Fort Douglas should be
retained, and we have no hesitation
whatever in placing our confidence in
its retention.
Our remarks as quoted were directed
to the matter of the retention by sena-
torial obstruction of large number of
absolutely unnecessary and in fact OBJ.
solete posts, some in the West and some
in the East. Those in the West were es-
tablisbed in the days of Indian war
fare, and were convenient for the
needs Of that time. But now they are
of no value whatever. In the East
there has been kept up for sentimental
reasons, dating from colonial times,
number Of posts that are absolutely
valueless from the military standpoint.
We refer in this connection to such
posts as Fort Apache, Fort Brady,
Forts Clark, George Wright, Jay, Lin
coin, Logan H. Roots, Mcintosh, Mack,
enzie. Meade, Niagara, Ontario, Wayne,
William Henry Harrison, Yellowstone,
Ethan Allen, Robinson, Missoula, Madi.
son barracks, Whipple barracks, Platts,
burg barracks, and some twenty others
of absolute non-utility for all military
purposes whatever. The keeping of gar
risons at these places serves two doubly
oh lN1n EjrSf
ters the army that ought not to be
scattered, and second, it calls for a dis
proportionate expenditure of public
moneys beyond all reason and beyond
all comparison with the cost at larger
and more accessible posts.
While our remarks were directed
with a view wholly to these posts that
ought to be abandoned, and that the
War Department wishes TO abandon,
Fort Douglas in our Judgment not be-
ing in this latter list, because the in
specting officer sent by the War De
partmept has made no adverse report,
we may direct attention to the fact
that If the War Department should de-
Siit w obHHlOn TVfI l'ONSldS, ~ "ouil
not be an uumiXed evil for Salt Lake,
IL Fort Douglas should be abandoned
by the War Department for military pur-
poses, the ground would undoubtedly be
thrown open to purchase, the War De-
partment openly announcing its purpose
to sell the abandoned posts, und an i'm
mensely desirable addition to Salt Lake
City would result. The whole rcserva.
tlon would speedily be covered with
dwellings aud business houses, 80 that
the city would almost in day add one
third to its area and population. We
urge the continuance Of Fort Douglas
from the army standpoint, and not par
tIcularly from the civic standpoint; for
considered from the latter the advaD-
tages will be decidedly to Salt Lake
City in the abandonment of Fort Doug
las. The Government will get good
money for the land in the reservation,
il Is true, but The rise in value of that
land would add immensely to- the
wealth and resources Of this city once
il were in private bands Or, If the
city could buy the post proper, what Il
glorious park it would make, and there
would be abundance left in the bulk