New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-12

LIE saves a million a year. Waving the
IL magic wand OF his mathematics. ne
cmerges into public view as the past grand
commander OF the calculator company, the
real adder Of the adding machine. All Of
which means that lanes Buchanan Me
shire is the greatest QuartermaSter General
who ever squeezed q nickel or gave out IA
tions in the United States army. He saves
a million a vcar-but not for himself. tie
laws up this influential sum Of money tor
the benefit OF the taxpayers OF tins iar land.
Unaidci and alone. accurate and enthuSiaS-
tic. he has reduced the expenditures OF the
Ouartermastcr's department on an average
Of million year, million cold, harl
dollars.
The spectacle Of a man saving that much
for himself is common enough: but. when u
comes 10 cconomlzing for the bcncht ol the
Government. admiration leaps 10 the front
and huzzas are whoopcd from the house
tons That is WHY the members OF Congress
stem 70 the front with the declaration that
A1csbirc is the fair-haired and favontc child
Of the arrnv-Congress having the job Of ap-
prOprjating money 10 support the army
If he had been on the job many wears ago
he world have made the fight Of the latarS
a npnt-lCSDIcil ildltt 'ONIl NlI' ~ ''''''' l
If da1liancc. with iced tea and fresh milk on
the side. Later on in history he could have
Sootbed the souls OF NapolcOn's men every
dav At Moscow with eggs, bcncd1ctine and
ronaine salad. He got his start IN the army
nv fighting Indians and teaching mules now
t6 sing the songs OF industry. lie IS today
orr leading Judge Of both mules and horses
and one Of his great achievements, outside
of teaching the mule TO convert kick INTO
q love tap, has been 10 raise the eiilGcncy
ri orr cavalry and artillery horses.
After buving all the animals the entire
army could use. he was sent to Santiago III
1905 and was made chief QuartermaSter
there where he showed the natives that
mathematics was really a charming and de
faithful relaxation. His next job was to
carry a shipload Of provisions from San
F,,ncisco to relieve the beSicgcd legations
IN Picking. and then he was transferred 10
Manila as the OuartcrmaSter IN charge Of
vatcr TRANSFORMATION. In 1903 ne was put
IN cornnlctc command Of the land, depot,
and wafer service throughout all the islands.
This consolidated an expenditure OF thice
hundred thousand dollars a month, ana,
Getting out his trusty pruning knife nc re-
duced i TO one hundred and eighty thousand.
He had already rcOrganizcd the whole trans
mort service and cut down It's expenses by
more than fftv-hvc per cent. before HIS
bulginp brow and sandy hair had risen, no
b;o@er than a mans hand, above the horizon
of hose sapphire seas, there had been IN the
ecrvicc a high class lack Of system a haDlt
Of running transports in a lcisurely ana IT
regular manner. Before he had applied ms
gcomctrical gumption 10 the SITUATION
rcouisitions for supplies TO be sent from
Manila 10 other islands had not been illIcd
in less than from forty TO sixty days.
The first morning he was there ne daShcd
down a cup of coffee dashed of his coat;
and dashed into the miXup. lie CLASSIFIED
five million dollars worth Of supplies ana
kept them where he could get at them on a
moments notice He rOped things ~, l."
the ninth clutch, made the transports SKIP
through the water and delivered equip,
mcnt and clothing 10 any port on any lslahi
within from three 10 FIVE days. Consider lh"t
for moment Previous 10 his arrival 1t had
required one or two months TO do the work.
Under him. it took an average Of four days.
ANY stem winding, surcharged "oider
ike that was too good for the Philippines.
He was brought to Washington, and IN l9O'
was made Ouartermastcr General OF inc
army. All he did was 10 rcorganlze the sup
nIv department so that, although previously
army posts had been compelled to wait one
he lgftrg getting the ClOtlCS