LAMONT'S U. S. ARMY REPORT AND SCOTT CORRESPONDENT VISITS NEW YORK CITY

Daniel S. Lamont.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 7, 1894.

EFFICIENCY OF THE ARMY.

Secretary Lamont Issues His Annual Report and Recommends that the Standing Army Be Increased by 4,000 Men.

   WASHINGTON. Nov. 30. The reports of the officers in command of the several geographical departments corroborate the opinion, expressed in my last report, that Indian warfare is virtually at an end in the United States, and that beyond occasional calls for police duty in the neighborhood of Indian reservations, the Army will henceforth be relieved to a greater degree each year of the labor of armed surveillance over the tribes of the West. There have been no serious infractions of the neutrality laws on the Mexican frontier during the year, but the presence of a regular force there for some time to come is clearly prescribed by the condition of civilization in that region.

   It was found necessary during the period beginning with March and extending through July of the current year, in various sections of the country, to employ a considerable part of the Army to execute the orders of the United States courts, otherwise successfully defied and resisted, to protect the dispatch of the United States mails [Pullman Strike], to remove restraints to travel and commerce and to guard the property of the Government. The movement of troops thus necessitated was the largest which has taken place since the close of the civil war.

   The difficult and extraordinary tasks imposed upon the officers and men of the Army were discharged promptly, firmly, and judiciously, in a manner which attested to the courage, intelligence, and loyalty of those called into active duty, and thorough efficiency of every branch of the service. The militia of the States wherever employed also proved generally to be composed of qualified and reliable soldiers.

   The number of enlisted men in service on October 31 was 25,516. Deducting the sick, those in confinement, recruits not yet joined, those absent on furlough, and others employed in staff departments or on detached service, the effective field strength on the same date was 20,114 of all arms.

   I earnestly recommend that Congress enact the legislation necessary to establish in the Army the battalion formation, now adopted by the armies of every other civilized nation. As necessary to effect that change I recommend the removal of the limit of 25,000 men fixed by the act of June 18, 1874, and a return to the limit fixed by the act of July 15. 1870. Legislative approval of these propositions will restore to the effective force about 4.000 enlisted men, bringing the actual strength of the Army up to the nominal strength now fixed by law. By these changes the Army will be increased in efficiency 20 per cent, in numbers about 16 1-2 per cent, and in cost of maintenance only 6 per cent. 
   For some years the Secretaries of War, the generals commanding the Army, and the most eminent authorities in military science in this country have urged the adoption of the battalion formation, and our most progressive and best informed officers believe that the organization of our small Army should embody this universally improved result of modern military thought.

   The National Guard of several of the States, more progressive than the General Government, already has the battalion organization, and our own Army is being instructed as thoroughly as our defective system will permit, battalions of from two to five companies being improvised in the different garrisons.

   The formation desired admits of rapid and great expansion to meet the exigencies of actual warfare, and is especially adaptable to the small force constituting the peace establishment of the United States. Twelve years ago before retiring from command, Gen. Sherman pointed out the great advantage of the formation in enabling us to put a large and effective force in the field upon short notice, by merely enlisting a sufficient number of additional private soldiers, the officers and organization being always ready for this expansion. 

   Ordinary business prudence suggests a consolidation of the Quartermaster's Subsistence, and Pay Departments into a bureau of supply, to perform also certain duties connected with the furnishing of sundry articles of equipment now imposed on the chief of Ordinance. The only reason for the continuance is the fact of their existence in the past. Their maintenance as separate departments adds largely to the number of officers on staff duty, and involves an expense not justified by the service required. The simple statement that it cost the government last year the equivalent of a commission of 12 per cent to buy provisions for the Army was $269,739.17,  the amount of money disbursed by Paymasters being $12,054,152.54, or about 2 1-4 per cent, requiring the service of 31 officers, whose lowest rank is that of major. Already a number of posts are paid by check, and with the mail, express, and banking facilities of the present day, and the proximity of troops to towns and cities, this plan could well be extended to cover the entire service, the actual distribution of funds being devolved on the commandants of garrisons and their subordinates. The transfer of the duties of these two establishments to the Quartermaster-General would simplify business and effect a marked saving in expense, while the organization of that department would require little increase. If the expediency of this proposition is doubted by Congress, then I earnestly urge the reduction of these departments by the early enactment of legislation suspending further appointments to the Subsistence and pay corps until the number now fixed by law is considerably reduced.

   The policy of concentrating the troops and abandoning unnecessary posts has been prosecuted throughout the year. Where practicable small garrisons, remote from railroads, whose further retention has become unnecessary by a change of conditions, have been consolidated with garrisons at more important centers, thus reducing the cost of maintenance and transportation and utilizing improved facilities for the prompt dispatch of troops to any point where their services may be required The changes made have in no instance lessened the protection afforded by the Army to any region in which garrison has heretofore been stationed, but have considerably augmented the extent of territory over which that protection can promptly and effectively be afforded. It is respectively urged that the establishment of new military posts by Congress in response to the appeals of local interests is likely to disturb a distribution of the Army which aims to secure with the small force under arms the highest efficiency and the fullest protection for the greatest extent of territory, and that ambitions of localities should not be favored by legislation at the expense of the general welfare.

   Seven regiments have been supplied with new 30 caliber magazine rifles and it is expected that the infantry will be completely equipped with this weapon by the first of May. The Major-General Commanding the Army renews his recommendation that the supply of these modern arms be increased so that not only all the regular troops and organized militia may be fully armed with them, but that there may be an adequate reserve for any additional force that may be called into service. To perfect the new weapon, tests of smokeless powder, cartridge cases, and bullets of various materials and types will be kept up during the year. The cavalry has been equipped with the new 38 caliber revolver, and upon recommendation of the Major-General commanding the Army, the 45 caliber revolver has been retained for the present for light batteries. Aluminum has been employed successfully in the making of spurs, waist-belt plates, and smaller articles, and it is hoped eventually to obtain the desired quality of the metal for other articles of equipment.

   During the year twenty-three 3.2-inch and twenty-two 3.5-inch field guns have been finished; twenty five 3.2-inch field and ten 5-inch siege guns and ten 7-inch howitzers are nearly finished. Carriages for these guns are in process of fabrication. Funds are available for the manufacture of about forty more 3.2-inch guns, but further experiments with smokeless powder will be made before this work is undertaken. Provision has been made in all for one hundred and ninety 3.2-inch field guns, twenty 5-inch siege guns, sixteen 3.6-inch field mortars, twenty 7-inch siege howitzers, and it is proposed in time to manufacture a supply of modern field and siege guns and mortars adequate for the Army and seacoast defense.

   The establishment of type disappearing gun carriages for 8-inch and 10-inch guns, invented by officers of the Ordnance Corps, and believed to be unequalled for rapidity and simplicity of action by any carriage elsewhere in use, is a notable achievement of the year. This problem solved, the armament of our harbors may now be prosecuted as rapidly as means are available. Appropriations of $1,000,000 for emplacements and platforms and mounting guns and mortars, $250,000 for sites for fortifications, and $100,000 for casemates, torpedoes, galleries, and submarine mines, are desired for the prosecution of engineer work on these fortifications. The plan of seacoast defense devised by the Endicott Board, as modified in 1890, embraces fortifications at twenty-eight ports.

   The total expenditure for projected guns, mortars, and mounts will be $50,277,248, including $3,430,130 under the Bethlehem contract. Operated at its full capacity the Army Gun Factory at Watervliet can turn out in eleven and a half years the guns and mortars yet to be built; the Bethlehem contract requires the delivery of the last of its 100 guns by July 7, 1903, and carriages can be produced at Watertown or by contract as rapidly as the guns, so that the ordnance for our coast can be finished within twelve years.

   To accomplish this result annual appropriations aggregating $4,250,000 for guns and carriages will be required. "The time has fully come," in the judgment of the Board of Ordnance and Fortification, "when Congress may make the most liberal appropriations for gun and mortar batteries, and for their armament, with the assurance that they will be expended judiciously." With that opinion I concur.

   DANIEL L. LAMONT, Secretary of War.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

   The alleged Americans who conduct the Standard gorged themselves Thanksgiving day with "American sourkrout, made from American cabbage, grown on American soil, by American labor" and they inform the public through the columns of the Standard that "It is the kind of krout for an American to eat on a day that's particularly American." It is fair to presume that the krout contained the usual number of American cabbage worms, hatched from eggs deposited by the American cabbage butterfly which generally gets in its work in spite of the efforts of American labor to prevent it. If one starts out to be American it is well to be all American and swallow the entire porker, worms and all. It is gratifying to know that the krout paid no tariff duty and that no bad effects have resulted from the American gorge. It is to be sincerely regretted, however, that the poor American larva should have come to such an untimely and ignoble end.

HERE AND THERE.

   C. Fred Thompson sells Hemingway's choice candies.

   Burgess, the clothier, has a new advertisement on our last page.

   Bingham & Miller, the clothiers, have a new advertisement on this page.

   Work on the sewers has been discontinued and will not be resumed until spring.

   Stetson's Uncle Tom's Cabin company had a good audience in the Opera House last Friday night.

   The Cortland Forging Co. are now running their works both night and day in order to fill their orders.

   Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Hollister entertained a large party of their friends at their home on North Main-st , last Monday evening. It was their tenth anniversary.

   The regular meeting of the Loyal Circle of Kings Daughters will convene at Mrs. A. M. Johnson's, 54 Main-st , Friday afternoon. Let the attendance be complete.

   The electric road between this village and Homer is practically completed with exception of a little work near the car barns and the D. L. & W. crossing. The connections at the Cortland House corner were nearly finished last night.

   Dr. Jerome Angel slipped on the sidewalk in front of the Dexter House last week Wednesday and feel on his side. He went into Sager & Jennings drug store where an examination by Dr. Sornberger disclosed the fact that he had a fractured rib.

   The People's Mission will be open Saturday evening as usual in the W. C. T. U. rooms, W. Court-st. These meetings are increasing both in number and interest. All are welcome. None are expected to wear their best clothes, but come in from the street just as you are.

   The Woman's Christian Temperance Union will hold their quarterly meeting Saturday, Dec. 8th, in their rooms 12 W. Court-st. Reports of work accomplished by superintendents of the various departments of work will be given; these reports are always interesting and all are cordially invited to come and hear for themselves. The meeting will open with devotional exercises at 2:30 o'clock.

   Superintendent of the Poor Miner has appointed Mr. A. D. Kingsbury of this village to be keeper of the County Alms House. The appointment is a good one.

New York World building.

Washington Bridge.

SCOTT.

   Austin Brown has rented his farm to a man by the name of Selover.

   A poverty social was held at the M. E. church last Saturday evening. Receipts we hear were about $9.00.

   Thanksgiving was not entirely overlooked in Scott. Services were held in the M. E. church, sermon by Rev. B. F. Rogers of the S. D. B. church. The sermon was an able and interesting one; practical and hopeful and many who were not there now regret they were not.

   A little about what we saw and learned in New York city during one week's stay there.—We took the train at Homer on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 20th and soon left the snow-clad hills in the distance, until all traces of snow had disappeared and the beautiful, romantic scenery gave joy and pleasure to the beholder. On we sped behind the horse that never tires, going through hills, or winding our way around them as the case might be, while on either side were lofty hills and mountains, rocks and rugged steeps, and not missing from view the reservoir built at a cost of $1,000,000, and also the famous Delaware water gap. For real value for tilling purposes for a considerable distance along the railway line we should judge it to be worth not over one cent per acre.

   We reached the city a little after dark by boat from Hoboken to Barclay St. After replenishing our dinner basket at the Cosmopolitan Hotel with some of the viands of the great metropolis, we found our way to Rev. Judson Burdick's who resides at 86 Barrow St. In company with him we started out to make a little examination of the city. About 10 o'clock there was an alarm of fire, which proved to be a stubborn fire; 30 engines were engaged in the conflict upon the several streets about and it was not until 3 o'clock in the morning that it was abandoned by the engines. The loss was $160,000.

   On Wednesday we rode up to Central Park, and went also to the Museum of natural history just outside the Park. We have not the time to give or talent to relate the wonderful collection of the productions of nature, but go and see how it is yourself. In the evening went to see "The Elephant" and later on attended the Florence mission. In the meantime we had engaged quarters at 99 Barrow St. for a week. Thursday attended court, where prisoners were brought in from the lockup in the Tombs for misdemeanors during the 24 hours past, a hard looking lot.

   Then the World building, where we were sent up the elevator kiting. After traveling a little further into the dome we took a survey of the village and the dwarfs and baby wagons below. It was a pleasant day and the view was grand. Just think 375 1/2 ft. from the ground to the top and the foundation 35 ft. below the ground, the weight of the building 68,000,000,000 pounds. Over 1000 windows and 500 doors; contains brick enough to build 250 ordinary brick houses; has 48 miles of electric wires. Iron enough to build 20 miles of railroad. From there we went to see ships and then Fulton St. fish market. Here we found something like an acre of fish of every sort and kind from crabs to codfish. Visited a German beer garden in the evening and other places of interest.

   Friday among other places of interest we visited the Voice office. A high and beautiful structure occupied by them from top to bottom; thence down Broadway to Wall St. and into the Stock Exchange, where Bedlam seemed to be let loose; a thousand men crazed with the idea of hasting to get rich without work. In evening attended meeting at Mr. Babcocks 34th St., the superintendent of the blind institute. Stopped on the way back at the Men's mission. Saturday or Sabbath day attended Bible school and preaching at the Y. M. C. A. rooms. Preaching by Rev. J. G. Burdick. In evening attended mission at 20th St., 8th Ave. Sunday, attended Catholic service on 32d St. at 10 o'clock A. M. preaching by Rev. Mr. Hepworth of the Baptist church at 11 o'clock; visited the Eden Musee from 12 to 3, then went to Chickering hall and listened to J. H. Hector, the Black Knight, upon the temperance issue, from Habakkuk 2.8 "Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnants of the people shall spoil thee." It was a powerful and interesting effort and it was delivered to a crowded house and an appreciative audience. In the early evening attended preaching service by Rev Dr. Judson later on attended the Salvation Army meeting. In Judson's text was—Whosoever blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation, or as he said more properly eternal sin. Dr. Judson said that we forge the chain that binds us to sin, a chain that we cannot break, and that eternal sin is persistent opposition to God.

   Monday attended Stock Exchange a while, crossed the Brooklyn bridge, visited an aunt on Dean St., who has lived there ever since the bridge was built and yet has never seen it. In evening attended mission on 8th Ave. again. Tuesday, beautiful day, took elevator car at 9th St. on 3rd Ave. and rode to the extreme north limit to 177th St., thence went on foot west about two miles across that wonderful structure the Washington bridge, 153 feet high and one-third of a mile long, to the cable car road at 177th St. west, thence the whole length to the Post Office a distance in all of 20 or 25 miles The scenery uptown is grand; rocks, chasms, trees, and grass plots and scattered residences. Attended mission at 8th Ave. again in evening, made the acquaintance of the leader who was a young man by the name of Smith from Seneca Co. and by the way let us say of these missions that we believe they are the means of doing much good, bringing into respectability and christian service many who are so low in sin that they never venture into a church. Such earnest workers among the reformed, and they seem to know just how to reach the hearts of those who are treading the rough and thorny road they once were treading. Oh, to see the countenances of many of those who attend, bloated, blear-eyed, and beastly drunk.

   On Wednesday morning we took the train for home, sweet home, having been in the city one week, but seemingly three weeks. It was clear and pleasant when we started, but when we pulled into Binghamton we were met by a snow squall. Nothing of note occurred on the cars as evening came along except gambling by four youngerly men in which one of them gobbled up about $100 within one-half hour. We don't think there is a farm on the line of railroad south of Binghamton at least equal in production to some of the farms in Scott.  
   One thing surprised us in the city and that was to see so little tobacco using in public. Much less comparatively we think than in country towns. Not over one in twenty of men on the streets had a cigar or one in a thousand had a pipe. In the Stock Exchange building where there were probably a thousand men from 10 A. M. till 3 P. M. not a puff of smoke during the whole time, scarce ever could be seen a quid of tobacco or the rich colored extract thereof on the pavements; and then we heard very little profanity. We were surprised to see how cheap provisions were of almost every kind at the retail stores, and it don't seem as if any one ought to starve there unless they spend their money for that which is not bread. We thought many times while in the city, if we could only have all our friends there to see and hear it would be a double pleasure to us and to any one who has never taken in the city we would urge them to do so at the first good opportunity. Some think they cannot afford it, but let them lay aside the money they would spend for tobacco for one year and go to the city with it and they would or might have money left perhaps.

   You will find as I did quite a number of strange faces and once in a while one you do recognize; but you may be quite sure you will not find any two alike. There is a great variety in this line, every face is different and everybody almost seems bent on going somewhere. It is a busy city; can hear the rumbling of the carts and wagons all night long: "but we ain't in it now."