Daily Democrat And News

We are glad the Governor, in his special message, has recommended that Adjutant General Baker be relieved from a portion of the onerous duties now devolving upon him. At the short extra session of the Legislature, after Government had decided to stop enlistments, it being presumed that no business of the Adjutant General's Office would be barely nominal, that body not only reduced Gen. Baker's salary but at the same time saddled upon him the office of Paymaster General, Commissary General, Inspector General and how many other "generals" we are unable to say. Gen. Baker is a very capable business man, but it is asking too much of any man to attend to all the military business in the State; nor would the Legislature have imposed it upon him had there been any conception of the present activity in the military operations of the State.

Gen. Baker has not his different departments of office pretty thoroughly organized, has very competent and active clerks and is actually performing more labor every day than almost any other man in the State is capable of doing, yet he is so much pushed and perplexed with the constant increase of business that he barely gets time to eat, say nothing about getting any rest or leisure. We have noticed that in other States that have no more, nor as much military business, in Iowa that there is a separate officer for the Quartermaster's Department, Paymaster's Department, and in addition to this an Assistant Adjutant General, and in some cases Second Assistant. Why should the Adjutant General of Iowa be required to do the business of all! To have the business of all these departments devolving upon any one or two men is too much. No man can do it as it should be done, and as Gen. Baker is doing it without taxing his energies to a dangerous degree.

We think there can be no question but what the Legislature will afford relief in accordance with the Governor's suggestions: that is to empower the Governor to appoint an Assistant Adjutant General, who shall also act as Paymaster General. This will in a great measure relieve General Baker, from the heavy labors of his office. The recommendation to increase the Adjutant's salary is sensible, and we hope to see it acted upon in a proper spirit. Any Captain in the service gets more pay than Gen. Baker now does, and does not perform a tenth part of the labor nor sustain anything like that degree of responsibility that rests upon him. This is manifestly unfair and unjust, and should be remedied at once. We trust that there will be no opposition to the measure in the Legislative body.