The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-05
A Uniform Militia system.

A Uniform Militia System.
THE experience of the late civil war has
taught our people and statesmen many i'm
portant lessons, and not the least important
of them is, the imperfect1ess of our present
militia system, and the necessity for better
one. This matter has hitherto been left with
the several States aud the consequence has
been, as might naturally have been expected,
q general neglect OF the subject. In some of
the States the laws respecting military service
were much more stringent than IN others,
though in none was any complete me-
thod OF organization and practice devised or
enforced. The fine for non compliance with
all statute provisions touching the matter was
so trifing, that most persons preferred to
incur and pay it rather. than attend militia
muster; and the result was, that what but
few citizens thought worth attention fell into
universal disregard and contempt.
This was altogether wrong, especially in
o republic whose policy has ever been op-
posed to the maintenance of large standing
army. 1t has been our boast that the United
States can safely rely for defense on its militia
against either domestic insurrection or foreign
invasion; and we have, thus far, managed
pretty well to pass successfully through
the few contests that have tried that theory
since the Revolution to the present time. But
it must be confessed that our different wars
would probably nave been less expensive and
ofshorter duration, if we had been better pre-
pared for them in respect OF a competent body
of well-drilled soldiers, ready to take the field
at the first call to duty, and to perfsrm that
duty with the efficiency of regulars.
There can be no doubt that, with
our superior resources both of men
and munitions, we can hold out longest
in any conflict which the world may wage
against us, and that, in the end, we shall tri-
umph by sheer dnt OF endurance. But this
is not sufficient There should be economy
in war as in everything else. 1t is the obvious
interest of every nation to save money and
life, and 1t is unquestionably true that the best
security against war, foreign or domestic,
is to be fully prepared for it at all times. They
meet this requisition of sound defensive policy
in Europe by enormous bodies of regular
troops, kept perpetually in garrison, in camp,
and Oh foreign service, at an oppressive cost
to the people who are required to main
tain such establishments; and besides
the onerous tax imposed on tne community
for that purpose, and the loss suffered by the
Withdrawal from useful industrial pursuits of
hundreds of thousands Of able-bodied men, it
not unfreeuently happens that the Govern
ments which keep up such huge military
organizations are obliged to invent wars for
their employment in order to prevent insur-
Tection at home. We are wiser than the
European monarchies ia avoiding a military
system which is a constant and severe drain
on the treasury Of a nation, and which, at the
same time, tends to cultivate q belligerent
spirit.
Yet it cannot be denied that we are not
careful enough to make our militia equal in
practical efficiency to the emergencies that
may at any moment demand their service.
This fact was strikingly exPmplided in the
beginning of the recent Rebellion. When
volunteers were suddenly called for by the
loyal State Governments and the Federal
Government, there were but few men who
were fully prepared to take the field. The
majority of those brave and patriotic citizens
who enlisted in defense of the Union were
totally uneducated in the manual of the SOL
| dier, and weeks and even months were lost in
! training raw recruits for the exercise and
duties of actual martial conflict. 1t was too
late to remedy the defect then, though none
failed to realize and depore it. Let us, there
fore, reap benefit in the future from the dis
advantages suffered in the past.
Our own State militia law is so radically
and entirely defective as to be practically
worthless. 1he Inspector-General, Mr.. TODD,
has recently exposed numerous and serious
imperiections, and advised some adequate
reform. But Governor CURTIN, in his message
to the present Legislature, says he is not pre-
] pared to make any recommendation on the