The Portland daily press., 1868-04-29
DAILY PRESS.
ND,
Wednesday Morning, April 30, 1853.
Dominion of Canada
THE MILITIA BILL.
PORTLAND


The new bill for the organization of tn,
Militia submitted by Mr. or rather Sir George
Cartier, Minister of Militia and Defence" il
formidable document, filling five columns
OF the official Gazette. 1t provides for a
standing force of 10000 men, and 5000 Off
GERS, to be drilled and paid in time of peace.
These are selected by species of conscrip-
ton, are required to serve two years, and II
redrawn to serve again in their turn and to
drill sixteen days in every year. The ex-
pense of the force contemplated .or the pres
ent year is 100000, which with payments
for buildings, military supplies, exercises and
| so fourth, will reach total of about one mill
ion and half.
The bill meets with great deal of opposi-
ton. 1t is objected to it that by its demand
for compulsory service it will destroy the
present vigorous volunteer system; while at
the same time it does not provide a sufficient
standing army to really defend the country.
Neither in numbers nor in efficiency could
such force, so raised and drilled, be deemed
an adequate defence in case of war; To in
troduce system of draft-the idea of which
is as odious to Canadians as it is to our own
people-to spend million and half of dol
lars, and yet to have force neither sufficient
ly large nor sufficiently wel-trained to make
the county secure, seems to the opponents
OF the administration somewhat faulty
scheme.
In moving the second reading of his BILL
Sir George Cartier stated that the PROPOSE |
ton as to Qualifications was to borrow under |
the Imperial guarantee and expend e22O,OOO |
sterling annually for five years, at four per
cent, and one per cent. sinking fund-e2OO-
600 to be spent at st. John. This proposi-
ton has called out bitter denunciations from
the opposition press, and 1t is probable that
the taxpayers of the Dominion will offer |
equally strenuous objections to a plan for |
paying five millions of dollars for fortifica- |
tions which if completed would be of very
questionable utility. Indeed many of the
more judicious of the Canadians are begin
ming to perceive the fact, which we have con-
stantly asserted, that neither Notifications |
nor standing armies are of any use to Cana
da. The only enemy against whom she can |
need defence is the United States, and the |
expenditure of her entire revenues on armies |
and Notifications would not render her Sc |
cure from our blows in case of actual war.
Her true defensive policy is in the cultivation
of friendly relations with this country, which
has every disposition to live on the most am
ieable terms with her, but which she could
hardly expect in case of any serious ''un-
pleasantness," to successfully cope with. And
certainly, her only true economy is to expend |
her revenues in the development of her own
noble resources,-in fostering manufactures,
in opening up fresh avenues of communica-
tion, and in throwing open her unimproved
lands to settlers so as to stop and turn back
her tide OF emigration which is now draining
her of her strength. The rural part of her
population is pouring out over her borders
in steady and increasing stream, and yet she
has lard enough, water power enough, aad
mineral resources enough to employ aud en-
rich ten times the population she now pos
sesses. Something very different from forts |
and armies should occupy the attention of |
her statesmen.