The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-09
Military Appropriations and the Army.
Tho dahates within the mast few DAVIS on the


The debates within the past few days on the
Appropriation bills for the army have been
quite animated spd have shown general de-
sire to reduce our military expenditures to as
low figure as possible under what are con-
sidered as our existing wants. What are these
wants? They are simply the defence OF our
frontier and the garrisoning Of our coast fortl-
fications. The former is, by the advance OF
civilization and railroads, rapidly defending
itself, and the day is fast approaching when
not single soldier win Of necessity be re-
quired for duty inside of our border and coast
lines. The whole use for military force will
then be reduced simply to the occupation of
fortresses. In time Of peace ten thousand men
win be ample for this work.
The estimated expenses Of the War Depart
ment for the current year are nearly sixty-six
millions of dollars, but it is probable that the
figure will swell to very much larger amount,
owing to the late Indian campaign. Last year
our regular army cost US an enormous proper
ton Of the expenditures of the War Depart
ment, without rendering an equivalent to the
nation. It is, therefore, very natural for us
to inquire of what use is all this If it be said
that we require standing army as a nucleus
In time of war, we say that our late
war has proven that any body of troops
we are willing to support is too small to be
called nucleus. To make the military ele-
ment large enough to fill that idea would be in
opposition to our institutions, and especially
in opposition to the truly American sentiment
which refuses to uniform a large body of our
people and set the balance of the nation at
work to support them in idleness. A standing
army in the United States is the first step
towards European system Of government.
1t is a relic of the feudal times, and the less
we have Of it the purer will be our republican
ism and the more we shall show that we are
but slightly tinctured with feudalism.
It appears to us that there is very radical
defectin our military system. We started off on
the basis that certain number OF young men
should be annually educated at the public ex-
pense, and afterwards employed by the gov
eminent upon what we call military duty, but
what in reality almost units military graduate
for real service after he has seen ten years Of
this duty. All our military ideas are Euro
pean, and we have failed to see that the con-
ditions are entirely inapplicable to our widely
scattered army of few thousand men, drilled
in squads by sergeants, rarely manGuvered
as battalions, never as brigades. We ask,
what practice does an officer have in his pro-
fession after being educated for it? We
believe that were our officers to 60 into
civil life when they graduate they would &C
quire more knowledge which would add to
their value as officers in time of war than they
now acquire by our United States military life
In time Of peace. Our late war was fought by
bringing to bear these elements, which had
grown up among us during period of wonder
full development of the arts and sciences.
Those men who had been most active in the
directing Of that progress were the ones
common soldiers. If in addition to this
an education had been received useful
in military direction, then we had, as a
product, officers of the highest mark. In
view Of this we are disposed to ignore the
value Of our present system, which is at once
costly and productive Of bad military results.
The same amount Of money expended in
different manner would give to the nation far
more efficient military force in time OF war.
We want the money spent in education. In
stead of single school for military instruction
let US have q dozen or twenty, or one for every
State Let It not, however, be incumbent
upon the nation to support the graduates Of
these schools. Enough that we give them an
education which will, better than that acquired
at any other college, ct them for all positions
in life Then in time Of war we should have
the material for first class army, and he
among the military graduates who could prove
himself possessed Of superior brains to make
use Of the military polish received could
carry of the honors.
All this is worth the consideration of Con-
gress. If the public money is to be expended
for military purposes it is incumbent upon
those who have it in their power to see that it
nation. Above all things they should re-
member, in matters of the army, that we do
not live in Europe, and that we require a
military system Of education and a military
establishment suited to our geographical
position and the peculiarities Of our progress
and civilization.
LOVELY LIFE IN A CRY OF BROTHERLY
LovE-The Philadelphia Press Of the 9Th inst.
makes the follow ing cheerful announcement :