The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-10-30

one of the means of settling disputes
where no competent tribunal exists, has
not yet gone out of date. Our civiliza-
ton has not yet reached that point, nor
Is it likely soon to do SO. Armies-the
most perfect embodiment of force
seem destined for many years to hold
their place. The struggle in Europe is
for the possession of the most per-
feet OF these organizations. Our
late war developed the fact that
the American people, North and South,
are among those most fitted for
warlike purposes. To-day, in a popu-
lar war. We could throw into the field
five hundred thousand genuine soldiers,
ready on the instant for the line of
battle. These are the fruits remaining
of our training in the actual field. But
this will not last beyond the life of this
matured generation. Twenty years from
now, II great emergency should de-
mand armies, all the horrible experience
OF the first three years of the war. with
the CHASTITY total of unnecessary loss
from ignorance and incompetency, will
be repeated, unless some change in our
military system is adopted. / know,
and many of you know, that we lost
more men by disease, unnecessarily in.
Cured, than we did in battle. Ignorance
or carelessness on the part of the men
themselves neglect of the ordinary
laws of health; neglect on the part of
quartermasters, commissaries, and
medical stats neglect on the part of
line officers these things in the early
war decimated our ranks, and it was
70 f,,1I
reduced in numbers by such causes
that they hardened into a fiber tough
enough for campaign duties ; and then,
when every man In the battalion was
cor,petent soldier, and recruits were
needed to fill up to fair regimental
strength; when the school and
the teachers were ready, and
the young soldier would learn duty by
the very atmosphere of the veteran and
by contact with men of formed habits
and thorough discipline, they were
thrown rather into new organizations,
all awkward, all raw, to repeat again
the same disastrous experience with
similar if not equal losses. The whole
system of raising, recruiting, and Off
| cering volunteer regiments as practiced
by us during the war was wrong in
principle, false in theory, and ruinous-
ly expensive both in money
and in lives, and in prac-
tice. The problem is yet to be
solved by some better mode, or else,
although we can never cease to be
a nation capable of being soldiers, the
process of making us such will be
wretchedly destructive of life. That
could well be saved. We have, how
ever, and always shall have, orr regular
army and here, as a volunteer officer
and speaking to volunteers, L desire to
say good word for the right arm of the
nation. 1t is fashionable for false
economists to press for reduction and
for changes in our army. There is q
wise economy and there is also pre-
tended economy. Military service must
be made honorable, or good men will
not remain in it. The tenure of Office
must be secure on condition of the per-
Torrance of duty, or men will not de-
vote their lives to it, and by that devo-
ton unfit themselves for other pur-
poses. Both position and compensation
must combine to hold them from aban-
doning the military service in time of
peace, and seeking for the richer
prizes that are offeredi in other professions
Above all, the esprit de corps must be
kept up, and nothing tends so strongly
to break this down as dependence and
uncertainty. Our frontier must be
guarded, our Indians controlled or pun
shed, our coast garrisons kept up, our
police duties looked after. There is
some fighting along the Indian line, but
no fame. There are terrible exposures,
but no renown. There are response
bilities of the gravest and most delicate
nature cast upon officers of low rank and
but small commands to-day in the dis
turbed portions of the country. Let
orr regular army be fully up to
the requirements of the nation,
thoroughly educated, thoroughly
equipped, fully paid, safe in the secur-
ity of position, stripped of all unneces-
sary bureaus, subject to thorough, uni
form discipline, moved by orders from
single head, and then let it be secure
from being an object on which politi-
clans can make temporary reputation by
clamoring in the interest of mistaken
economy for reduction. Let this be
done firmly and wisely. and the regular
army of the United States will sustain
all the burdens likely to be required of
it, and in case of some great national
emergency will be prepared to act as
elder brother and guideto the volunteer
force of the nation.
And now, comrades, that the hours of
this anniversary are coming to their
close, let us part with pleasant memoir
les of the past, and with bright auguries
for the future. Bound together by
common endeavors and common suffer-
ings in common cause devoted now
as ever to any services which our coun-
try may demand with no bitterness re-
naming from the strife; with no hostil-
ity toward those who manfully met us
on the field; standing beneath the flag
which is dear to us because the emblem
of our country's sovereignty let us
again declare that that flag and that
sovereignty, repurchased by such un-
told wealth of gallant life, shall remain
unchallenged by any at home and re-
spected by all abroad, and that neither
domestic agitation nor foreign attack
can ever prevail against a republic
founded on even-handed justice and
\ ,,ta l.