The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-08-25
WHAT THE MILITIA COSTS.

WHAT THE MILITIA COSTS.
From the session of the Legislature
of 1868, which appropriated the hand
some sum of four hundred thousand
dollars to equip Mr. Swann's militia,
until to-day, it has proved an expensive
luxury to the State. And yet for all
the public moneys expended for its sup
port, it would be very difficult to emu
merate the compromising advantages
derived by the State from an organiza-
ton as purely ornamental as it has
been. Take, as an illustration of the
ineflicency and uselessness of the pres
ent organization, the part played by
our MARYLAND militia in the recent labor
strikes. Now liz militia,-we had al
most said military matters-although
the words are not by any means synon-
ymous, it often happens, as in many
other concerns of life, that men some
times turn their own blunders to profita-
BILE individual account This is strk-
ingly the case now For, by the unan-
imous Judgment of all impartial men,
the bloodshed and riot, the destruction
of life and property, incident upon the
recent strikes in Baltimore were directly
traceable to the blunder committed bv
Brig. Gen. Herbert in ordering, without
the authority of the mayor of the city,
the militia call on the evening of July
Goth. That little tune played so inno-
Gently, whose harsh and discordant
echoes from the brazen throat of big
SAM" proved very serious affair,
although it's consequences were unex-
pected and unlocked for. The sequel
illustrated the error of the act. Be that
as it may, however, the State has the
bills to foot. 1t has already liquidated
one item of the cost incident to the
militia service. The several regiments
have been paid off, We do not begrudge
to the officers of the line and to the
rank and file the easilv-earned fee of a
months pay upon the basis of ten days
service. But towards the gorgeous
staff of our still more imposing /" de
facto" Governor, with its boisterous
brigadiers, its cracked kurnels," and
its mimic majors, We warrant you, the
general taxpayer does not feel half so
amiable We are indebted to that per-
petual democratic luminary, the Balti-
more Sun" for the items of cost as
far as ascertained and reported by that
distinguished military gentleman, AID
jutant-General Frank A. Bond, of the
NJ. n. G. This gentleman estimates
the total cost on account of State troops
at 100000; the aggregate salaries of
officers and men being between $4,000
and $4,000 1t is needless to remark
that if not paid in hard coined-the
officers of the staff, at least, were paid
in hard EARNED money. Four hundred
and fifty eight dollars and thirty-three
cents is the amount Of filthy lucre at
which grateful State values the SER
vice of a militia brigadicr for-one
short month. A snug sum, we take it,
for the actual work done by the " Gen
erals Why Cecil county should be
Disseminated against in the person of
General Andrew jackson Pennington,
who was az cut down in the prime of
his military life to the rank of Colonel,
and will receive ONLY $29l67 for his
months service, we are not familiar
enough with militia matters to deter
mine. Take it all in all, it's an ill wind,
however, that blows nobody good
Bullets and swords are meat to one
man, but poison to another If we
mistake not, this is just the view the
average taxpayer takes Of the recent
military service of militia brigadiers.
For actual service ever rendered the
State s45s.33 is ample monthly pay for
any half dozen of the best of them
That staff" would prove a slender
reed were the State indeed in jeopardy
Like It's national prototype General
Geo. 3. Mcclellan, it is grand and i'm
posing on dress parade, but when it
comes to actual service, a farthing
would measure its highest value.