The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-15
Congress and the Militia.

Congress has now before IL, rs usual, sew
eral bills for militia organization. not one Of
which can hope to be even respectfully con-
sdered, still less passed. Year after year,
and even generation after generations this
postponemcnt Of militia legislation goes
on. while all other countries see the value OF
militia. England, for example, has a militia
establishment upward of 100000 strong; but
Congress- that finds weeks to waste in dis
GUESSING the army, has not even days for the
militia. though a slight outlay on the latter
would justify the saving of millions on the
former.
The militia laws, which Congressman
think good enough as they are, consist
mostly Of the old statute Of 1892. modern
lied for the wants of the present age by that
Of 1903. II the reader will turn to the latest
edition of the Revised Statutes, he may be
agrccably surprised, perhaps, to learn that
he himself Is an enrolled miitaman under
the following provision:
"src 1873 Every abc.bodied male citizen Of the r..
spccvc states resident therein who Is Of the age o ~
years and under the 45 years shall he enrolled In
the militia"
He may further learn, regarding our man
ners and customs, that every Captain of Il
company enrolls every citizen residing
within the bounds OF his company" on reach
ing the age Of Is, and notifies him Of his en-
rollmcnt. These venerable statutes go on
to say:
Every citizen shall after notice n hi. enrolment be
constantly provided with rooi mu.kct hrclock
bore suicent balls Of tho eighteenth part II poni
utioion hayonrt and belt two spare hints and KNAPP
~ h. pouch with huN therein to contain not less than
twenty cartridges suited TO the bore " hi, musct
or hrcl~k each carirgc To contain proper quantity {"
powder ant hall. with good ufe. knap,ack. shot
pouch. and powder horn twenty balls suited 90 the Dor
OF hi rifle. and quarter ot pound ~ powder
Tho rest of Title XVI. Of the Revised
Statutes contains the same kind Of anti
Quarian legislation, curious to the book
worm. We find that each commissioned
officer must wear "a sword on hanger and
spoutoon," while the artillery officer must
additionally have "a fuscc, bayonci. and
belt. with u cartridge box to contain twelve
cartridges Each company Of artillery
must have six gunncrs and six lombard
icrs." In the troops Of horse. each dragon
must have n stccd lat least fourteen hands
and half high, II good saddle, bride. mail
pillon, and valisc, holsters, and II breast
plate AID crupper,a pair Of boots and spurs,
pair of pistols, n sabre, and n cartridge
box, to contain twelve cartridges for pis-
tolls" In the ease Of the pistols of commits,
stoned officers, the caution /, given: The
holsters To bc covered with bcarskn caps
| We need hardly cite the rcmandc of those
! statutes. They are those, nevertheless, un-
/ der which We are nominally living, and UNI
/ der which Congress is eNpondng S2lo,0oo
every year for the paying part of the ancient
laws is never forgotten. We find, also, in
looking at the AdJutant- Generals latest re-
ports that in 1876 Michigan Illinois, Mis-
souri,, Wisconsin. Minnesota, and Nebraska
had no militia enrolment ut all, while In
not "a few other States the enrolment was
Of the most mcngrr description
Now. what happens in this state OF things ;
Congress now and again etirs about To find,
in the timc-honor6d phrase what lcgi-a-
tion, If any is required to execute the milith
laws grave farce then goes on in the
staff department., AT Washington. In an
swcr to inquiries Of this nature, undcr u
Sruatc resolution. Quartcrmastor -GcncrAl
MElGs Il iow days since had the honor to
report to Mr.. MCCRARY that the enrolled
militia. under sec. 1925, Roy. stat, numbers
"about 7,50),0DO mon" but guessing that hall
might be exempt, he gets an army of 3, 100000
Then he gravcly goes through the cost of
getting these into service. For instance:
"ni,hrlcvcdna,it he practicable at this time
tprnulol many American milltinm"n 10 wear clothiu.
Wur has been used b, others OF 10 keep sl ni t Oh
u- ni year IN cuitun tonprar on parade alta srruu
annual irainine Therefore the clothing would have "a
le supplied annually
" IT, cost would he ........ Sla},sal,oiS ~
1nmp and garrison cquipas" .... .t... 2i.;.t ~ y
Transportation ct supplies nrns, Sc. Wl.ii",pf u
TRANSPORTATION olNn,n to amt from places 49,
But besides. Gen. MEIGs finds that up