, 1879-03-18

A bill entitled :" An act to provide for tho
organization Of tho State lntlitia," which
ought moro properly to be called IAN act 10
provide for tho disorgauization md diHbnnd-
mont Of tllo State militia," comes up In tho
Illinois House as areeia1 order this morn.
Jug. It IL in opposition to the bill reported
by tho minority of tho Militia Committee,
which provides an appropriation Of tho very
moderate sum Of 100000 for this aad next
ycar, aud Thereafter for ono.fifth of ono mill
in the general tax.loyy to be ugod as mill
tnry fund for tho State. Tho minority cut
of this appropriation, and simply provide
for tho empty privilege Of organizing militia
companies, Of which nobody will avail him
self. Among tho rcasons cited by bIessrs.
I1Anr, H1ScKLEY, WEnEn, a11tcuAM, aud
AfcOaEEnx, who sign tho min ority report,
why they cannot approve tho proposed snp-
port for regularly-organizod militia is,
TINT Inn armed militia among FREQ
pooplo creasos diacontont aud opposition
that will eventually do moro harm al,au
good" Docs it, iudcod2 Wo fortunately
havo lai limited armed militia in Chi
cago mud somo other partB of tho State dur
ing tho past two or .l,roo years. Did it do
"Inoro har'n than good when tho peoplo
reliod upon it as roservo in tho case Of tho
riots Of 1877 or tho Draidwooi miuing
troubles? Was it the knowledge Of IN Of
forsive militia force in every Stato in thu
country, or tho knowledge that there was no
such force, which encouraged tho general
rai!rond riots Of 1877? Wns 1t persuasive
argument or tho police md armed force
finally brought into action, TINT suppressed
this rioting and checked tho obstruction OF
property? Tho get1tla,non who committed
themselves to this statement have only mado
themselves moro ridiculous BY atltling rs a,,-
other reason Tor opposing m eficIont Militia
law, TINT "tho arning Of militia will ongenlor
political corruption antt political con,bina.
tions injurious to our fron institutions, mud
teaches thu people to forsako tho tims-hon-
orod nnd fur safur md moro patriotic custom
Of trusting to tho loyalty Of tho ctizons 10
protect themselves and compel obedience to
| law Aud what else Is tho proposed organi-
zation md support Of militia than Belf-pro-
! tuction mud I'LL effort 10 compel obedience to
tho lnw9 The difference is between l,repar-
ing for defonao and protection, mud not do
ing 80. Whether tho gentlemen who hnyo
matlo this minority report 30 inteuded It or
not, thoy hayo merely giyon voice to spccious
roasons suggested by Communists for leay-
Ing society at their mercy. Noitsor tho
ordinary poliea Of cities, nor Tho conatalu.
larry Of thu State, nor tho unarmed mud ,li,.
prepared citizens, aro tu a condition to effect
lively resist q sudden outbreak which threat.
o'.s lifo aud property. There ia moro aaugcs
Of a,1ull outbreaks hero aud elsewhere now,
il sgns aro not ,nisleading. thnn there WIN
in 1877. Though tho condition Of tue roal
workingn,an is much improved, there is rea,
son 10 baiiovo tint tho number Of Coln.uu.
niass has increased, anl the interruptions mud
desperate lenders layo bcco1no holder. The
expenditure Of i lM), Ut'0 II year, mora or less
III The support of MT cillclent organization ol
cisfzen-snllicra uay saya tenfold that a,nouu1
Of property nntl thousands Of human liyos
S,'cl, an organization IL no otFonse, but oul,
q s4doguatd, to niou who aro disposed II
kocr tho p:ace md acknowledge thu right,
in property. We can scarcely thiuk TINT III.
Illinois Legislature will taae any other ytau
! tim