, 1879-02-20
TILE CANADIAN MILITIA.

AAV ASJANkAA5 AAAA4UEA " bA0 ASH SHu14~
dian periodical, tho Rose Bt!forTs llt,tern
-Mngazine, printed at Toronto, contains IA
Flea for tho Militia" by "Two A1ilitinmcn,H
which suggests several considerations. Tho
burden Of tho article is lament over tho
inbutlicienoy of tho Canadian militin in pro-
portion to area, and m nppeal to the Gov-
ernmcnt 10 tatto Immediate steps for its re-
organization aud increase by adopting ono of
three systems,~the old feudal plan Of maxi
ing tho land, through its ownors, rcsponsiblo
for the Forthcoming force tho ballot, rs in
Donmark; or that of Switzerland, wherein
tho ertiro malo population takes It's turn of
service, thus making every man soldier.
Contrasting tho position Of Canala with that
Of the smallor European Powers, tue wrisors
c!aim TINT Cauada has population Of ., 727,-
600, MI aroa Of 3,6SU,310 squaro miles,
which, OF course, includes tho o,5O0,000
slunro mi!os Of uniallabItab1o frozen norlll-
orn region wlcro no soldier IL ovor needed,
w1lilo its militia number only 43,740,-a
smaller number in proportion, ii is alleged,
than tho Netherlands, Swi.zerlAnd, Sweden,
Norway, Denmark, or Greece.
j. Admitting tho correctness OF tho figures
and tho urgency Of tho plea for IN increase
of the militia, tho nnly question interesting
tho people Of this country il tho purpose In
Wow. Whnt doca this agitation for tie
creation of lnrge standing arsny moan =?
This point is not clearly brought out. II
this largo army IL TO ba organized as a local
police forco to prcsoryo tho poaco, if 1t is in-
tentled to qucll disturbances liko tho
Gu1nonD, Grand Trunk, nntl pilgrimage
riots, and to keep Englislmcn md Frencl-
men, Scotchmon and Irishmcn, Orangoueu
and Catholics from falling foul Of oacl
other on anniversary days ns.d upon absurd
provocations, it is nil risltif tl,oy need them,
This purpose, however, is nowhere in.lloat-
cd, mud it iH apparent on tho s,trface that tho
nero p,irroso Of gonilarmoris tloos not mod
any such iucreuse ~ IL contemplated,
Waving this suggestion, thero con bo but
two other purposes ,ylcl, tl1o advocates of
tho incscuso l,ayo in view. It uay be-,
though 1t il n forced assumption, that Tho
Canadians think tLo time il not far distaut
,yhsn they will arrive at tho decision to saver
their s!jg lit political connection with tlu
Mother Country, AUt TINT tho ~ Mother
Country" will resist tho attempted secession
by forcr, "a it lid In our own case. THE
theory of resistance, however, Is III erroneous
QUO. The connection between Cauatla md
Great Britain IL little mora tl.au sentimental,
The "Alothor Country" Inns not shown INV
tlosiro tn resist whenever tho possibility of
independence has boon thrown out; on tho
other la'.l, haa quito freely Unlimited that
wheneyor Canada wants to 60 sl,o cat, 90 il,
loacc. She has withdrawn nil her soldier,
long ago, autl LIFT tho militia to lake cure of
tlinga. There aro ono Or two war vessels
usually ut IInlifax or son1o o,hor
port, Int their presence l,aas no significance,
i,ov .loas tho appointment of tho Princess
LOUISE Oh yiccroyoss possess any ot..pr g;p-
uitioauce ttnn TINT tho Government ,lee,ue,l
this lilo cl,rnl,es. and most sentimental ,nun.
ncr of iutcusifyiue Canadian LOYALTY, whil,
Mt lin sa,no Tina Il rroyi1cd two r.rv ;.,,o