Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-12

panies and phaianxes, state fencibes and In
viDclbes, Governors guards, body guards.
light guards, city troops, nussars and blues.
dred men in each organization, and probably
averaged fifty men each, or about 800 In all.
The civic societies consisted Of the Boys In
/ Blue and the Grand Army OF the Republic and
| a number of political clubs and societies, num-
| bering probably three thousand in all
MILITARY LESSON.
| There were therefore on parade about J. 200
regulars. 5000 militia. systematically organized
| into regiments: 500 militia In independent Or
ganiZatlons, and 600 members OF civic sOcie-
| ties. To military man 1T Is worth noting that
fully three fourths OF this large force arrived In
| the city from various sections in the space OF
| only twenty four hours. The actual system of
railroads ia the central and eastern states
| affords facilities for the sudden concentration
| of troops In an emergency such as no general
in the worlds history ever had placed at his
disposal. and this system covers all the most
| vital points on our seabOard.
| 1t Is greatly 10 be regretted, in military
| view, that New York did not send larger force
| OF her National Guard division equal In
| strength to the fine body which represented
| Pennsylvania would have afforded many inter-
esting points OF comparison ana given a fuller
| illustration OF what resources we have with
| which to Supplemt ut at moments notice our
! little regular army. four nfths OF which are
stationed beyond the Mississippi river; and 1t is
| even question whether the state might not
well contribute portion OF the expense OF such
| an expedition. for the inaug uration day. occur
ring but once In four years, offers many excep-
uoDal advantages as field day. The expert
valuable to the staff. The well paved streets
| OF Washington are an admirable parade
ground. The pubic buildings aud other halls
| can easily house % 600 men for few days once
| In four years. The competition wish other
| troops OF the same or another state is a strong
| incentive to proficiency in drill. and the meet
vantages, in a mutual inspection of each others
| appearance and an interchange OF ideas. how
| ever hurried, that is gained by the conventions
| organized business Added to all this, there is
| the national character OF the day and the cere-
mony and the advantages to the men of travel
| put his inaugural address in his pocket and
| unattended rode his horse through the mud up
to the Capitol have gone by and are not likely
| to return. There VIII always be large atten-
| dance OF people to witness one OF their fellow
citizens assume the highest executive functions,
and II we cannot get back to the dignilied SIM
be well to make the spectacle as impos-
Ing as possible. There are without doubt
objections ions, TO . large; parade. and
calling attention to the dangerous uses which
! might be made OF the precedent established by
| the aSSemblage OF large body of armed men
| at the capital, subject TO no single authority OF
the United States, is not altogether unfounded
| On the other hand, the militia could not and
| should not be dispensed with in the various
states. and there is quite as much probability
| OF lis being used for improper purposes whether
| Ii remains at home or whether 1t makes an oc-
| cas1onal visit to Washington. So long as It
| exists every effort should De made to increase
lis military efficiency. and 1t is worthy Of con-
! sheraton whether an opportunity to promote
this for all states In sufficient proximity to the
! capital to permit the expense would not be
Iound IN making grand field day In each In
| auguratfon.
Whatever OF military interest there was la
to-day's parade is found In the regulars, the
no f~,r
! gained regiments and battalions from other
| states. The rest OF the aSSemblage had no
| military value in It's present form. AS for the
| regulars 1t Is their business TO be soldiers and
TO devote their whole time to it. 1t is generally
believed that they do so, and that small as they
| are In number they are surpassed by no
Sdua lntegen enc ed ueau IN and i eah.
eral military efficiency. Concerning the mill
TIA OF the country at large, however, no such
Der of people at least II Is considered 20 be more
for show than for any useful purpose. But the
| Pennsy lvania division as it appeared to-day
Is open 10 no such criticism whatever 1t was
devoid OF bear skin caps and other fancy nom
sense In It's uniforms. and 1t showed In every
point OF detail the results of careful
e1ga a On strictly military principles In
| untqual The marching OF some could
not be surpassed The marching OF others was
poor. The same variety was observable In the
men. The faces in some OF the regiments were
more intelligent and the bodies more muscular
and better set up than In others Taken "a a
whole. however, the raw material In the men
[ would bear fa' oraDle comparison with an euual
number OF the United States army or any O, ;Ipr
army and the drill OF those who were defective
can readily be Improved. Proficiency in drill is
not difficult thing to obtain nor is IL In drill
that the militia is ordinarily detective II is
rather In discipline and In military habit and
thoughts nS, IN organization ana suoord1natlon d
| sell, mat The citizen soldier needs improve
Melt, In all these respects this PennsyIyauia
I IN dQ
| ure from the old militia Ideas. for 1t was nor
oughty organized Oh the basis Of accepted lliu
tary principles. The arms, clio. hing and eIuip-
ments were uniform and or the pattern adoJt ed
by the general government, whose Office 5 are
presumably capable OF selecting the best for
actual service. The officers and men were
known TO each other In their respective sph res
OF command, and it was all under one authority
Nothing but the experience Of battle and he
traditions OF former achievements are -ded
to make these men trained soldiers, and even
this is hot wholly lacking, for although the aen
In the ranks ale too young TO have seen SCI vice
In the civil war, yet large proportion or the
officers were educated In that fiery schoo me
greatest school OF war the world has seen : ace
| NapoleOES day.
| SOLUTION OF THR MILITIA PROBLEM.
II the present organization of the Natl >nal
Guard In Pennsylvania can be kept up for q
few years longer and constantly increase it,
ef ie In points OF detail as 1t naturally
M far ia o asF so,Va IL oids
problem in a satisfactory manner. ,e.
to provide body OF soldiers really efficient In
case OF emergency. either for State or nati )na
purposes. and yet not wholly 10 alb .trac5 1t:
members from the productive energies of peace
full occupations From a population OF aoou,
four and quarter millions Pennsylvania sen,
here to-day seven thousand we'll equipped anC
| organized soldiers, or about one in six hundreI
OF population: Could the great States OF New
York, Ohio. Illinois, Indiana, Virginia aud Ken
lucky, with their population of fifteen to six
| teen Millions have an equally we'll organized
force In proportion to their numbers, we SHOULD
then have In reality National Guard as vel
as State guard in each State greater in sizt
than our regular army. Is 1t not worth Will,
for the larger and more thickly settled States
to sOberly consider whether such a force or
gained on uniform basis would not more
than repay its cost?
On u Cropped Maiden.
She's rosy, bright. and fairy
And cuts her curly hair