The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-01

New York, Dec a The military institution
at Goverrore Island wa. at its best TO-DAY
A large gathering Of heavily clad gentlemen
met 10 listen to Gen William Tecumseh Sher.
man. Gen Hancock presided. The audience
was one which it Was not necessary to call to
order Cen. Sherman in the course Of an al,
gross upon the military necessity Of the United
When | approach any matter necessitatine
labor and study shr rink from it feeling disposed
to claim ill the advantages of retirement and
certain that We may safely leave the future in
the hands OF the bright youth We see daily
growing up around Us. Every age prYducea
its own workers; and the experience Of man:
KIND 10 that agents Of 1 former epoch are rarely
adopted to.uaod6rn uses I am convinced By
actual experience that habit is more valuable
quality than what is called courage Take !
hundred of the bravest men unaccustomed to
the confusion Of battle, march them up to !
6reast;work and they will break and drop to
the ground sooner than would 100 average men
accustomed Is obey the command, "Faii
IL, forward" and 30 forth. On this
simple rule Of habits rests the existence
OF tho regular army to-day in this
grand republic. All parties agree that it il
becoming the settled policy of our govern
ment to maintain tho smallest kind of = regu-
LAX army, more as q school for instruction than
FOR actual service The army, in cases of in
vaslon, must be supplemented by militia, in
asmuch ~ tho militia Is physical force on
which the chief magistrate of the nation must
mainly depend for the execution of his high
Office. 1t therefore becomes our duty as sol.
dlers and citizens to aid, 80 far As we may, to
mold that militia into form in which it may
be made valuable when called into active ser.
vice. There has been bill introduced II
congress BY Gen. H. ". slocun,; the passage Of
which would be great stride in that direction
thsold aS6qaatsd system Of militia devise pii b
our revolutionary fathers, and substitutes a new
ono far better adapted to our modern experience
While enrolling all man subject to military du:
~ It leaves tho great mass at home and segre-
gssss . smaller number to fulfil the purposes OF
our constitutional be prepared, armed, equip
ped and accoutred-and proposes for this pur-
pose an annual sum of $60O, 600. Again,
instead Of 700 mon. for each member and
delegats in congress, would suggest more
convenient and better understood battalion OF
four companies of maximum of 100 and min
imu1h OF 30 men for each company. The tota!
number Of congressional districts and terrific.
fies ii now about $40! This will give 1,5A
companies to 100 regiments Of of II companies
each, aggregating maximum of 132, go anc
= minimum OF I'd, OOO, force amply sniff lion,
for al possibilities. Taking this lesser umbe,
and assuming the cost of each militia man tc
~ W. Poa SAAuu \Suu tldt 10 y lSISO &6Sulup-
ton, believed, it will make the aggregate cost
49, ,0O0 would divide the sum equally be-
tween tho United States, states or communities
in which any company, battalion or regiment
resides. Nearly all Of the officers who compose
this institution can recall our experience with
new regiments IS they came to us, raw and I'M
practiced, and how soon, by association, they
became experienced soldiers. The bill pro-
proposed will aid the states to make ono uni
form system throughout the United States. l
believe there is no more important subject to-
day before this institution than that Of assist.
ing in perfecting the militia and in bringing il
into more cordial intercourse with the regulai
army and the people Of the United States