Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-01-02
Our military Necessity.

New York, Dec "a The military institution
at Governors island was at it's 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 Gen. Sherman in the course OF an ad-
dress upon the military necessity of the United
States, said:
When I approach any matter necossitating
labor and study sh rink from it feeling disposed
to claim all the advantages Of retirement and
the hands Of the bri ght youth we see daily
growing up around US. Every age produces
it's own workers, and the experience OF man
kind is that agents of former epoch are rarely
adopted tozmodern uses. [ am convinced by
actual experience that habit is more valuable
quality than what is called courage. laEe q
hundred Of tho bravest men unaccustomed to
the confusion of battle, march them up to a
breast~work and they will break and drop to
the ground sooner than would 100 average men
Of the regular army that have become
accustomed to obey the command, "Fan
simple rule of habits rests the existence
of the regular army to-day in this
grand republic. All parties agree that it ia
becoming tho settled policy OF our govern
ment to maintain the smallest kind of regu-
lar army more as school for instruction than
IL y,
vasion, must be supplemented by militia, in
asmuch as the militia ls a physical force Oh
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, 20 far as we may, to
be made valuable when called into active ser
vice. There has been q bill introduced II
congress by Gen. II. W. Slocum, the passageot
which would be q great stride in that direction
of change. The whole bill substantially repeals
the old ant1qUated system of militia devised BY
our revolutionary fathers, and substitutes anew
one far better adapted to our modern experience.
While enrolling all man subject to military du-
ty, it leaYes the great mass at home and segre-
gates smaller number to fulfil the purposes OF
our constitution-tob be prepared, armed, equip
ped and accoutred-and proposes for this pur-
pose On annual sum OF $6oO,oo Again,
instead of 700 men for each member and
delegate in congress, would suggest q more
convenient and better understood battalion OF
four companies of a maximum of lOO and MN.
inlum Of 50 men for each company The tota
number of congressional districts and terrific.
ries is now about $780, This will give 1,3A
companies to 100 regiments of of IL companies
each, aggregating maximum Of 132, 900 and
a minimum Of 5000, a force amply sufi Gent
for nn possibilities. Taking this lesser lumoe,
and assuming the cost Of each militia man t.
be $50 per ann1m land that is a large assump.
ton, T belieye), it will make the aggregate cos'
50, 3OC, 600 would divide the sum equally be-
tween the F2ited States, states OF communities
in which any company, battalion or regiment
resides. Nearly al Of the officers who compose
| this institution can recall cur experience with
new regiments as they cafre to us, raw and I'M
praeticed, and how soon, by association, they
became experienced soldiers. The bill pro-
proposed will aid the states to make one Uni.
form system throughout the United States.
believe there is no moro 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 regula,
army and the people of the United States.