The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-01-01

2 -
New York, Dec THE military institution
at Governors Ialand was at It's best to-day.
pay large gathering Of heavily clad gentlemen
met 10 Listen to Gen. William Tecumseh sher-
man. Con. Hancock presided The audience
was one which twas not necessary to call. to
order Gen. Sherman in the course Of an ad-
dress upon the military necessity of the United
States, said :: ., 81. : ~
labor and study shrink from it feeling disposed
to claim NIL the! advantages Of retirement and
certain thatswe may safely leave the future in
the hands of the bright youth we see daily
growing up around US. Every age produces
It's own workers, and the experience Q man
adopted to.modern uses. I am convinced by
actual experience that habit Is i more valuable
quality than what is called courage. q Take q
hundred of the bravest men unaccustomed to
the confusion Sof battle, march them up to =
breast-work and they VIII break and drop to
OF the regular army that have become
In, forward, 2 and SO forth. On, this
simple rule of habits rests the existence
Of the regular. /, army to-day il II
becoming the settled policy Of our govern.
ment to maiptain the smallest kind of regu-
lar army, more as q school for instruction than
for actual service. The army, in cases Of in.
tvasion, must be supplemented by militia, in.
asmnch g the militia u 4 physical force on
mainly depend for thes eSecuion 1T his high
office. It therefore becomes our duty "a sol.
:dters and citizens to aid, far as we may, to
mold that militia into q form in which it may
be made valuable when called into active SER
congress- by. Gen. 81. W. Elocum, the passage t
which would besA great stride in that direction
of q change The whole bill substant ally repeala
the old antquated system OF militia devised by
our evolutionary fathers, and substitutes new
onefar better adapted to our modern experience
While enrolling all man sub ect to military du-
3y, it leaves the great mass; at home and Begre.
gates Q smaller number to fulfil the purposes Of
our constitution Ito be prepared, armed, equip:
ped and accoutred- proposes for this ,pur-
pose an annual sum of 5000, 600 Again,
Ei Y Of 100 men; for each member and
convenient and better understood battalion Of
-four companies OF o maximum OF 100 and min.
imum of SO men for each company. The tota;
number Of congressional districts and terrific,
fries is now. about S20.s This will give 1,8x
companies to 100 regiments Of of II companiea
q minimum OF 66, 600, q force amply sufi cieni
for all possibilities. 4 Taking this lesser EumbeJ
and assuming the cost Of each militia man X
be ShA per, a,s';um (and that is large assump.
$to.,, i'S..es ~ viii make the aggregate cost
", 3U0, yOd y. would divide the sum equally be-
tween the q fitted States, atates or communities
i'm which amy company, battalion or regiment
resides. Nearly all Of the officers who compose
this Institution can recall onr experience with
new regiments as they came to us, raw and UNI
practiced, and how soon, by association, they
became exp rienced soldiers. The bill pro-
proposed will. aid the states to make one uni.
form system through out the United States /
believe there is no more important subject to-
day before this inshtdt Jon tthan that Of assist.
ing in perfectng the militia and in bringing Il
into more cordial intercourse with theireguiI
army and the people Of the United States