Omaha daily bee., 1886-11-20

The annual report of the adjutant gen.
eral of the army contains nothing of
greater importance than the rccommen-
dations he makes regarding the militia
of the states. The reports of the in
specting officers show many defects, all
of them, however, remcdiable. The sug-
gestions of the adiutant general point
out at once the faults and the means for
their correction. He recommends that
state encampmcnts should be at least of
ten days duration, and without disre-
garding the consideration of economy in
the concentration OF troops, they should
be ut n sufficient distance from the homes
of the members of the command to iso-
late them from business and social inilu-
enccs, which seriously affect efforts at
imparting instruction and general disci-
plne. There should be no appearance
of holiday character, as is usually the
case, about the camps. Their purpose is
not for amusement, but for instruction
and training in the arduous work, the
close attention to duty and the stern
discipline of n soldiers life. The state
encampment should be, in all essential
respects, a complete counterpart of a
camp of regular soldiers in order to cflec-
tually accomplish its objects, This, how
ever, it rarely Is, and the ercfore il is that
the militia of most of the states is found
to be extremely deficient in the matter of
military requirements, and with respect
to morale and discipline inferior
to the lowest European stan
dard for corresponding military
organizations. Another recommended
tion Is that elementary company drills be
excluded from the military exercises, and
the time devoted to instruction and prac-
ticc IN skirmish and battalion drills and
guard duty. The fighting of the future,
in the opinion of the adiutant general,
must be done in open order, and hence Il
thorough acquaintance with the skirmish
drill IS of the highest importance. EXhi-
bition drills are interesting as showing to
what degree of mechanical precision Il
body of men can be trained to attain in
movements and motion, but they are of
little service in fitting men for the active
duties of a soldier The development of
extreme smartncSs in drill observes the
adiutant general, in many instances in
wolves the neglect of some of the most
important and solid parts of soldiers
training.
The importance to the states and to the
nation of maintaining well organized
militia every intelligent citizen under
stands. 1t was recognized by the
founders of the government, counselcl
by Washington, and no statesman who
succeeded them has questioned it. Its
valueand necessity does not grow less, but
greater, with the growth of population.
If the policy was wise at the beginning
of the government it is wiser now. In
the absence of great regular army,
which the American people will not and
should not create, the security of the
government must rest in the future, rs it
has thus far done, upon its citizen sol
diers. In order that that dependence
shall not fail, that there shall be always
at commando power strong and effective
enough to meet any possible eXigency.
there must be thoroughly organized and
well-trained bodies of militia in all the
states. Fol- this purpose there is no def
cheney either in the amount or quality of
the material. In the possession of all the
qualifications that go to make good sol
diers the young men of America are not
surpassed by those of any other nation.