The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-10-22
Is American society Readx2

/ "
October editorially advocates the i'm
mediate Matchmaking of the militia of
| the United States, under the authority
of the Constitution as it already exists.
| We quote as follows: "Thc traditional
American policy of avoiding the en-
ployment of regular troops in the sup
preston of disorders has been proved
wise one. 1t has spared us the financial
and other evils which attend the main
tenance of large regular army. 1t
has surrounded the little regular force
with so much of the odor of sanctity,
that when it has become necessary to
use it in the last resort, n sergeant and
dozen men have been sufficient to
make their way through the stoutest
mob. 1t has kept alive the popular
sense of the cumulative power by which
American society deals with disorder;
first the sheriff with his posse; then the
governor with the militia of the State;
and finally, and in the last resort, the
president with the regular troops of the
United States; SO that sufficiently seri-
Gus resistance can only result in array
ing against it the entire physical force
of the nation. Every indication to be
drawn from past experience warns us to
rely on the militia Of the States as the
main instrument for the preservation of
order, keeping the little regular force
as the final trump card, to be played
only when the state of the game impera-
lively requires it.
"The State militia, then, is the key to
the situation. How the States have
dealt with their trust it is hardly neces-
sary to say. The story is the Same in
all the States. In each there are few
crack regiments, usually in the cities,
and number of others which figure
largely on paper, but would need sever
al months of active campaigning in
order to take rank as really effective
military force Some of the companies
hardly ever see one another until they
touch elbows for the first time while
listening to the reading of the Riot Act.
Such force must of necessity be but u
broken reed when the State comes to
lean upon it; and the persistent refusal
of the States to better it is only sympto-
matte of that general policy which sub
ordinates everything else to the secur-
ing of time for the legislatures to en-
gage in the more congenial business of
deals, to the neglect of the protection of
the State and its interests. There is
small hope for the State militia, when
left to the tender mercies of State
legislature.
"Thcre is no need that it should be
left to any such fate. The Constitution,
in the eighth section of Article l., gives
complete authority to congress to meet
the emergency in question. 1t empow-
ers congress, by general law, U) to
provide for organizing, arming, and
disciplining the militia; (2) to provide
for their use in executing the laws of
the Union, and in suppressing insur-
rections, and (3) to provide for govern
ing the militia, when so called out, re-
serving TO the States the appointment of
the officers, and the execution of the
discipline prescribed by congress. There
stands the power, waiting for congress
to put life into it, if that cstimable body
could spare time for the work at any of
its sessions. One-fifth of the appropri-
atoms in the River and Harbor Bill,
one-fiftieth of the heart-burnings, jeal-
ousies, and log-rolling which mark the
annual progress of that measure, would
put American society into position
from which it could consider judicially
and decide justly the conflicting claims
which now SO seriously threaten the
public tranquility. To decide under
the pressure of riot and disorder is of
necessity to decide unjustly. For Sc
curity against such calamity it is only
necessary for congress to exercise its
plenary power under the Constitution.
I Will the new congress do itp
1T is true that the transfer 10 con-
gress of legislative power of marriage
and divorce is, in more senses than one,
q leap into the unknown. But, when
it offers so promising, SO clear road to
the solution of the Mormon problem.
when it offers assurance of security to q
great and helpless class of our ever
moving population, when the indica-
tons from analogy are that the un.
known will be advantageous to the So
cial and political interests of the people
and injurious to none. the subject is
evidently one for the most thoughtful
consideration, lest opportunity, once let
slim should mass from e,ls forever