New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-19

THE MILITIA.
IT'S DEFECTS AND THEIR REMEDY.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir 1t has been my good fortune to have been soiu0
what associated with battaions and companies vi '
militia Of several OF the States, principally 'oso "
Ncw-York Illinois, Missouri and Kansas ana 10 n"No
acted as Judge in various competitive drills, ana hcio
bear wiling testimony TO the sodlcry quaitios VI
all the organizations with which have pee" o'o"e
In contact When the manner Of organization, conpo
sition OF the rank and file, and the method OF ic's
officers and non commissioned officers arc con9iu
NAV well be a matter alike OF surprise ana cong
tion that such good results have been ootaliou' o.
that the country now has so many cmcient o''no'
so,ders I consider that whatever the mhi'ia VI VIZ
rr,,ed e.atc, lacks in military excellence arises rum
tho very nature of IFS inception composition ana ho
cu,i,r circumstances under which 1t e1ists-'h'ns' "
able because OF the high order OF It's ma'oii
the nature Of the laws and regulations which govern "
An individual enters the militia OF his own Voiilo
he Is usually in easy enough circumstances 10 por
-, A.. sa,ot. certain norton OF each week TO mill
,orr du,,es beng able TO do this, he Ia por forco "
,er,rcnt He enters the militia for various re''so"',
first and principally from tho innate pa'no''o or
military spirit which exists In tho ma1orS VI ]e
can citizens: next for socabhty, anu ia''S' a. =
very few to escape certain civil duties rom "n.on VI,
militia are exempt When a company Is 10 DC ior
ora NJ tbe first steps to be taken Is the selec'on Va
IN. officers and non commits stoned officers 'h's' VIZ,
law requires to be done by election when hoooss"'
entails certain amount of ceucuslng and elecnoheer
| ING for do not think tho company chis's J." ""o
| all the officers and non-commlssOned officers wero
| unanimously nominated and elected. Inc oi''o''
cho en- hence forth, consciously or unconfciouSiS
under a certain obligation to their aoeIch's anu ~
| would not be human II this obigation uiu no'' " "
| r eater or less degree influence the military '"'o
course between officers and privates Ihat " mas ~
| appreciablc effect In many cases IL shown ny 'no
nunher NJ c,ceIlent companies in many parts oil tho
| country which have demonstrated their military EN-
| cheney In various ways 1t is, however, ido'o'
AGAINST which, believe, almost every oicef anu hoh-
commissioned officer who holds his position by election
has To struggle when enforcing osclphhe' euDo
nation Is the soul of discipline, and to my MIND poth
be one and the other are endangered In tho orPah"a
49,, ,r,o,o officers have been placed In their positions
NV tho will of the men they expected 10 cohi"'n
| and instruct As the service IL voluntary 'no 80
ton of officers in this manner seems 10 DC
A. s difficult to find better and obviously u lies WIN
the rank and file in large measure to establish inc
degree of excellence of their organization WIN 10"
executions the officers of militia have met are cap
able studious, industrious and well able 10 Instruct
and If each member Of the rank and flo wou'o lorsct
for whom nc voted and give to his Officers Wiling anu
prompt obedience while under Instructions there II ~
reason why the company regiment should not reach
tho very highest order Of military efficiency lhe i"o
that officers and men are on the same soo'di io'0
mt to be lost sght of In considering this SUBJECT II
helps to explain the difficulty which ohicors sumo
experence in enforcing discipline 1t is natural lor
intelligence to think for Dlfnscl anu W oC IVAN
10 obey when the orers in conflict with his OWL
opinons and are given by one whom nc cohsneI'
merely his equal or perhaps his Inferior. Inc porco
mil AIRY fabric is backed by an unqueslohed au'hor
ity. This an holity Is binding upon every indNdua
who forms one Of Its components, and VINO Is tau8l,
IN respect II IA all his military acts ana to undes anu
i'm h., Win inevitably have to answer for thc Vloa o
ot any of ms regulations This element OF authority
Dies not CD ain in the militia to an extent necoesa! ot
re feet discipline and its lack Will frequently nidIlIs
! tsen on the drill ground, on the mach anu III INV
! cam Mitahen who mustered mo INC selNloe
~ ~ United States volunteers during lle idto wal
w 1 remember the change la the manner anu DoaI
| - their officer and commissioned olIc,IS ar
| Tho serious work of q solder commenced INC uIo
Chime of the amory and camp OF Instruction was soJ
! and a new order of things naugtratei' lneN iou Nv.
The aItces of war obey backed by Tho aui hoiS VI
tLe JTrItd s atrs. The officers fonnd IL eaS, 10 c
60 re their own views the ais of drill ann ln,,r
ii. and the mana cement OF the Interior an
a. Their comm .nds Prlvatcs found thai ucIcotau S
Of duty which were considered trilng al hoo
SeriouS when in the field. All interiors "cIo nuit
suho dinate and all recognized the necessity lor so
! obcdience 10 superior authority. ,,... T., A.,
In n word / consider that the minor uclycts III ~,
militia ara natural consequence OF inc ap1No
! Of aTairs When a remedy Is sought II should De io
The f,ird 1mental cause of these detects ms i cm
snnled would render the work of oDntefs,i,
! comparatvely easy. lhO OhAA