The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-14

NlL1E, y. W.. w i
Increasing Militarism in America.
Baneful, indeed, are the effects O
war. An evil growth continues t.
spring up and trouble humanity, Ions
after the actual conflict has ended. A
very conspicuous and striking illustra
ton of this truth is afforded by the
history of the United States, since the
great Civil War of 1865. In the first
place, as to crime, an enormous increase
of almost every description of offence
especially of violent attacks, followed
that conflict, and has been marked
feature in America ever since, as is in.
contestably shown by the statistics
published by the most eminent OF
American jurists and penologists, as
for example by General Brinkerhof,
of Ohio, who has devoted special at
tention to this subject.
But, in addition, it appears that ever
since the Civil War there has been
steady development of the military
spirit amongst the general population.
A very intelligent English traveller,
who has repeatedly visited the United
States and has Just returned from an
extensive lecturing tour through that
country, informs US that the aspect OF
American life which most impressed
him, during this last journey in partic-
ular, was the extraordinary develop
ment of popular interest in all manner
of military shows and war-like pomps.
It seemed to him that there was q
widespread passion for the display OF
arms and uniforms, and for marching
in long professions, with military
style and martial music. The growth
of this tendency has been very evident
during our informant's successive Wis
it's to the States, but never more 80
than recently.
Whilst it remains true that the regu-
lar standing army of the United States
only numbers about twenty-five thous-
and men, yet there are many hundreds
of thousands, not to say several mil
lions, of carefully-trained militia and
volunteers, in the various States,
whose evolutions and public parades
have become marked features in the
social economy of each district. OFF,
cial and popular encouragement IS be-
ing extended, in very powerful meas.
ure, to foster the increase of these local
regiments. For example, New York
offers the large bounty of three hun
dred thousand dollars (e6O, ,0OO to each
militia regiment of certain slze-us-
ually from 1000 to ], 500 men-on con.
dition of their building an armory OF
certain proportions. And in such
cases the regiment with its officers and
friends, usually subscribe similar ad-
ditional amount. There are already
six of these large and costly armories
in New York City alone.
The very numerous pensions PAID by
the Federal Government to the survlv-
ing soldiers who fought for the North,
in the Civil War, or to their widows
or other representatives, amount, IN
the aggregate, to the enormous sum OF
fourteen million pounds sterling.
This wide distribution of rewards, Tor
participation in past warfare, holds out
a suggestive and tempting inducement
to millions of citizens to regard at
least with considerable complacency
the possible recurrence of war in the
future, with whatever nation or foe it
may happen to be waged, because 1t is
evident that any such conflict would
be followed by further wholesale dis
tribuiion of pensions and other emolu-
ments.
The training of the young to the use
of arms, or to military drill, is rapidly
extending in the United States, and is
attended by much popular approval
and admiration. Thousands OF lads,
in their smart uniforms, are paraded
through the streets of cities and towns,
from time to time, amid the enthusi-
asm Of their friends and crowds of in
terested spectators. The adoption of
military dresses and professions is ex-
tending among large classes of the ci-
william population, as for example,
among firemen, Freemasons, clubs and
even charitable institutions. Church
parades of such bodies are becoming
increasingly frequent; and as the
brightly-dressed professions. with
their shining arms and equipments;
and their military music, file into and
out of church or chapel, the effect pro-
duced upon the numerous spectators
is, it may be easily imagined, anything
but favorable to sober and pacific sentl-
ments.
In addition to all these influences OF
martial tendency, there exists a large
and growing organization named the
"Grand Army of the Republic" con-
sisting of some four hundred thousand,
or more, of volunteers, who are band
ed together to prepare themselves for
any emergency which may possibly
arise to imperil the interests and 'llber-
ties of the Northern States in partlcu-
lar.
Altogether. a huge tide of militarism
is increasingly setting in amongst this
vast nation Of sixty million people-a
nation which, it is evident, can never
be conquered by any foreign invader
whatever, and which, therefore, might
reasonably rest secure from alarming
of invasion from any
quarter. Some half dozen Peace and
Arbitration Societies are laboring faith
fully and perseveringly in the United
States to counteract, at least in some
degree, this great current of martial
enthusiasm, but unfortunately the in
huences tending in contrary dlrec-
ton are incomparably more numerous
and extensive.-HerGld OF PeGce.
Reflections.
Folly must hold its tongue while