The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-15
nucleus for q military force In oase Of
war. General Kslton says that to equip
and discinlina n TJnitad Stntaa national

wax. General Kslton says that to eqnil
and discipline a United States national
guard Of 10000 men would require Al
least S1,b00,ON n year. 1.-THE bill pro.
poses nothing to the national guard
that they may not accord. and asks
nothing Of the government IL should not
cordially give. The general government
needs at onoe tho national guard to loan
upon and to strengthen II, as to rely
upon its eve ready help with infinite
confidence; to encourage and discipline
it as to become a most important train
ing school for the use OF the whole
country as we'll in time OF peace as OF
war"
The report accompanying the bill con-
tains some startling statistics showing
the readiness with which Great Britain
could throw an army into the United
States. She has in India, according to
the latest advices, $4,000 English soldiers
and the native regular army Of 100000
infantry, $4,000 cavalry, 200 artillery
and 1,40O British officers. For the serv-
ice Of these she has more than 10000
horses and 800 field guns. From Cal
outta to Vancouver by way OF Singapore,
the report says, with an average of thir-
teen knots per hour, and allowing stops
for ~coaling, only twenty-eight days
would be required. For the rail journey
from Vancouver to Winnipeg, allowing
six days, which is a large margin, we
have t%hirty-four days, at the end OF
which time an army OF veteran troops
from India, part English and part native
with English officers, would be confront
ing Duluth, 81. Paul and Minneapolis.
Within less time than that Montana
could be invaded, lines of railway seized,
u great silver and copper mines be-
come the spoils OF the enemy and our
food supply cut off.
The worst blow, however, wouldbe
struck at our national granaries in Du-
luth and Minneapolis. On March |
there we're 100000 bushels Of wheat
in store at Minneapolis and 100000 at
Duluth. The monthly output of -four
from Minneapolis mills is 100000 barrels.
AZ a veteran officer we'll says: "The
United States may well find itself put
to it's trumps to feed its troops when the
wheat fields Of Dakota, Minnesota and
Manitoba shall be in the hands of the
same nation which controls the output
Of the wheat crop Of India"
Our most experienced men know that
to meet a veteran army Of at least 10O,-
900 men, thrown upon us within thirty
days from the declaration OF hostilities,
we have no esource but to i national
guard. As they view the situation the
United States should be able to have
a completely equipped force OF 100000
men ready in not less than f%orty-eight
hours, to seize the Welland canal and
check the movement of troops up the
st. Lawrence on our eastern coast, as
we'll as to cut the Canadian Pacific rail-
road and take care Of our northern
frontier on the west. The line of great
fortresses that have been planned, of
which n will be at Helena, are Of the
utmost Importance, but in case Of war
more troops will be needed to man them
speedily and keep them from falling
into the hands Of the enemy. No state
can be more interested in seeing a
thoroughly efficient militia, armed and
equipped like regulars and ready to co.
operate on Il days notice with our
standing army than Montana with it's
long line of frontier. Such a bill as that
to which we have referred ought to
become a law without delay.