The sun., 1893-01-20
The Proposed Chicago Camp.

many French members ana legislators.
The Proposed Chicago Camp.
The objections suggested by Gen. ScHo-
FIELD to the proposed encamping OF 100000
regulars and militia at Chicago. during
tho Worlds Fair, will probably put an
end to that project.
Gen. SCHoFIELD says It would be difficult
to find suitable ground for such body OF
men, and that, IL found, its drainage. water
supply. and other preparations would be
very costly. Besides. the military exercises
in such a camp could only be elementary.
and subordinate commanders ana stan
officers would not have time to learn enough
to make these exercises valuable. NO re-
suits obtained would be commensurate
with the outlay. so that. II established at
all, the camp should be frankly regarded as
n military show for the Fair. and not as
means OF instruction.
This comment Is made upon commune
cation OF the Adiutant-G OF Mary
land. requesting that 100000 troops should
be assembled That Is also the number.
comprising 9O. 900 National Guard and 10000
regulars. proposed by Gen. MILES. who
recommends that Congress should appro-
pirate sl,5OO.OOO for the expenses of the prof.
ect. Senator MITCHELL's bill proposes
81. 900 for $4,000 volunteers. members OF
the State organized militia. with the regu-
lars. But whether the number be 100000
or 10000. tho scheme is not very promis-
ing as means of instruction.
The question whether suitable ground
could be obtained and properly lifted up
may be left for the determination Of Gen.
ScHoF1ELD and Gen. MILES. both Of whom
have had practical experience in encamp-
ing large bodies of troops. But apart from
that point there arc others which seem
fatal to the project.
Gen. MILES. whose calculation can he
safely followed. says that SS5OOOO would be
required "for transportation only. based
upon tho lowest excursion rates for travel"
This great sum. more than half OF the
whole. would thus be expended simply for
getting the troops to and from the place OF
rendezvous. The entire annual appropria-
ton Of Congress for the militia is only
S4O0. 900. and it is proposed to give an
amount equal to about four years appro-
priation for one camp. and the greater part
OF it for railroad and steamboat fares.
The mistake in all such projects is that OF
going to great expense for collecting the
National Guard to do what they can just as
we'll do in their own State camps and ma
n9uvres. The enlisted men OF all grades.
and the company and even the field officers
would go through the same manual. march
ings. and manpuvres as at homo. In
fact. Gen. SCHOFIELD implies that even the
staff officers and the subordinate command
ing officers. who could alone get any prac-
tice not available at home. would derive
little IL any advantage from tho camp. 1t
would be Of comparatively little benefit to
anybody, with all it's expense.
Even il such camp could be made OF use
anywhere. at any time. Chicago during the
Exposition is about the last place in the
country to select for it. For some Of tho
volunteers the whole business might pre-
seut itself chiefly us meaus OF visiting the
Worlds Fair and finding board and lodging
there at the public expense. They could
hardly be blamed IL considerable part OF
their exertions were devoted to obtaining
furloughs to see the sights.
While little good could be expected. in
Gen. SCHoFIELD's opinion. from such a
scheme. it might do decided injury to the
State camps. These institutions now de-
mand as much Of the summer vacations OF
the men as most of them can spare for such
purposes. Should they choose this year n
free excursion to the Worlds Fair in place
OF attendance at the home camp. this latter.
which would probably be far more useful
for practical training. would proportion
ally suffer. It would not be surprising il in
most OF the States the encampments were
abandoned for the year: and such break
in the routine would be bad precedent.
Adjt.-Gen. DOUGLASS. upon whose pro-
posal Gen. SCHOFIELD comments. suggests
q possible source OF compensation. namely.
that such a camp would "show foreign
visitors what this country can do to pro-
vide against foreign enemies" But it is
doubtful whether the display. with its va
| riety of uniforms. arms. and equipments.
would be impressive enough to pay for the
outlay. Foreigners give US credit now. and
very properly. for being able to put 5000. 900
men in the field against invaders. so that
the fact that $4,000 or 100000 militia and
10000 regulars could be assembled In n
lelsurely way at n Worlds Fair. would hard
| ly be an important object lesson.
| Congress may find n useful militia ap-
preparation in armlng the National Guard
with the new KRAG gun, but 1t need not feel
obliged to send the citizen soldiers to the
Chicago Fair.
| Two Murderers.
On the same day the Court OF Appeals
decided against CARLYLE W. HARRIS his
l 4