The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-05
[From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.l

IFrom the st. Louis Post-Dispatch.l
Recent events have convinced the
people of the United States that they
need more soldiers" The man who said
this was Major-General Schoield, com
handing the United States army, who
is here at the Malvern hotel.
AT least, general, the army now, as
always, is in good condition and ready
Tor any emergency" was asked.
Certainly. my dear sir, but recent
events have convinced the people that
they need more soldiers. Military men
have been aware for a. long time that
the force at their command was not
large enough to deal effectively with
riotous disorder that might extend over
wide area. Consequently they have
sought to interest successive congresses
in a measure that would provide for
the enlistment of a larger number Of
men. Conservative, thoughtful men.
however. needed the object lesson of the
late strike to persuade them that the
expert soldiers were right Conditions
nave greatly changed since the army
was put on a peace footing and re-
uuceo Tor purposes of economy to 25, 900
men, its present efficient force. For
long time the Indians were trouble
some and most Of the work for the
army was on the frontier To strength
en- the cavalry and infantry and keen
within our limits, we were forced to
Qeplete the artillery and neglect the
sea BOARD defenSes. By the bye do Won
AioW lhat 10 man properly our fortifi-
cauons along the coast would take So
~ ~ III .';li: VI course, we could call on
me me mllta to help us out in time of
IoIeISn war But a large percentage .,f
men must of necessity be exnert col
u-efs 10 manage the complicated and
1eucate engines of war now in use
iofelgn war is a remote possibility. and
II is not Of that I am thinking now
ne conditions under which we live
nave greatly changed since the civil
war Indian troubles have 5ae, w az
duced, and the dangers. removed or
modlfed by circumstances with which
every one is familiar.
q graVer problem now presents
1lselI, that is how to deal with the de-
plaVed vicious elements of our new
foy T.yl,i,o say new people advisedly,
loI WINE the population has nearly
4oupIed since the war, it is not main
~ que TO the increase of native Gift
zehs' but rather to the influx of for
eigilerS, who have been drawn from
IL poorest the most ignorant and
NAAooCo Al Europe. These
PIE nave settled mainly in the cities
ana being ignorant of the laws and
haplts OF life and thoughts of tba
American people, knowing nothing and
caring less for the spirit of the Com
slltutlon, they are a menace to the
PSaGe ana prosperity of the country.
VI late years the duties and resnonci
pllltles of the federal government have
peeh increased, interstate commerce.
dos nave imposed new obligations
Inc great railway highways TO tha
racine were specifically made military
IodQs' must be kept open as such as
mails ms INC
FOR the proper performance of its
4uncllons and the enforcement of lis
IlShls what power save thar of +ha
army mas the executive at its COM
-nahq You will answer that while
municipal authorities have their police
anc state authorities the militia the
clFll authorities of the United Sta tas
nave their United States dennfv
marshals, whom they may employ as
occasion demands for the enforcement
u orQers by federal courts and to pro-
tect FEDERAL property. But such men
hlreo Tor occasions only. are little ar
no value where opposition is met and
they are defied. They are undiscin1in-
ed, unreliable and not to be depended
on; agree with Washington that the
my S4SCllNe force Is q Disciplined
force. A few regiments of weIl-train-
ed soldiers are better than an army of
irregular, undisciplined men, no matter
now well armed they may be. Wash
lngton demonstrated this when he
formed the Continental line He had
been driven almost to despair bv fbe
Failures Of his militiamen. From The
tme that he established his line of
regulars success began to light On his
banners. Understand me, / am NOT
seeking to dlscredit the state militia
OF To-Day. East of the Mississippi there
are today found very creditable state
troops, New York, for instance. has an
admirable militia, sc has Illinois. This
was demonstrated by the National
Guards conduct during the late
troubles around Chicago. But west of |
the Mississippi there is scarcely any
militia worthy of the name. The
country is thinly settled. and in case of
laWless outbreaks at isolated points
the governors of states know with |
what difficulty they can bring to the
Sceie OF action any considerable num- |
Der of armed men
CITIZEN Sol TTERU