The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-12

Washington, Oct. 1.-Major General
Schofield has made to the secretary of
war his report on the operations of the
army during the past year. General
Schofield, who has been at the head
of the army since the death of Cen
eral Sheridan, announced his retire
ment next year.
The report is principally devoted to
a. discussion of The necessity for
strengthening the military arm of the
government to cope with internal dis
order as well as possible danger from
without, particular reference being
made to the Debs strike.
During a large part of the year,
the report says, "the army has been
employed in the suppression of domes-
tic violence, which took the form, IN
many cases, of forcible resistance to
the execution of the laws of the Uni
ted States, seizure or destruction OF
property, under the care of the UNI
ted States officers and open defiance OF
national authority. THESE disorders,
at first local in character, spread at
length to about one-half in NUMBER
and tWo-thirds in area of all the states
and territories. excluding Alaska. so
widespread and formidable an insur-
rection called for the vigorous acton
dictated by the President
cat the city of Chicago resistance TO
law assumed such formidable proper
lions that it was necessary to concen-
trate at that place nearly all the army
forces. that could be made available,
~ Of
on the Pacific coast the navy depart
ment placed at the disposal of the de-
partment commander the naval and
marine forces at the Mare Island navy
ward. and these forces rendered valu-
able services. The responsible duties
thus devolved upon the army depart
ment commanders were performed by
them in the most satisfactory manner.
The instruction was promptly sup
pressed without any unnecessary sac
rifice of life many case.
Did Good Work.
''The prompt and vigorous action of
the troops in all cases and the great
forbearance manifested by hem when
subjected to all sorts Of insults and IN
dignities, designed to provoke retal1a-
ton were worthy of the very niShese
commendat ton. 1t illustrated, in a most
striking manner, the great Xalue 10
government of we'll disciplined force
at all times. subject to orders of that
government for the enforcement CT the
faithful execution of it's laws.
eft would seem unnecessary to point
ont the fact that any force Like the
militia of a state, or the police of a
city, acting primarily under another
authority, though highly efficient IN
their appropriate service, cannot De
made a reliable instrument for the
prompt and effective execution of the
laws of the United States. Manifestly
every government should have an ade-
ouate force of it's own for the execution
of its own laws, no less than the judicial
executive officers necessary for the same
purpose.
The Army Inadequate.
"The country is now, for the first
time, squarely confronted with the
necessity of making adequate provi-
sion. not only for defence against any
possible foreign aggression, but also
for defence against domestic violence
in the form of forcible resistance to the
laws of the United States. A just esti-
mate of those means of defence required
consideration of the vast extent OF
the Tinted States and the great amount
of property widely dispersed through
out this territory, either belonging to
the United States or in such condition
as to be under the protection OF the
naional government. When these facts
are duly considered, it becomes mani
fest that the present strength OF the
army is not adequate to the perform
ance of the service which may at any
time be required. 1t is certainly mani
fest that the present CONDITION OF tns
country, with a population OF nearly
seventy millions, under the danger OF
disorder now known to exist, cannon
be met by the same force that was
deemed adequate twenty-five years ago
when the population of the country wa
Hess than half its present amount ahG
domestic violence was not apprenended
| One man to fourteen square mlles
of territory, or one hiai
! to twenty-eight huhuleu
population is surely very smatI guar
| to protect property anu preVen1 , vlole'-
| ton of law. leaving out of considera-
| tion the force necessary to guard the
extended sea. coast against sudden at
| tack by a foreign enemy. 1t is alst
worthy of remark that more than once
| in the last summer an 1nfurlated mot
| in a single city was twice as formid
| able in number and capable of doing
vastly greater injury to life and prop
ertv as the most formidable combina
! ton of Indian warriors THAT ever con
fronted the army in this country.
! I'm a few words, the army has beer
recently required to deal with an army
| far more numerous and dangerous tt
| the country than any savage enemy
which it has heretofore been called
upon to meet.
.sThe effective strength Of the arm.
should be considerably increased. Thi!
! can he done at a very small compare
tive increase in cost. The present regi
mental organizations need not be large
w increased Two additional regiment.
| of artillery for the necessary sea coas
defense; two additional regiments o
| cavalry to patrol the long lines of rail
road under government protection, anC
| % regiments of infantry converted int,
| three battalion organizations would, i
| is believed, be a just, conservative est
| For this, the existing number of com
missioned officers is nearly sufficient.
Increase Necessary.
"But a considerable permanent in
| crease in the enlisted strength of tn
army should be made and a still fur
| Their increase authorized to be made b,
| the president, when in his judgment al
emergency requiring it may REASONABLE.
| be foreseen. 1t is not a, good militar,
system in which the executive has n
authority whatever to increase the eff
| fective strength of the army in time O
need but must await the sloV- PROOFS