The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-18
INCREASE THE MILITIA, NOT THE
ARMY.

should have a large standing army.
/ The regular forces of the United States
now number less than thirty thousand
This is certainly but a mere handful of
men compared with the vast arma-
ments of Europe. The guarding of our
coasts, which are peculiarly liable TO
attack in case of a foreign war; the
maintenance of a nucleus from which
to raise a force sufficiently large and
efficient to repel a foreign invasion. to
invade the enemy's territory or re-
press a formidable insurrection-these
are urged as reasons why our regular
force should be substantially increased.
1t is argued that experience has
taught that it is well to prepare for
war in times of peace, that money ex-
pended by nation in the maintenance
Of an adequate force is similar to an
insurance premium paid by the mer-
chant to protect himself against a
possible greater loss.
These considerations are by no
means insignificant. 1t is quite
true that the declaration Of war
Will OLS OL lll6 pOWS1S WOuiSe
likely result in the levying of vast
sum upon our coast cities to secure
immunity from an attack which we
would be poWerless successfully to
resist despite our unquestioned energy
and resourcefulness. Such an attack
could only be met by torpedoes not yet
constructed or laid, by cifled cannon
not yet cast, and mounted behind
modern Notifications not yet designed.
These things require time to Gavise
and produce and it is quite possible
that we would suffer great losses from
such attack against which the personal
bravery of our great population would
be without avail 1t is scarcely
possible that land attack could be
made upon us that would not result
in certain disaster to the invader.
The matter Of sea coast defense is Of
course serious. How best to defend
those parts of our territory which even
a seventh rate power with good ship
or two may attack with success is
difficult problem. Armored battle ships
and long range rifles can only be met
by land defenses and cannon supple
mented by torpedoes. Our naval policy
has been to construct an offensive
rather than defensive fleet while no
effort at all commensurate with the de-
mand has been made to fortify our
harbors. The necessities Of a proper
coast defense, however, do not now
render necessary the increase of our
regular force since there are no forti-
fications to garrison. If, therefore, it
be prudent to increase the army it is
because of the exigencies of the situa-
ton in the interior.
The government in addition to its
regular forces has the constitutional
right to call out the militia to suppress
insurrection, repel invasion or carry on
a foreign war. This places at its GER
vice an army of $1,000 men fairly well
armed. equipped and disciplined. The
organizations of these forces, almost
without exception, are now skeletonized
and could at once be expanded to
twice their present strength without
the addition of a single officer,
of harmless insignifcance through the
exterminating influence of a century of
white mems treaties; with scheme
of government which contemplates
that civil disorders shall in general be
handled by state troops with no forts
to garrison; without the fear of in
vasion or the threats Of instruction or
rebellion; without entangling alliances
with foreign belligerents; without
powerful neighbors to menace our
peaceful domain-we may venture to
disagree with the general of the army
in his views that a larger army is
necessary.
America has inherited Anglo-Saxon
prejudices against unnecessary stand
ing armies, and what strength was
lacking to this argument has been
supplied by the circumstances of the
cases which happily have relieved us
from the expense and danger of a |
large military force.
We believe that the true policy of |
the nation would suggest that the
army be not increased but that the
annual appropriation for the militia |
be increased from 100000 to four or
five millions In this way would a |
large, well equipped and efficient force
be provided equal to all emergencies
and compatible with the interests of |
the states and of the people.