The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-24

| governor kept a list of the offers and
| was surprised TO find that they came
/, from the conservative element and solid
1 citizens rather than the young and IN
| ruly.
SHORT ON OvERCOATS.
| Regarding the situation Of Colorado
| should war be declared. the governor
4 spoke as follows: "Of every 100000
men called for the quota OF Colorado
| would be $50 men, and the first ca4l
| will be answered by just about LOCO
| well trained officers and men, Within
| twenty-four hours-ten hours II neces-
| sary-we can load few more than l.
600 men and equipments on cars and in
| thorough shape in every respect 1or
campaigning with the exception of
/ overcoats. The arms have lately been
| thoroughly overhaulede and are in ex-
] ceIlent condition and will be well hand
| ed If necessary Then, for the second
| cab, there are about 1 500 men almost
as well drilled who would be ready to
| take the field as soon as uniformed
| and equipped Within thirty days il
| would iDe simply question OF how
| many men the government wanted and
( could equip There are a number Of
patriotic serni-rnilitary societies in the
| state, the members of which are well
| drilled, and would, with very little trou
! BILE, be made into good soldiers. / be-
Eeve that within thirty days there
could be furnished no less than 5000
men who have considerable training in
marching tactics. These men would
of course be preferable to green men
and for differing them there are suf
fcient we'll trained men in the state
who have signified that they may be
called upon.
1.-The actual number Of officers and
men in the national guard at present is
1,012. and they are a hardy set Of young
fellows who would make a good show
ing. We have one battery of light ar
tillery with the men very we'll drilled,
and while they are at present supplied
with weapons of an obsolete type, still
if supplied with modern guns they
would make a very good showing. The
general class Of young men in the guard
is better than the average. They are
all bright young fellows who pick up
knowledge very rapidly and in a very
short time would equal the regulars.
They are as well drilled now as can be
without actual experience.
For the third class of men we would
call on the members of the Sons of Vet
Grams and also graduates Of the high
schools and similar institutions who
have very good draining in tactics.
When these would have to be called on,
however, the whole army raised would
be the biggest thing the country ever
dreamed Of for Colorado, in case of
need, will send forth at least three
times more than her share as compar-
ed with other states.
But have an idea which, in case Of
trouble, will be placed into practice and
will astonish the world and make the
name OF Colorado known in army liter
allure for some time to come. Colora-
do viii have absolutely the best cavalry
troop in the whole army, barring none.
1t VIII be made up of cowboys and
range men who are acus toned to being
in the saddle day and night and know
no fear. They are toughened physic-
ally to endure all sorts of exposures,
and care nothing for danger. The
principle item in the code of ethics of
the cowboy is that he must be afraid
of nothing and not care whether death
Is on the other side of the fence or not
He will take his chances and jump over
and give a tussel anyway. Then, one
of the principal qualities of the well
trained soldier is to take care of him.
self individually under any circum-
stances. This is taught every hour of
the day in the cowboys life, and he is
almost perfect in this respect. Then
he can shoot whether he is astride a
horse at full gallop or standing on his
head, and his craftsmanship is the best
under any circumstance. He never
thinks of using a hand to direct his
animal, but guides him by his knees or
by the swinging of his body. Both
hands are free to fight, and he knows
how to use them. The horses are also
we'll trained and will stop at nothing.
Shooting over their heads they pay no
attention to and they will go through
fire or water, If necessary, without
hesitation.
place a couple of troops OF this cort
under daredevil leader and the world
would be surprised. Nothing would
stop them but death, and it would be
pretty hard to kill them all off, so what
were left would fight until told to stop
or captured and then they would give
band-to-hand tusSel before they could |
be taken. We could raise three of four
troops Of this kind and send them into |
the field and their work would be equal |
TO couple of regiments of soldiers. II |
three companies, for instance, were TO |
be sent out the rivalry between them |
would make the men perfect demons, |
and absolutely nothing human. except |
an immense force could withstand their |
onslaught. Colorado's flag would be |
dreaded more than an unknown mine |
of dynamite.
And right there we would again |
shine very brilliantly. We could furn- |
ish thousands of men who would be per-
fectly at home in laying concealed |
mines of dynamite for traps for the /
enemy. We have a thousand OF men
who are accustomed 10 wearing half a |
dozen sticks of dynamite under their
shirts next TO their skin almost con-
stantly and afraid of nothing that |
walks or runs. They keep the sticks
there while at work TO keep the ex-
plosive from freezing, and in the event
of war would be most valuable for
handling high explosives.
There is another subject which the
people of Colorado must consider. It
would not take much more than thirty
days 10 turn the big plant of the Colo
RADIO Fuel and Iron company at Pueblo
into a gun foundry and this matter is
OF vital Importance to the general gov
ernment- The plant can turn out steel
and iron at less cost than at Pittsburg
and, besides, is SO far remote from the
that ii is virtually beyond at
tack from an enemy. For instance,
If 10000 men landed on the Pacific coast !
and started toward Denver they could |
never cross the deserts. Then when |
they struck the mountains a few hun
dred men could stand them off From
the north and south they would have 10
march overland and il would not take
very long TO mobilize force 10 head |
them off. From the east there is little |
danger.
But to get back TO the gun foundry.
Within a very short time We could be
turning out very good pieces. We have