Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-11-16
OUR ARMY.

OUR ARMY.
Report OF Gen. Miies--Iiis visws on Bettes
cast Dsfsnses-Other Important Recon-.
mendationa
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE annual
report OF Gen. Miles, commanding the
army, was made public yesterday. The
personnel Is shown to be In excellent
condition, we'll instructed, efficient
and attentive TO duty. Liberal appro-
priations are required for public build
iugs ut the posts, many OF which are
out Of repair. Gen. Miles believes
that the peaceful condition now ex.
isting among the various Indian tribes
Is largely attributable to the presence
Of troops ut suitable points, and to the
admirable conduct Of the experienced
army officers who have been placed In
charge OF the principal agencies.
Under the head OF coast defense
Gen. Miles states the condition OF
these defenscs is such rs to require de.
cided and immediate action for their
improvement. The unguarded condi-
ton OF our coast Is known by every
first-class power, and our people should
not be led into false security. lie re-
calls what he said in his report In 1889
upon the absolute Importance OF the
defense Of the entire Pacific coast, in
view OF the fact that It was possible for
any naval power to blockade every inn
portant port within ninety days. while
It would take many years to make n
successful resistance, and the country
might be required to pay an indemnity
Of $1,000, 10000 The entire gulf
coast and all the great cities OF
the Atlantic coast northward to
Philadelphia nre entirely without
modern guns. While he docs not an
tipate war In the near future, he
shows that in the last 200 years In less
than 10 per cent Of the wars has there
been any formal warning or declara-
ton before hostilitics, and rs II would
require years of time to construct
modern weapons OF war 1t would be
unwise to disregard the lessons OF
history. In our own country FOR
nearly 200 years there has never been
q period of thirty five years in which
II has not been involved In war. He
points TO the case Of China, which
made the fatal mistake OF relying
upon its vastly superior numbers for
safety, and argues that the best guar.
antee OF peace is condition OF rcadi-
ness for war.
Therefore, he strongly recommends
the construction Of all the high power
guns and system OF defenses called for
in the general plan Of the board OF
ordnance and Notifications and other
boards, and to meet in part the ex-
pense OF this costly undertaking he
suggests the application Of the funds
that might be derived from the sale OF
abandoned military reservations To
man these guns he asks an increase OF
the artillery arm, with the provision
of barracks at Fort Hancock, N. Y,
for the accommodation OF the troops,
and the systematic detail Of subaltern
officers for instruction in rotation ut
this place.
To thoroughly demonstrate the util.
ity of bicycles and motor wagons In
the army 1t Is recommended that
force OF twelve companies be equipped
with these devices, to be manned from
the 4, 900 officers md men in the army
able to use q bicycle, which has been
already found extremely useful.
Gen. Miles argues for an increase In
the strength Of the army, saying that
there Is no reason why 1t should be-
come crystallized and kept ut one
strength, as 1t has been for years 1t
should increase with the growth OF the
country and be determined by the cen.
sus Mt q minimum OF the one soldier for
every 1000 population and maximum
of one In 1000.
Gen. Miles concludes his report with
several recommendations intended to
benefit the condition of the officers and
men and attract to the military service
the best element in the community.
One suggestion is that where soldier
has served honorably for five years
and wishes to leave the service, he
may. after passing an examination, be
commissioned as second lieutenant and
discharged. Such man would bcne'
dit any community, be useful in the ma
tional guard and constitute a valuable
reserve in time Of war. The pay oil
non-commissioned officers should be
increased. officers should lie given a
rotation in duty to fit them for general
commands, and those below the grade
of colonel who have served thirty
years and who rendered valuable serv.
ice during the war should be permitted
10 retire with rank one grade higher
than they now hold.