The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-18
DRILL FOR THE BOYS
THE MOVEMENT TO HAVE MILITARY
TRAINING IN THE SCHOOLS.
Major Cochranc, Who Has the Matter
i'm Charge for Indiana, Presents
Reasons for Its Introduction.

d
eral movement to interest the people in
the subject of military drill In the public
schools, were adopted and the comman-
der-in-chief was instructed to appoint
special aid in each State to bring the mat
ter to public attention. Major William NJ.
Cochran, of Major Anderson Post in this
city, was assigned TO that duty, and while
public meetings have been called in New
York and other States Major Cochrane calls
attention to the matter in the following
statement:
THE question OF military instruction in
the public schools is not new to many Of
our schooImen, nor to some of our states
men, but vital and distinctive ques-
for military defense of the, Republic in
case of attack by foes without or foes
within, an emergency that arises in the
history of all nations. the commonality
know but little and have thought of but
little. The observing, intelligent and pa
triotic citizen, however. he who forn.u-
lates his idea OF the future from wisdom
taught by the logic OF past ts or Gonte n
greater Importance TO our country than
this matter of nstructing. the youth while
in the public schools, to the, end that they
may be fitted to defend the laws and Iber-
ties of the Union in the event volunteers
should be. called for, and to instil into
them, while young, spirit of patriotism
and love for the flag and for what IT rep
resents.
however. great difficulty has been expert
enced in regard to procuring suitable in
near which are stationed commissioned and
noncommissioned officers OF the army,
%Se is rue that the
existing law permits the President to de-
tail officers of instruction for colleges, and
for the issue of ordnance stores to them,
yet such provisions are not available to
the public schools, where the Lincoln sort
whom this country will owe its future
achievements, greatness and glory. ~ ~
clearly suggested to the thoughaful MIND
more valuable to the country If he be en-,
gagged In instructing four or five thousand
community than If he be instructing q
comparatively small class In college lf
college boy, giving him commendable free.
erect and graceful carriage OF the body,
the graceful use OF his arms s, and legs IN n
eye and pose Of the head, the awakened
latent endowments of his better nature and
true discipline of his will, and many other
useful requirements, are they not also ac-
QUESTIONS OF equal delight and value TO
pie statement OF fact Is convincing.
GENERAL HARRISON'S VIEW.
''In response to a question in regard to
this matter published in the Century Mag
azine for January, 1884, General Harrison
said: If all the schoolboys OF the North
had, from 1890 on, been instructed In the
schools of the soldier and OF the company,
and In the manual Of arms, how much
precious time would have been saved I'm
organizing the Union army of 1861. We
were in very low state, as a people, in
military knowledge and training, when the
great civil war broke out. Volunteers In
plenty but few soldiers. 1t will not be
safe to allow war to come upon us again
in that state. for wars pace has greatly
quickened and the arms OF precision now
In call for trained soldiery. Under
hnU In ~
standing army, and our strength and safety
are IN a general dissemination OF military
General Horace Porter stated our cond-
ton aptly when he said: We differ from
all other countries in having neither an
adequate standing army nor q system of
enrolled reserve subject to military train
ing. The whole policy of our government
and the spirit of our institutions arc
against enforced military service, and we
must look to some substitute which VIII
avoid it's hardships and still leave the Ma
ton without adequate means of defense
In seeking TO introduce. this system Of
tra1nhg yne from "a Stern ex Is
that the citizens of a republic should at least
have the rudiments of military training
in actual warfare. Our days OF soldering
have passed, but We owe our country the
sure that the youth of TINS generation who
will soon take our places, shall be better
PREPARED than ,sn I'VE, we were 70 serve their
"Our people are unalterably welded to
traditional policy that Will, In the no dis
tant future. test the military strength OF
the government to Its utmost. As yet the
Monroe doctrine has been but little more
than thunder in the index but, may It
May II not come at an inopportune mo-
ment? Are we ready fer it to come now?
ment which, though always popular with
the people; his not shown much practical
isss. that we would stand BY the. policy,
broils Of Europe, nor suffering inc powers
Of the old world to interfere with the af-
fairs OF the new and that any attempt to
extend their system to any portion Of this
hemisphere would be dangerous 10 our
peace and safety which policy the Re,
woof of the American idea we assumed an
obligation that involved the honor Of the
saaed ior BY al sacred tradon hedges Us
in with mighty responsibilities we cannot
safely ignore While l write these words Of
are occurring that should awaken the pro-
found interest OF al true patriots The
toward our sister republics. in the light
of her old-time policy and methods prom
rSrs ~ Our government is about TO be
put In position where IL must formulate
a reconstructed Monroe doctrine, abandon
all concern in the future of the smaller
republics OF Central and South America or
maintain Its. traditional claim by military
formative elements Of our army, trained for
such an emergency? The Grand Army OF
the Republic, representing nearly 100000
veterans of the late war, understanding the
necessity of military training in our
schools and colleges, have undertaken as
an organization, to shape and mold the
public mind and formulate law to that end,
so that the Nation may be, not only patri-
otto and wealthy, but possess a strong arm
OF defense.
CASE IN POINT.
.'The thoughtful student of contempor-
aneous events wisely seeks for causation.
The war in the East. from one point OF
view, brings to his attention a problem
of great interest to our countrymen While
we Americans have but little interest in, or
possibly use for, the causes leading up to
the war. yet should be interested,
deeply interested, in the causes that lead
up to the humiliation of great nation,
whose population is near one-third of the
human race, and whose wealth is marvel
Gus beyond degree, and that, too. by an
erstwhile poor. contemplate and effemnate
people of an island of the sea. who, TWEEN
ty-seven years ago, We're semi-barbarous,
but who now, in less than seven months.
have conquered and Inundated China In
great military power. transported $500 or
ganlzed and equipped troops, three days
sail across the Yellow sea- and landed them
as that of the United States. IL she could
IL. y t1 hAF ANfslI