Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-27
OUTING FOR MILITIA
Interest in the Project Manifested in All
Parts of the Country.
PLAN TO CONCENTRATE STATE TROOPS
Bringing the Soldiers to Omaha During the
Exposition Year.
WAR DEPARTMENT TAKES HOLD OF SCHEME
Advice Asked of Officers of the Department
of the Platte.
MERCER WILL ASK CONGRESS TO AID
soldiers of the cTrnnsmississippi Coun-
try Likely TO he One of the
Features of the show
of 1898.
Advice Asked of Officers of the Department
of the Platte.
MERCER WILL ASK CONGRESS TO AID

tEy Likely lie the
| Features of the Show
of 1898.
| The .dea of mobilzlng the militia OF tho
United States at Omaha during the exposi-
tion, which was first proposed in an article
appearing in The Bee of March s, has at
tracted attention from all sections of tho
country. and the interest in the movement
Is growing to sucn an extent that the sue
cess OF the scheme seems almost assured.
The War department has taken the matter
up ami has dii iocted General Coppinger, conf
manding the Department of tie Platte, to
report on the availability of the country sur
rounding Omaha for an encampment OF this
| sort Stepe are now being taken looking
| toward the support of the movement by the
federal government and matters are begin
ming to assume such shape that even the
most skeptoal are beginning to acknowledge
that the plan may succeed.
The idea Of moblizing the militia, as re-
ferred to in The Bee of March s, is briefly
this To secure the encampment at Omaha
in 1898 of as many as may be of the $780,
900 state troops in grand school Of instruc-
ton under the direction of general officers
of the regular army, detailed for that pur-
pose by the War department. This idea has
beer advocated very strongly from time to
time by secretaries of war and high officers
OF tho army, who have argued that the mill
tia must form the nucleus of the nations
defensive force in the event Of war and that
the troops should be given the advantage of
military MAJ euvers on a large scale in order
to increase their efficiency.
A letter was received from General George
d. Ruggles. adJutant general of the army,
few days ago by resident of Omaha from
whom en.ahated the suggestion which ap-
peared in The Bee. The letter referred to
throws considerable light on the attitude OF
the federal government The following are
excerpts from the letter:
The federal government appropriates
Si0O0 900 per annum for the support of the
militia, which amount is allotted to the states
and territories in proportion to their repre-
sentation in congIess, and Is used mainly for
the purchase of arms, ammunition and milf
tary stores, annual returns of which are re-
quired to be made to the War department
ATTITUDE OF CONGRESS.
THE last step taken by congress to pro-
mote the efficiency OF the militia was to pass
the act of February "a, 1897, authorizing the
secretary Of to issue to each state and
territory Springfield rifles, caliber 45-inch. in
exchange for an equal number of arms
(other than Springfield ech-loading rifles
of this caliber) now in possession of the
states, and to issue at regulation prices for
plies from any department of the army as in
the opinion of the secretary of war, can be
spared.
The attitude of congress toward the MILL
tia is shown by the laws already quoted and
the fact that a committee on the militia is
regularly kept up in the house of representa-
tives and that the senate committee on mill
tary affairs devotes special attention to the
militia Is an evidence that our national
Legislators have not lost interest in that
branch OF our military force.
THE attitude OF the War department to-
ward the militia is most friendly and every
possible assistance is rendered Organiza-
tions belonging to the permanent establish
ment are frequently sent to do duty with
state troops during their summer encamp-
ments and to combine with them In the
execution Of such military maneuvers as may
bo practicable. To militia units stationed
the seaboards the War department also
extends facilities for drill with seacoaet guns
and in seacoast fortiticatlons. Upon appi-
cation from the governor Of a state or terri
tory the War department will detail an officer
to report to thu governor for duty with the
state troops, whose duty it is to comply, as
far as legally possible, with the requests OF
the executive to impart information as re-
quested in all professional matters, to at
tend state enCampments and to make such
inspections as are desired. The assignment
of these officers may be regarded as public
declaration of the deep interest taken by the
War department in the welfare of the state
troops
PLAN MEETS WITH FAVOR.
When the article to which reference has
been made appeared in The Bee OF March 8
the Department of Promotion of the eXposi-
tion wrote letters to the adjutants general
Of the several states In the union, asking
their opinion of the scheme for concentrat-
ing the state troops at Omaha in 1898. AL
most without exception the replies were
favorable, the only exceptions being the Of
hcers of a few of the states in the extreme
east, which have made Intellectual attempts
to accomplish the same result. Some OF
these replies were mCst enthusiastic; all
admitted the great advantages to be gained
by the troops in such experience, but some
hesitated at the item Of expense. Some Of
the latter suggested that the only practical
way of bringing about the result was TO
secure the aid Of the federal government.
With the few exceptions mentioned hereto
fore, all the adjutants general promised their
hearty cooperation in making the affair 4
success.
About the same time letters were sent to
the general officers OF the militia in the
several states. Tho replies from these were,
without exception, strongly favorable. Many
of the writer's made suggestions in connec-
tlon with the movement which contained
valuable ideas. A similar lot of letters sent
TO regimental and company officers In the
several states ELECTED a batch Of replies
which were even more fefyid in tone than
those from the general Glcers. The latter
letters showed that the rank and file Of tho
militia are highly enthusiastic at the bare
suggestion that such a movement is even
contemplated. Company commanders wrote
that they would be on hand with their full
company even If they had 10 march the
whole distance. Others gave the number of
men they could be counted on to produce
at the proper time. number OF these
letters threw out suggestions to how to
reach "our congressman" There was en-
thusiasm in every line of these letters from
the officers who are In close touch with the
men who constitute the backbone of tho
nations defense,
Almost simultaneously with the sending
out of these letters Congressman Bruner OF
Per nsylyania introduced in the house a bill
appropratlng $1,000 900 for an encampment
Of the militia Of the United States, to be
held under the direction Of the War depart
ment. No time or place was named In the
bill, but there Is no reason for believing that
II las any relation 10 Omaha or the Trans
mississippi Exposition.
WAR DEPARTMENT TAKES HOLD.
The matter has been brought to the atten-
ton of Congressman d. II. Mercer and no
ID now engaged in preparing bill proYld-
for fiatt pf al