The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-11
OUR Intent S0LDIERY
TREMENDOUS MILITARY POSSIBLY
TIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
Interesting Estimates Based on Gem
sus statfsdics-Some Figures Bear
ing on the civil War.


pressed with the unpreparedness of the
United States for hostilites with great
power or at least our unpreparedness that
would be were we not protected by three
thousand miles Of sea from any possible in
vasion by European armies Thus COM
pared to our little army Russia has no less
than 16632S6 men under arms in time Of
peace, Germany and France the nearly equal
numbers of 557093 and 5S2,6Sl, respectively,
Austria 320S07 and Italy 267,s47. England,
protected like ourselves from invasion by
the sea, has the comparatively small num-
Der of 22S,474 regular soldiers, more than
a third of whom are in India.
But when one turns from this showing to
that of the comparative military capacity
of the various nations, when he considers
the potential soldiers that the United States
has 10 draw from and observes how rapidly
our 200, 900 volunteers recently called for by
the President have been licked INTO shape,
then all feeling of American inferiority
vanishes and the unwisdom of our concern
ing ourselves about these overgrown arma-
ments of Europe becomes apparent.
The law for taking the census provides
that among other matters to be investigated
the number of persons of militia age shall
always be determined at each national
enumeration. This means all male citizens
from the age of eighteen to that of forty
four. They were found to number $780, 6S
in 1890, a throng vast that compared
TO it all the standing armies of Europe COM
bined are small in numbers. This potential
army of the United States probably to-day
numbers 15O00,000 in consequence Of the
growth of population since the census year.
The two hundred thousand volunteers late
Iy called for have made no perceptible
diminution in it's numbers whatever; they
have not used more than IL per cent. of it.
Not only is this militia reserve so vast,
larger by far than that which belongs to
any other civilized nation save Russia, but
It has also been proportionately increasing
in the past few years. In other words a
larger proportion of this country's popula-
ton than ever before is now liable to mill
tary duty. This is due to the large emigra-
ton we have received during the past dec
ace great part 81 Wnrcn Is comp4se9 or
years of age. The total population of the
country increased by 24.S6 per cent. between
1880 and 1890, but those liable to military
duty increased during that time by 29.31 per
cent.
OUR POSSIBILITIES.
OF Americans liable to military service in
1890 1O,424,O66 were natives of the country
and 2,s06,0O2 foreign born. The whites num-
bered 11,S03,s64, whilst 1,426,2O4 were colored.
From American negroes alone could be
raised a host greater than the combined
standing armies of Germany, Austria, Italy
and England. From foreign-born citizens
there could be recruited. a host more nu-
merous than the armies of the three great
est military powers, Russia, Germany and
France From these two classes alone with
out drawing upon native-born white Ameri-
cans there could be raised a mightier army
n nf oil nod
Possibly it might be said that this census
militia strength is but an airy thing to count
part of it might under due stress be
brought into active service. consider the
record of the single State of Missouri in
this regard, during the civil war Missouri
had in 1860 OH people. If as large a pro-
portion of these as at present, say II per
cent, We're Of military age, the total would
that Missouri furnished in round numbers
220 600 soldiers to the Federal and Confed-
able strength was pressed into service. No
doubt the same thing that was once done
In Missouri could, in the presence of q neces-
sity great enough, be again done through
out the Union. 1t is an inspiring view of
national strength to consider the probable
ity, almost certainty, that to-day at least
arms by the President, did dire necessity
require the putting forth of the utmost eff
Tort OF which the country was capable, to
repel foreign foe
The five States having the greatest
strengh in militia are, New York with / 325.-
els e Pennsyylvania with I4O,47s. Illinois with
with $50 .44S. other States with large militia
quotas are Massachusetts 499, 3I2. Michigan
smallest quotas belonging to any States and
Territories are Idaho A,6SS, Wyoming 24,614,
Arizona 1926 and Nevada. smallest of all,
STRENGTH OF CITIES.
The quotas that belong to the principal
cities are also enormous. New York city.
proper, could furnish $685. TSP militia, Chicago
2S2,607, Philadelphia 243,94S. Brooklyn 1S1 1856,
st. Louis 106.sS2 and Boston los, 552
Divided up according to sections, the diff
ferent parts of the country could contribute
to the Nations war strength, as follows:
The largest body Of troops, or 4,S35, 926, would
come from the North Central States, then
in order 3,79S.522 from the North Atlantic
region, 2O61,56O from the South Central
States, 1.617 91S from the South Atlantic and
Union.
It is interesting TO compare with these
ngures those also found in the United States
dence of survivors, both Northern and South
ern of the civil war. Most of the Northern
troops came from the North. Central and
North Atlantic regions, or 1925 and 3051 per
CENT respectively, at least their present
residence is found in these regions. There
has, however, been considerable movement
Of this class toward the West so that the
North Central States contain a larger pro-
portion of these veterans than actually en-
listed from them. Most of the Southern
troops of course came from the two regions
south Of these, but in a somewhat different
proportion. 1852 per cent. of the Confeder-
ate strength came from the South Central
States and 42.51 per cent of it from the
South Atlantic region. This represents
nearly the original proportion in which
troops were raised from the two regions.
There has not been so much of movement
toward the West as in the case of the North
ern survivors. Only 5.95 per cent. of all sur
North Central States. and these are almost
altogether found In Missouri In the North
Atlantic States their numbers are repre-
sented by the exceedingly small fraction
O.55 per cent. of the total. Union veterans
on the other hand are found in considerable
numbers in the Southern regions of the
country. Thus sos per cent of their total
IS found In the South Central region, prin-
cipally Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas.
or the survivors of the two armies 4.S5 per
cent. of the Northerners and only 1.36 per
cent. OF the Southerners is found in the far
= Western region of the Union.
Many Union veterans are found in every
state Of the Union. Their numbers in the
North are by no means in proportion to the
population OF the various States. Thus New
York has only S6,041, whilst Pennsylvania
and Ohio have much larger numbers, or
1107s0 and 1Ol soc, respectively. Illinois has
nearly as many, II 15S. Missouri with
6S,145, ranks high In this regard. even though
so many of her sons were in the armies of
the South. Next come in order Indiana
with CRAP, Kansas with 60627 Michigan
With 4S.9s4 and Iowa with 42.Ss5. OF all the