The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-02
THURSDAY. JUNE 2. 1898,
ORR WANT OF PREPARATION.

ORR WANT OF PREPARATION.
The Times is no grumbler. It believes
that those I'm authority should be credited
with an earnest purpose to do the best IN
their power and much should be endured
before harsh criticisms are made But IN
al things there Is n point at which pa
thence ceases to be a virtue and rebellion
becomes a duty. We think that point has
becn reached in the treatment that Nir-
ginia's volunteer soldiers are receiving.
They are not supplied with the arms or
the uniforms or, in great part the food
that they ought to receive. and this is
sinplv inexcusable at this day so far
removed from the time when they were
called into the field. We are almost at
the door OF Washington. and It would be
the easiest matter in the world to have
this comparatively small body Of men
supplied with everything they need II
those who have charge of the matter at
tended to their business properly. Great
allowances are undoubtedly to be made
for these gentlemen. but they could do
better than they are doing II they exerted
themselves with proper energy. Energetic
attention to business is the sine qua non
10 success in everything. and the neces-
sary amount Of that is plainly wanting
in this case.
we make these censorious remarks with
entire confidence, but we admit never
theless that the exigencles Of this Span
ish war found us in state of UMPIRE
paredness that is simply a scandal. We
had scarcely enough. if enough. Of the
new magazine rife adopted for our army
TO arm the regulars, increased as they
are by the recent act of Congress. so
that we have nothing TO arm the volun-
teers with but the old, discarded SPRING
field rife, with which they must meet the
spaniards armed with the hauser re-
peating rife. We had no supply Of tents
or camp equipage and the volunteer
army had to be created from the very
beginning out Of the raw material as it
were
why IL this so? The heads OF the vari-
Gus departments have been stating the
facts TO the Secretary Of War for twenty
years. and the Secretary has been stat
ing them to Congress I'm his annual re-
ports through all OF that time, and urg-
ing upon Congress the Importance OF
making appropriations to create stock
NJ arms and Announcements for a volun-
teer army in case we were required TO
form one. but Congress has paid absolute
~ no attention 10 any OF the recommendn-
lions. There was no swag in such appro-
priatlons as those The money would all
be spent I'm a quiet, unostentatious way
under contracts that held parties down
TO the honest prices. and no CHARGE was
given to employ a heeler who would re-
ciprocate by turning up in a nominating
convention to help the Congressman to
another term These recommendations
have all been ignored. therefore. while
members OF Congress were nosing out all
the camp followers and other bummers
TO whom they could get pensions allowed
80 that they would become toolers Tor
their benefactors In the next Congress
sional election.
We have no hope that we shall ever
see this disgrace ended. 1t seems to
be the curse OF free institutions that they
are condemned to produce set Of public
men who will sell their influence I'm public
affairs for political services 10 be rem
dered by the worst element IN
policies But We surely can force
Congress 90 put MS into bet
ser shape for future wars. II we should
be so unfortunate as to get into them
than we were this time We should have
several armories established in central
paris OF the United States In which thers
should be kept stored million OF rifles
OF the pattern adopted for our regular
army. and al least 100 rounds or ammuni-
ton for each rife. We should have IN
them az least five hundred field guns with
ample ammunition for them and with
tents and camp equlpage Tor at least
Eve hundred thousand men. Congress
should then make an annual approprla-
ton for the State militia that will keep
II up 10 a high condition OF efficiency and
We should then have always a well drill
cd and well organised force OF volunteer
state militia ready TO be turned over 10
tbs United States government upon en-