The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-25

Thus the necessity for charging the
regular army has been demonstrated
in the campaign just closed And De-
fore that campaign began it was as ap-
parent to my mind. The discussion of
an Anglo-American alliance, winch
could not but make for the peace of the
world, at once emphasized our need OF
larger regular army. With such a
powerful ally, we would need more SOL
dierS to hold u our end. With such
an ally. we need them all the more,
since we are at any time likely to be
enbroiled' with some of The great ma
lions OF Europe, and such a conflict
must not. and 1 hope will not, find us
as unprepared as did this.
IF the nations of Europe have gone
to one extreme in preparing for war,
the United States and China went 10
the other extreme, and l should not
say that the emergency found us much
better off than China. With one train
ed soldier for every thousand of our
population, we would today be able TO
take care of ourselves. And 10000
would seem sufficient regular troops
for some time to come, although 1T is
true that there are now living boys
who will see 200, 600 of population
in the United States.
IF with our new responsibilities such
q regular army seems small, compared
with the costly and gigantic military
establishments of Europe, it must be
remembered that Russia and Germany,
for example. are nations of soldiers.
Their armies are commanded by their
emperorS, who are bred to arms, and
are soldiers as soon as they are out OF
long clothes. The discipline OF an army
of soldiers whose -in-chief
is himself a disciplined soldier, must
be admirable. Why, even the queen OF
England talks of my army and my
navy The organization of such an
army can be brought to perfection.
Naturally the general staff in q Eu-
ropean army is in it's character quite
different from our own. We have
general staff organized under ten bri
gadier generals, whose headquarters is
at Washington, the adjutant general,
the quartermaSter general, the paynas-
ter general, the commissary general,
the surgeon general, the chief signal
officer. the chief of engineers, the CHIEF
of ordnance, the inspector general and
the judge advocate general.
LAS distinguished from the staff,
come the line, the fighting men, whose
is so largely dependent on the
staff And also on the efficiency of the
staff, on which my official report will
tell all / desire to have made public.
am not seeking controversies, nor in
viting arguments.
Naturally the genekll staff would
have to keep pace with an increase III
the regular army. And that increase
would have to continue. logically, but
gradually, beyond the 10000 mark.
''The lesson just taught us by the de-
lay in organizing and equipping the
militia is one never to be forgotten
When the call to arms came the regu-
lars were then and there ready for duty.
AS d matter of fact. there have been
very few volunteers in the field at all,
two regiments in the Santiago cam
paign and eight engaged in Porto Rico.
Several of these saw actual service.
And they were entitled to all the praise
they got But how much better II
would have been if we had had 10000
enlisted men when the war with Spain |
broke out, and everything else on a
military basis?
"Of course, this great country can, |
in time. prepare for any great emer-
gency But the delays and hardships !
and sufferings entailed necessarily by |
that preparation would have been, and |
could be, avoided, it seems to me. There |
IS no longer any room to doubt that IL |
IS wiser TO be prepared az all times |
for all the possibilities Of war. That
lesson is written on the tombstones.
LAS ours is not a military nation. in |
spite of the magnificent bravery, skill |
n gunnery, audacity and endurance of |
our regular and citizen Soldiery, l do |
not think the European system of mill |
tary reserves would be suitable for |
adoption in the United States. AT the |
same time it appears to be impossible |
10 keep our militia up to the standard |
If discipline required in fighting men. |
more than bravery and |
is needed. That some
hing can be supplies only by careful |
raining. AS the reserve systeRa-iS not J
suited to the disposition of our people, |
where else can such training be sup |
0lied than in the regular army?
rs it not we'll known that many men
DIN the militia in this country, not for
training so much as for social
purposes, and for the distinction that
| uniform gives? When the next call
% arms is sounded. and it viii be
even though our country re-
main in its present state of isolation.
ire we to depend on an ill-prepared.
and unequipped army? Or
ire we to have a standing army of
proper dimensions, under strict disci-
,line. ready for immediate action, at
home in the smoke and fire of battle
IS well as in the privations and re-
trictions of the camp?
How much greater is the need of
acing this problem if we are, as seems
low to be the case, called upon by the
curse of events to take our place
.mong the graf powers of the world"