The state herald., 1898-03-18
NOT READY FOR WAR.
THE SITUATION OF THIS NATION
While We Have Immense Resources II
Would Require Long Time to Pre-
pare for Actual Fighting.


Some time ago Representative Hill
born of California delivered an address
to the students of the University of
Chicago upon our military helplessness.
1t will be remembered that his disclos-
ures caused quite II sensation, and
when Congress assembled half II dozen
earnest patriots went to the Navy De-
partment to Gbtnln material to reply
to him from the floor of the House.
But they We're Informed by Secretary
Long that the records of the depart
ment sustained Mr.. Ililborn's state
mems and that 1t would be better for
Congress TO vote money to place the
navy and the army in n proper condi-
tion than TO indulge in n debate which
would only expose our weakness to for
eign powers.
Every officer of the army and navy,
almost without exception, who is com.
peient to speak, will tell you that Spain
is much better prepared for war than
the United States, and that 1t Is prob
able that 1t would be victorious in the
first two or three battles, although we
would certainly win In the end.
man who knows said: "lf all the
powder factories in the country were
kept running night and day it would
take seven months for them to pile up
ammunition enough to make 1t safe
for us to begin shooting. There is no,
enough ammunition in sight to-day to
llalf fill the magazines of our navy or
half the easements of half our coast
defenses. The new guns, the big ones,
| takes half n ton of powder every time
they are fired, and it must be n certain
| kind Of powder in order to make them
effective. If we should use the old.
| fashioned po' der in one of those big
rifles the smoke would not clear away
for week. All the powder factories
are now running on government orders
| TO their full capacity. and they are
turning out some pretty good stun, but
we are not ready for battle by good
deal, and we don't want to lose the
| first one If we have got TO fight We
don't want any Bull Runs in the next
| war.
There is no doubt that we could
raise an army OF 5000. 900 men. and we
| could equip them with pOlicemens
clubs In n few weeks. but we could
not make arms enough for such n
force for several years. While there
are probably 5.0OO,O00 rifles and shot
| guns and other shooting irons In the
| country, they would be practically use
less, and there are not enough modern
rifles In reach to-day to arm the exist
| ing militia. In most of the states The
militia are carrying Springfield rifles
| that were made In 1873 In other
states they have Peabody, Sharps
| Spencer, Martini. Remington and Whit.
ncy rifles, which from the inspectors
reports range from ''wretched' up 10
fair" In condition. In several of our
armorlcs and arsenals. both Of the reg,
ular and state troops, we have Calling
guns, brecch-loadnig rifles OF two-incl
and thrcc-inch ,Nlibrc, twelve pound
| NapolcOns, PARROT guns and other oh.
solcte ordnance which would have
4 been condemned long ago In any other
army than that of The United States
while The artillery harness is absolutely
worthless
'If the militia of the United States
We're TO bc called to arms to-day moi
| more than unc-third OF the men could
| pass an ordinary inspection, and the
regulars are not too well supplied
The greatest difficulty with the militia
wonld he the variety Of their equip
| ments and the fact that they carry
arms that are obsolete. and very liItlC
| ammunition Is made for them any
more. We have military storchouses
nj Philadelphia. JcfersOnvlllc, st
Louis and San Francisco, but the ma
| iorlal ON hand would not be sufficient
| to equip the regular army II Il wcr,
called Into action. OF course we have
| great resources We are remark
able people. We could do all that need'
to be done quicker and better than
| any other nation on earth. hut tn,
| yOungsicr spoke the truth who said
| that even God could not make two
ycnr-old colt In n minute"
The navy ls In better condition than
the army. although eigh, or ten Of oui
best ships. Including the Columbia
and the Minneapolis, which ARE III,
crack cruisers and the fastest ships
niiunt. are quite out OF commission
| and II would require several weeks II
not months To III them for sea. From
| LOO To 1000 sailors are absolutely
necessary to furnish crews for the YES
sels We have In lime OF peace. aud Il
| place the navy on n war footing would
| require not less than 5000 more men
II would be- easy enough io get them
but there Is n vast difference between
naval warfare to-day and In 1861
| Then any sailor could me made useful
| Now n mnn-of-war Is monstrous On
| glnc. filled with machinery of the most
complicated and delicate character
| The guns are loaded 10y steam and
| fired by electricity, and II Nquircs
u