The Indianapolis journal., 1898-05-27
Reorganization of the Militia.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Captain Bradys article on our state mil
ttia is certainly timely one. / had re-
marked, only few days ago, that our next
Legislature ought to revise the militia laws
so that the state militia would be more ef-
fective in times of quick action. The laws
should be so revised as to make all state
militia branch of the regular army; the
government should furnish them with arms
and uniforms, which should at all times be
up to army regulations; companies, instead
of being mere fragments of companies,
should be kept up to the maximum number,
and the same care used in mastering in as
is used in the regular army. Another thing:
The strict discipline for the regular army
should apply to the militia A regular term
OF enlistment should be required. and at it's
expiration the vacancies should be re-
cruited full. The present system is little
more than a social gathering. AS Captain
Brady suggests let the State provide
proper drilling places, and at least once a
year let the troops go into camp and un-
dergo rigid drill and disciplinary training
for not less than sixty days, as far as pos
sible under experienced officers. A few les
sons each year in military discipline would
be of vast benefit to our young men, even
ton; they would be able to govern others
and themselves much better than now. In
the event of a quick call transfer could be
made without friction, and of trained men,
The first call made for the present emer-
gency was supposed to simply take the state
militia, but the four regiments which have
left the State have only a semblance of the
original militia commands, and for effective
inf ba Inc mall
or with raw recruits. i think the laws gov
erning the militia should be so rigid that in
times like this the government could call
upon the State and get the quota of militia
with almost the same promptness that the
regular army could be assembled from the
different parts of the country.
Another thing: The officers should be we'll
drilled in correct system of keeping ac-
counts. This may seem unnecessary, yet
the government has been for years trying to
straighten out the claims of officers of the
lac war, and the Court Of Claims has now
before 1t cases that cannot be audited and
settled.
l was amused in reading an article from
an officer in which he enumerated the
things the men should take with them on
another person he laughed quite heartily,
and said he had seen the same thing, and
remarked that the officer certainly had had
no experience or he would not have left
out one Of the most important items in the
list. On being asked what 1t was he said
Umbrellas" showing lack or want of ex-
the American volunteer is as good a SOL
der as ever went into battle, but little
needed preparation makes him available in
much shorter time, a thing most impor-
tant to a government with but a small
standing army. The American volunteer
goes into war for a principle and not for
pay, and he fights with the conviction of
his principles and with a courage that is in
Vincible. 1t behooves us, as a nation with
practically no standing army, to have a
high standard of military discipline in our
militia, so that in an emergencq we cannot
be taken at disadvantage. Lord Wolseley
says. 1T would be unfortunate for us to in
wade Cuba with volunteers who are not
fully drilled and disciplined" While he
thinks we would defeat any nation in the
long run, at first we would meet only re-
verses 1t is much safer and easier to
avoid defeat by having well-disciplined
troops, which, under proper methods would
require. little or no delay in organizing an
army If we had properly drilled and dis
ciplined militia. Let Indiana be one of the
first States to so revise its laws governing
the militia that. when called upon again,
we can send forth a complete quota of
we'll disciplined soldiers on the shortest no.
tice. e. H. WILLIAMS.
Irvington, May 26.