The record-union., 1898-12-24
THE ARMY BILL.


The minority report Of the commit
tee to which was intrusted the army in
crease bill, reflects the expression of
Mr.. Bryan, who hastened to voice his
opposition to any increase of the mill
tary force the instant he was released
from military duty. 1t may, therefore,
be accepted as the Keynote of the op-
position this ambitious man vainly
hopes tolead in the campaign of 1900.
This opposition enters its protest to
any increase of the regular army above
the figure 10000. But, conscious that
the disposition of so small force in
our new poss essions, would leave prac-
tically no strength at home Of that or
der, with garrisons practically aban-
dr,ned and military property left with
oIt sufficient guard, to say nothing of
the preservation of sufficient force
to insure the execution of the laws and
the preservation of the peace as against
domestic turmoil, the opposition advises
that a new volunteer force shall be or
ganized for a special purpose, which
shall be the guard duty necessary in
the new possessions. This volunteer
army of 10000 men, it is outlined,
should be enrolled for not more than
two or three years.
That is all wrong. Whatever scan
dals have grown out Of the recent hasty
arming Of the nation for war, had their
genesis and did their work in the vol
unteer commands. Whatever Of serious
error, bad management and gross ne
glect in the army have shamed the ma
ton, are chargeahle wholly to the civ
ilians suddenly rushed into military
duty, Of which they were in the main
totally ignorant. To the ineXperience,
chicane and dishonesty of men who
found their way into offices of trust re-
lated to equipment for war, the mainte-
nance Of camps and the care Of the in
terests of the soldiers in camp and in
field, is to be charged all army ills COM
planned of.
There is not recalled a single instance
of any Importance whatever, of scandal
charge or mismanagement that cannot
be traced easily to the fact that civil
ians We're suddenly invested with au-
thority. Even in the one case where
there have been charges of misman-
ageme'nt on the part of regular officers,
it is found that they were dependent
upon acts of those who have had lit
tie sor no military experience or train
ing.
But with the regular army the case
is very different. The officers in COM
mand are not the creatures of political
pulls, or the tools of political manag-
ers Favored sons are not possible
in the regular army. The men to COM
mand are chosen from youth for merit
and9capacfty, are educated for duty by
the Government and are subject to a
species of military competitive and test
examinations and trials, which insure
competency in the officer placed in
charge Of men or of military operations
OF any order.
This one reason is sufficient answer
to the entire proposition Of the oppo-
sition, but it is not by any means the
only one. Military service to be eco
nor1ic and efficient must be the life
work Of the men to whose conduct it
is to be intrusted. The regular army
NCfesf<s Ky 1eS-c. RI he I,
any volunteer force of equal number
that can be called into service, for the
simple reason that it is ready, well dis
ciphned, trained and is always pre-
pared.
1t is very true, though this PROPOSE
tion does not appear in the scheme OF
the minority report, that in the distant
possessions a large native element may
be utilized in arms to do military duty
But no one has as yet had the temerity
to even suggest that this should be
done under the volunteer system. AL
such levies should be attached to, and
be wholly subject to the regular arm
of the service That is a proposition
too plain and forcible to be susceptible
OF dispute
But even with the suggestions Of the
opposition conceded, for argument
sake the proposed force will be toe
small. The dimensions of the nation
the vast area Of our territory, the ex-
ceeding extent of our sea coasts, tbs
vastness of the population Of the repub-
lic. and the Importance of Federal in
terests at home and abroad, demand
that a force of regulars shall be main
tained commensurate with the interests
involved, and somewhat in proportion
to the population of the nation. 4
standing force of 100000 men scatter
er from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from
the ST. Lawrence to the Gulf, from
Porto Rico to the Philippines, from Ha-
waii to Guam, will be neither a forTnid-
able or sufficient force. It will not
create militarism or threaten the Nber-