The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-21
THE ARMY OF THE FUTURE.

The opinion expressed by General
Miles that the regular army hereafter
should consist of 70. 900 men is not new
with him, as he has long held that
the peace military establishment should
he proportioned to the population,
about a thousand to each million. If
we assume hat our total population
is now In round numbers 20, 900. 900, one
tenth of one per cent will give us Cen
eral Miles proposed military force,
and can hardly be called excessive.
There are advantages, undoubtedly,
I'm fixing the size of the army in ratio
to the total population, chief among
which is that of having the gradual
increase settle itself almost automati-
Cally, or by operation of permanent
laws. with each new census. 1t would
be. at least. not more troublesome than
the reapportionment of representatives.
in congress, which comes as a matter
of routine one i'm ten years. and the
maximum then fixed wOr'7 hold good
till the next enumeration, except, of
course. in case of war or some other
great Still, such a princi-
pie might not hold good universally,
since in some countries the question
Of dangers from powerful n~eighbors or
extent Of distant colonial possessions
might be of prime Importance. II eve
the cars proposal for general disarm-
ament is taken up for practical action.
one of the chief points TO be considered
may be that of the military forces
which each country is entitled to main
tain for domestic purposes. regarding IL
as an armed c~onstabulary or executive
force for the maintenance of law and
order. Then general principles and
rules may be sought, and the ratio of
the standing army to the whole popula-
ton may figure permanently among
these general principles.
Without discussing further the prin-
ciple on which General Miles would
base our own army of the future, there
is at least nothing e~xtravagant for the
present in the result reached. The
maximum now authorized for the regu-
lar army exceeds 60, 900, although it is
not quite full. No chect we believe.
has been placed upon recruiting, m it
has even been said that officers will nc
sent TO the camps where volunteers are
mustered out. In order to secure for
the regular service men whose expert
ence of soldering during the war with
Spain has given them a desire to try
more Of II, and who have shown them
selves fitted for army life. If the ranks
should he brought up to their legal
maximum. we should have a strong
regular army. and the technical con-
tinuance Of the war will. according to
present indications. carry IL well up to
or beyond the reassembling of con
gress. Even after the peace commits
sion has reached its conclusions. garri-
son work in Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippines will have to go on.
Perhaps an immediate solution Of the
question as to the size Of the army
could be reached by making the max
imum of the enlisted force is now
authorized. and establishing that as the
permanent basis. subject to future mod
ification by congress. That would lave
the merit Of EimnfV CONTINUING a N vi
mum that already exists. Mr.. Hull
the chairman Of the house military
committee, long ago expressed his be-
lief that hereafter we must have So
600 regulars. but he now thinks. it is
said. that the number should be 1O0.-
900. Still 10 let the maximum remain
as IL is might cause less a~ntagonism,
and the only need then would be to ar
range the regimental organizations so
rs to take IN the enlisted force on a
basis better suited for peace. In the
artillery. for example. the humble of
regiments could be doubled so as TO re-
tain the present enlisted force on a
not of 200 men 10 a battery. as
now, hut 100. which is more convenient
and effective. In the infantry. the
liberalization system would OF course
continued.
Two things might specially commend
such ar arrangement. one is that the
ehllSleu strength SO authorized WOULD I
be only a legal maximum. SO that IL al
any time less were needed the presi-
dent could stop the recruiting. or con
gress could provide for the support of
n smaller number. The other point is
that. the stronger our regular estab-
lishment the sooner the volunteers can
be released. and the less likelihood
there viii he Of calling them out again
for an emergency.-New York sun.
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Was once a Pirate Bold.