The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-07-28
MILITARY STRENGTH
That of Uncle Sam Probably the
Greatest on Earth.
Facts Concerning Our Fighting
Force which Have Come to
Light since Our War
with SnnIn.

In the table of the armed strength of
various countries 1t is customary to put
Russia first among the nations Of the
world, with an active army of 1,125,000
soldiers, a first reserve of 100000 and
q second reserve of 1875, 900, bringing
up the total number Of available sol
diers on war footing to about $780,
900, as against 100000 in Germany,
100000 in France, 2,600,00 in Italy,
100000 in Austria-Hungary, and
100000 in Turkey. But a recognized
authority among military men, the
France Militaire Of Paris, in recent
issue disputes the correctness of the
popular belief that Russia can put In
the field the largest army of the world
in time Of war and says: "The United
States are not a great military power
from the point of view Of their effective
foot forces in peace, but in time of war
their permanent contingent would
form the nucleus Of the vastest army of
the world"
Prior to the beginning of the San
tiago campaign and the stirring events
of year ago at Manila, it was not usual
to include the United States in any
computations of available armed
strength, the nations of Europe being
compared only with each other in this
regard. But, as the quotation from
the French military journal shows, in
all computations of available military
strength the United States must now be
reckoned as factor, and a very little
computation shows that the view Of
the French military paper is very
nearly correct. In the first place, in
all authentic estimates of the available
fighting strength of European coun-
tries, "soldiers" of every grade are in
cluded in the general total, whereas the
American total is made up only of the
regulars in the permanent service of
the United States and without any ref
erence whatever to the national guard,
which corresponds to the first reserve
and outnumbers the regulars in the
proportion Of ten to one. The number
of able bodied male residents in differ
ent countries is put at 10000, 900 in Rus
sia, 100000 in Germany, 100000 900 In
Austria, 100000 In France, $500, ,oOC
In Great Britain, 100000 in Italy and
100000 in Spain. -" .
By the federal census Of 1890 the
number of residents Of this country In
: the category of males between 1S and
Al years, both included, was 1890 ,000
Since then the population of the United
States has increased 20 per cent, ac-
cording to the most reliable estimate
The actuary of the treasury estimated
the population of the United States on
June l, 1897, as 72,SO7,O0O, and by next
years census there is very little doubt
l but that the total population will be
. shown to be 75,OOO,OOO, an increase OF
100000 over nine years ago, and the
total number of Americans of military
age will not fall short of 100000.
= In the United States the number OF
physically disqualified persons incapa-
BILE of serving in the army is materially
less than in Russia, and the admins.
= trative business of this country, too
is conducted almost exclusively by
civilians, whereas Russia is under prac.
tical military rule, thus taking from
the number of those available for mill.
tary service all who are in the employ
of the government. Moreover, while
A years is put generally as the mani.
mum age for soldiers, the majority OF
r the commanders and many of the of.
q ficers, as well as the rank and file, are
, above A. Everything considered, it is
, probable that Uncle Sam could, on q
{ pinch, put more troops in the field for
< a finish fight" than any other country
I In the world.-N. Y. Sun.