The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-02

"1 Sao has seer Important service
N IN tzo wars. ha2 given the New
York Press an Interesting talk on
tire fighting qualities Of the American
soldier In nis opinion the American SOL
der IL easily the best In the world and
he gives reasons Liberty and environ
rnent make the American intelligent. and
this intelligence adds 10 and Directs MS
fighting force. He In strong in war be-
cause he 10 q freeman and because he
has sn immense personal interest IL the
result
Il dsa not have the privilege Of seeing
the troops az Tampa Las, summer said
Gen Merit. but men IN whose N1dz-
nsent ] place implied: confidence say that
ihe = 90 American troops gathered there
We're quite IL not superior 10 any similar
body Of soldiers In the world both 20
appearance and discipline. The world
knows how well those who were lucky
enough 10 go 10 Cuba acquitted themselves
when they had a chance 20 Tight.
Most Of thos. Who went TO Cuba were
regulars. .ftf the training which that Inn
psles Most of those who were with me
at Manila were volunteers. From my OBJ
sergat!oas there | shoald ray that the
American volunteers Of today are In every
respect the equal Of the American volun-
teers OF the civii war. and / am satisfied
that. saving only the regular army OF the
form the most efficient military force IN
exiEscnss.
THE American Is not like airy one else"
Continued Gen Merritt Whether ne
comes from the farm. the counting houses.
the office Or the shop. he Is rapidly and
easily transformed from a civilian 10 a
SUPERB fighting man.
II attribute this TO the Identical eonii-
lions which authorities abroad have held
yn,If1 s3Fpxerf our yaiftrfesrs Tram tssinr
good army men. Foreigners have said
peatedly that the American has too much
liberty and. therefore. is habitualiy too In
dependent in thought and action TO take
on ihas discipline which iss positive es-
ssntiai Of the efiicien, soldier. AZ a mat
ter If fact the reverse has been proved
10 be true. The man who thinks is always
the best fighter. Every American knows
that he has something to 1--we for. He Is
Dot bound down by lines Of caste. There
are no insarrnwsBtable walls In his path.
lie can reach any station in life for which
hts ability. his training. hts Industry and
his aspirations 1T him. He loves the only
flag which has never suffered defeat, and
he will fight for II with a galIan.ry and
persistence that carry everything before
him.
The American Is fun OF personal inita-
tive. When he does thing he likes to
know Why. These American Characters
ties hive been looked upon askance by
foreign military authorities. but they are
the glory and the strength OF American
troops. both regular and volunteer Men
who want to know why are almost inf
nItely better fitted 10 DO battle according
TO modern tactics than are any others.
The modern plan IL 20 MOTE forward in
aetachments or groups one party keeping
down the enemy's fire, while another ad-
yances with a rush. In pursuing such A
plan IL Is essential that the men Should
obey orders strictly. especially with re-
gard TO the firing. A colder can waste
all his ammunition In few minutes by
losing his head. and thus battle that
ought Ia be won could easily be lost BY
urdisciplinsd troops
but in this respect the American volun-
teer proves 10 be as satisfactory as the
most r.gi3ly trained Germans or English
men or Frenchmen could possibly he. The
American volunteers are intelligent men.
hence although they have not had years
81 ngi training they know enough 10
obey orders. They hold their FIRE when
ordered 30: they shoot when ordered 10.
anil inspired by their love for the stars
and stripes. they never gn backward.
con the sktrmish lire and IN sharpshoos.
ing service the American habit OF think
ing for himself the American desire to
know why and the American initiative
must re soma degree ~ independents ac-
sioa The man with a mind Of his own Ia
far ani away the beet man In the world.
II cannot here and now speak definitely
as - individual dates ard places though
I have made some special recommended
tienS because OF individual cases ~ bray
cry brought 10 ms attention NJ Manila.
AVID these recommendations are nov on
file In Washington. bat I may mention
the conduct q. the signal men In the
Philippines as an example Of the GOODNESS
and nerve Of the American soldier. There
were telegraph wires that had been cut
Nv the eneuv's bullets ~ rearrauge and
repair. and the nsen had 20 de the work
under ere without stopping 70 sir. hack
They carried en- ,heir operations with the
utmost equanimity despite TIE bullets
that were constantly whistiinE ahnu,
them. doing everything gapl3iy. e. Re sure
hsit without undue haste and as thor
ougaiv AZ II the conditions were absolute
" normal The cooiness ana nerve ~
these signal men were faiiv cslGaIed hy
seess characteristics 50 Displayed in every
branch cr tSe service -
Gen Merritt is convinced that the Amer
team way - training lighting men a. &,
shev were tptelilgs ~ Individuals and nes
mere human animals Sc sap@rsor - any
other method In explaining fNis 10 SAID
-''f'lsn American plan ~ military train
INE bss = good deal - DO wtth thn en-
cheney II tho American army We 40 NJ.
sfiu o4r rsn - severe y as IRE Germans
d. theirs. because e isn't necessary Two
thirds - ths German .s.'ier's wakirx
hours aFe taken 0p n drilling TIE whole
intention - - make him ar urss,uksnE
cog sH . vast suschtne. WIN us the ss-
sire 4S So teach tke man Mai - - we
Smew tAat Nheu fhas lH accomplished he
MI - - Intelligent rsrI - SapeyN
weol@ Ne - net neglect proper s'rslggn<
hat Ms IA net A~itl too many hours AZ
a tlIs~ ~ Introduce greater variety and
W steve nwf ~ stre tNc nsea fnso ~ssr~
tlttaa - tfsEuss ats1 heA~txtckue~s
{'os~sEs$ DE pan - coussmueaa .triIIsrx
ases eei} vita 'ha peasant soldiers ~
Germany. Pr instance. who are r,ffes ~
authority rrsa their trtb. Nho ars et,s-
estef lss c2sn2Hslstan. WSA enter the arrsv
ts gsttuges5s@rt We k~~w IL a. - ir-s p
iNsahIe ta rise sn the social scale Anf
WI aFe tAtTet 7re N.fsoot shc auat,tssgsn
&c tr@ Americans Hm; aHr r.an : mach
t<3fe- foT citizens ot ere United states
Ia II enlY rEht - asy fszs, he~e IA,
sT1sa = fsss4&~ N1e,et - - Ng,sssst ses "a sss
Asr*rican svs3y 2Sesw Themselves sftA