The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-17

general of the several states
l. to congress for an increase
i'm the annual appropriation
tor tho maintenance of the militia should
he given heed by the national legisla-
tors. The appropriation for all the
militia Of this great country for nearly
a century was but 100000 per annum.
and only n couple Of years back 1t was
raised to the sum of 100000. Now con-
gress is asked to give $4,000. 900, and
that sum should be granted without
question.
For some reason every bill for the
bctterment of the militia meets with a
strong undercurrent of opposition
around the national legislative halls.
II has been intimated that a regular
army clique is back of the efforts to
stine the encoura cement Of the state
troops. in order that the regular es-
tablishment shall be kept upon its
present basis. Those legislators who
have fallen in with the clique should
read President Washington's message,
in 1894, wherein he said: 1.-The
devisins and establishing .sof a
well regulated militia would be a
genuine source of legislative honor, and
a perfect title TO public gratitude"
We should have, indeed We have got
to have. a regular army of 100000 men.
but that fact need not interfere with
the militia. Very recently a most not
able essay upon the National Guard,
as the organized militia is now-most
generally designated in the several
states. was read before the Military
Service Institution Of the United States
and the essay was awarded the first
prize OF a gold medal The essay.was
by Colonel Edward Il. Britton, of the
New York Guard. and is a most clever
and exhaustive exposition of the pres
cnt condition Of the state troops and
Of what should be done to better the
service. An outline Of bill to accom-
pish the establishment OF Il proper re-
serve to the regular army Is sketched,
in which there is much merit.
TO put it briefly, he shows that the
manner in which this country should
maintain a proper reserve is by the
enactment of laws making an appro-
priation among the states and terri
tories which have an organized force
of not less than three soldiers per 1000
of population. Under the census of
1890 this would give a total force for
all of the states and territories of 1885,
626 officers and men. The appropriation
should only be paid to those states
and territories which maintain the re-
quisite number of men and have their
soldiers organized, armed and equipped
In exact accordance with the-regular
establishment. In addition there
should be a. requirement that the ap-
preparation would be payable only after
competent officer of the army, de-
tailed from the inspector generals de-
partment had inspected and found the
within the spirit and intent OF the act.
Such Is crude outline of what
should be had In the way of legisla-
ton. and the quicker something of that
sort is accomplished the better for the
nation. With our great interests scat
tered over a big part of the globe, we
need something more than a regular
army and an inefficient force Of state
troops. the latter organized. armed and
disciplined in almost as many styles
as there are states. The military spirit
OF the nation should be fostered, and
it can only he led into the proper chan
mel through wise and intelligent legis-
lation. The parsimonious method of
the past years must be cast adrift.
How ridiculous 1t sounds to learn that
the great United States actually has
appropriated sum equal to $3.50 per
| soldier enrolled In the orga nized and
equipped forces of the states and terri
tories, while those subdivisions OF
the nation have been appropriating an
average of $3.50
The state troops should form the
first reserve ready to re-enforce the
army at any time, and the only way
in which this can be had Is through a
sufficient appropriation and proper Or
ganization. .'"