The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-18
DISLIKE or e1IL1TAR1sM.

Inc American people DO not favor a
standing army. They do not take kind
ly to military service. The noise and
glamor of military preparation incident
to our war with Spain and to the trouble
in the Philippines aroused a good deal
of the war fever among the people; but
occurrences since then have made it plain
that normally the American people have
no time for war and but little for military
show of any kind
Current dispatches are bringing out
each day the force Of this truth. While
the national guard is losing its member
ship in the several states, it is found
that the number of desertions from the
regular army is greatly on the increase.
In our own state the interest in the affairs
of the national guard Is lower than It
ever was before. Within few days enc
more Of the companies Of our state militia
has been dissolved, and the present adj
jutant general has in a published inter
view expressed his sense of the great
difficulty that is being encountered in
maintaining a show Of interest among
the existing members of the national
guard and the increased difficulty of Sc
curing recruits from any source.
The recent desertion of $50 men from
Fort Leavenworth, after having re-
celved their pay, and the announced will
ingness of the military authorities to
overlook such desertions, If the deserters
should return within ten DAYS. furnish
strong indication Of the prevailing feel
ing. The country is sick of war and war
making The people have no use for
soldering as calling. The peaceable
pursuits of civil life continue to attract
them with renewed force. The restraints
of the military calling offer no induce
ment to men who have any understand
ing OF the love Of individual liberty ami
mating them.
The first thing usually which strikes the
new arrival from an European country as
most notable on the streets Of American
cities is the absence of two classes of So
eiety which are omnipresent in the oder
countries-soldiers and beggars Many Of
our best citizens have come to the United
States to escape the military CONSUMPTION
which is a feature cf life at home. Amer
lean liberty is inconsistent with mill
tary servitude. When mems passions are
aroused, and their patriotism appealed to
they gladly enter the ranks to fight for
a cause that appeals to them. There is
no such cause available today. Soldering
as means of making living will never
be popular in American society.
Our rulers at Washington cannot close
their eyes to these indications Of the pop
ular viii. They are having it brought
home to them every day that this people
merely tolerates the show of militarisqn
| and that the sooner the country Is
brought back to the normal conditions
/ incident to the prevalence of peace the
safer and better it will be for those
charged with the management of our civ
il concerns.
Notwithstanding this established popu-
-e- oA0hiho VI SOlo1eAluBp II Is matter
Of the utmost concern to the country
that the popular interest should not be
allowed to die out in our state militia
The citizen soldiery of the United States
constitutes a tower Of national strength.
and is distinctive badge of the liberty
which prevails among our people. Ev-
! erything should be done that can
be to re-establish the national guard
Of the several states in the same condi-
ton OF efficiency that prevailed at the
outbreak of the Spanish war.