Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30

the commencement of that great strife
was composed of about 1900.
When the civil war ended of the ], H34OO0
veterans only handful were regulars, and
| in 1866 the regular army numbered actual
ly only 50, $40 men. In 1863 the army was
again reduced, and in 1879 the peace footing
was fixed at twenty-five infantry. ten cav
airy and five artillery regiments. 1t so
remained varying in size from 10000 to
25.O0O men until the war with Spain. To
it's present authorized maximum strength
of 100000 should be added the 5000 vol
unteers who until June 30 next must be
considered as part of the regular military
eSta bliShment.
In the absence of any regular consecu-
tive history of the army its life has to be
studied from reports, army registers and
latter it would appear that the army. as a
permanent institution, had its birth in
what seemed to be a tacit understanding
outside the formal law. Then 1t simply
evolved itself. Despite the hateful men,
cries Of King Georges red coats the col
onists soon discovered that aside from the
alleged menaces Of republican liberty
country like ours, surrounded by bodies of
murderous savages, needed first Of all a
well-armed. efficient military, whether it
were called guards, constabulary or army.
1t was remembered that when the CONT
mental congress was supreme authority the
DOdTU Ol WAL was the CHlel duJuUCL VI
civic power. George Washington grew
hoarse talking in favor Of a standing
army, and Alexander Hamilton, represent
ing the federalists, found an active ally in
tons views. But even then the politicians
held powerful sway, and the army, as
shown by the above statistics, varied in
size from year to year.
Indeed the life of the army, as shown
by the American state papers, seems to
have been divided into four vital epochs,
that preceding 1872, then up to and in
Guiding 1S47 and from the Mexican war
to 1869. The last momentous period in
its history began in 1898.
The Several War Periods.
Each of those periods, 1t will be noted,
was one Of the interregnums of peace be-
twfxt our wars and war adjustments, and
it is noteworthy fact that they decreased
in the ratio of prolonged peace. 1t is also
interesting to discover that the most
avowed political advocates of an efficient
standing army were the three great shining
lights of democracy-JefferSon, Calhoun and
Davis. To the influence of the former may
be attributed largely the fact that the only
time preceding the present year when the
regular army was maintained at figures
commensurate with the size of the popula-
ton was when the army. in 1902, numbered
1898.
John c. Calhoun, the great exponent of
states rights appears in the state papers
the greatest advocate and defender that
ever spoke or wrote in favor of an ade
quate regular army, to be maintained on
an efficient basis in proportion to increasing
wealth and population. He protested Wig
orously against the reduction of the army
while he was Secretary Of War, and ridi-
culed the idea of military menace to lib
erty by an army scattered like ours even
IL 1t were less patriotic. To Jefferson Davis
the army was indebted for substantial in
crease while he was Secretary of War and
for new arms and generally improved con-
ditions. After all, the greatest political
prophets were not afraid of the regular
army bugaboo. and Calhoun's defense is
the best ever written of our army. New
ertheless, the history of the army develops
the extraordinary fact that despite every
reason and argument favoring its mainte-
nance the regular army has been ever a
mark for the politicians shafts. The men,
cries of colonial days undoubtedly inspired
the people with deep-rooted hatred of the
military, but 1t Is question whether sober
minded people have been altogether fairly
represented by, politicians who seized gen
erations ago UPON the shibboleth of Down
with the regular army.
Has Performed Varied Duties.
The history Of the regular army shows
that 1t has not been charged with mill
tary duties alone. From its inception it
has been civil instrument. The Depart
ment of War was the foremost branch of
established government. 1t had charge of
the navy as well as the military. 1t or
ganized the navy and built its first six war
vessels, launching the old United States
and Constitution. 1t had charge of the de-
velopment of roads and rivers and harbors,
managed the Indians in peace and war and
from the days of the Louisiana purchase to
the Philippine acquisition has performed
extensive civic duties Its cost has been
and still is figured as of purely military
value but its votaries justly claim that in
all the western territories, as in Porto
Rico, Cuba and the Philippines, 1t has
saved extensive salaries of governors and
judges as well as customs and revenue Off
Gals, whole regiments even, as now in Ma
Mia, performing duty as street policemen.
In nearly every foreign country the his
tory and traditions of not only the army
a whole, but of separate arms, corps
pie there are not only conversant with the
achievements but the personnel and or
ganiZation of the army. The Englishman
knows all the living generals and colonies
by name. He knows well enough to de-
scribe all the changes of uniform, while
many in this country do not even know the
peculiar color of facings of the different
arms or corps. 1t is amazing even SO soon
after the publication in order Of the sys-
tenn of corps badges to hear well-informed
men ask the meaning of this or that
badge, the five points of the 9Th Corps in
dicating bloody service at Santiago de
Cuba, and the double-looped badge of the
Sth corps showing that the wearer was at
the capture of Manila or engaged in the
campaigns against the Filipinos.
General Ignorance of Military Mat
ters.
When the military procession was pass
Ing on March last 1t was lamentable to
hear the foolish questions asked. Nobody
seemed to know what green facingS indt-
Gated on the men who wore Geneva crosses
on their sleeves and carried Htters Many
cs,i,ld not undersf a nd yulay aor1o of 10