Hutchinson gazette., 1901-02-21
MILITARISM.

During the last campaign the demo-
Gratis pointed cut that republican sue
cess would encourage the party inpowr
TO Increase the standing army. The re-
publicans ovadod the question for the
most part and, when they were chal-
lenged to meet II, resorted to subter-
fuge and deception. They claimed that
the army then In service was made
necessary by the war in the Philip
pines and called attention to the fact
that the increase expired by limitation
in 1901, They pretended to believe
that the army could be reduced before
that time II the republicans won at the
election and the Fillpinos were as-
sured that there would be no change
in the administration, These argr-
mentG ought not to have misled any
one because the president, two months
Lefore hostllltles broke out at Manila,
asked for authority to raise the army
10 one hundred thousand.
A republican house Of representa-
tiyes passed bill giving him the au'
thorlty and the democrats and their
populist and silver republican allies IN
the senate secured the Limitation
which the republicans were after
wards 80 anxious to hide behind. The
election resulted in republican vic
tory even more pronounced than the
leaders Of that party had expected but
the war in the Philippines did not ter
inmate and then the imperialists came
out from under cover and boldly de-
manded an increase in the military
establishment. A bill was introduced
hurried through the house and sem
ate and Is now n law. The title Of 1t Is
Il confession Of cowardice, II Is not "A
bill to increase the size Of the stand
Ing army, but bill ITO increase the
efficiency Of the permanent military
establishment OF the United States"
II provides that the army Of the United
States shall consist Of fifteen regiments
OF cavalry, a corps Of artillery, thirty
regiments of infantry, one lieutenant
general, six major generals, fifteen
brlgadier generals, etc, ETC., etc. Each
regiment of cavalry and infantry has
one colonel one lieutenant colonel,
three majors, fifteen captains, fifteen
first lieutenants and fifteen second
lieutenants, besides sergeants, sergeant
majors, corporals, etc,-the etc. In
Guiding, among other persons, pri-
Yates ranging from forty-three to sew
enty-six IN each cavalry troop, and
from forty-eight to one hundred ami
twenty-seyen in each infantry COM
pany. The president is given the dan
gerous power to increase the army to
tho maximum The number Of enlisted
men may include twelve thousand ma
tives to be enlisted in the Philippine
islands II the president sees ft to en-
list them.
II anyone will read the bill complete
and count the number Of generals, col
onels, lieutenant colonels, majors, cap
tains, first lleutenants, second lieuten'
ants, adjutants, inspectors, quarter
masters and other officers with lie
tenure, he can understand something
OF the force which milltarism can COM
mand in any Legislative contest with
the taxpayers.
1t Is easier to increase an army, espe-
clally the official part, than reduce It,
and the people have before them dif-
fcult task, but the burdens and men
ace Of miltaNsm can be relied upon to
arouse the people When the awaken
ing comes 1t will be found that the
people who profit by large military
establishment, however powerful In
present influence, are Insignificant IN
numbers compared with those who are
injured.