The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-06

~ 80 NA[
field Constant are Is necessary to
prevent dry rot In the Transportation
land commissary departments
Army Division Maneuvers
Our army IS so small and so much
scattered that IL is very difficult to give
tine higher officers Gas well as the lower
IcHlccrs and the enlisted mem a chance
to practice m-anoeuvres In mass and on
a comparatively large scale. In time OF
need no amount Ct Individual excellence
would avail against the paralysis which
would follow Inability to work as a CO.
Iherent whole. under skillful and daring
leadership. The congress should pro-
vide means whereby il will be possible
10 nave field exercises by at least a d.
vision of regulars, and IL possible also
a division Of national gualdsmen, once
IA year. These exercises might take
the form of field m~anoeuvres; or, IL on
the gulf coast or the Pacific or Atltntic
~tseaboard, or in the region of the great
lakes, the army corps when assembled
tcould be marched from some inland
point to some point on the wa
ter, there embarked. disembarked
after a couple Of days journey
lat some other point. and again
marched inland. Only by actual hand
ling and providing for men in masses
while they are marching, camping. en-
barking, and disembarking. will it be
possible to train the higher officers TO
perform their duties we'll and smoothly.
y great debt Is owing from the public
to the men of the army and navy. They
SHOULD be so treated as to enable them
to each the highest point OF efficiency,
SO that they may be able to respond in
lstantly to any demand made upon them
TO sustain the interests of the nation
and the honor of the flag. The individ-
lual American enlisted man is probably
ION the whole a more formidable fight
ing man than the regular of any other
army. Every consideration should be
Shown him, and in return the highest
standard of usefulness should be exact
ed from him. It is we'll worth while for
the congress to consider whether the
pay Of enlisted men upon second and
subsequent enlistment should not be
INCREASED to correspond with the in
Icreased value of the veteran soldier.
Much good has already come from the
Iact r~eorganizing the army, passed early
ln n present year. The three prime
reforms, all of them of literally inesti-
mable value, are, first. the substitution
of four-year details from the line for
permanent appointments in the So
lcalled staff diviSionsl; second, the eStab-
lIlShment of a corps of artillery with a
chief at the head; third, the establish
lment Of a maximum and minimum limit
for the army. 1t would be difficult to
IoVerestimate the improvement in the
deficiency of our army which these three
reforms are making, and have in part
talready effected.
The reorganization provided for by
1.-THE act has been substantially accom-
lplished. The improved conditions in
the Philippines. have enabled the war
department materially to reduce the
military charge upon our revenue and
Ito nrr0 n Oa tho nrlnohnr Of cn11iarc ~
las to bring this numbe much nearer
l%officers should be given the chance to
to the minimum than to the maximum
Established by law. There is, however,
need of supplementary legislation.
Thorough military education must be
provided, and in addition to the regu-
liars the advantages of this education
ishould be given to the officers of the
national guard and others in civil life
lwho desire in~telligently to fit them
~lselves for possible military duty. The
perfect themselves by study in the
higher branches of this art. At West
Point the education should be of the
kind most apt to u out men who are
lgood in actual field service; too much
i~streSs Shoul rot be laid on mathe'
lmatics, nor should proficiency therein
he held to establish the right of entry
Ito a corpse d'elite. The typical Amer
lican officer of the best ki11 need not be
la good mathema tician: but he must b.
liable to master himself, to control 9th
Iers, and to show boldness and f~ertilit,
lof resurce in every
Improved Militia Law Needed
Action should be AXE in reference t.
the militia and to the raising of volun
|teer forces. Our militia law is obsolet,
and worthless. The organization ant
armament of the national guard of tn
lSaUnra1 states which arc treated a
militia in the appropriations by tn
congress, should be made identical wit
those provided for the regular forces
THE obligations and duties Of the guar
in time of war should be carefully de
fined, and a system established by Law
lunder which the method of procedur
I lof raising volunteer forces should b
prescribed. 1t is utterly impossible i
1.-THE excitement and haste of impending
WAR to do this satisfactorily if h ar
arrangements have not been made Ion!
beforehand. Provision should be mad
: for utilizing in the first volunteer or
Examinations called out the training o
Those citizens who have already had ex
I iperience under arms, and especially 70
) 1.-THE selection in advance of the officer
. lof any force which may De raised; 70
5 careful selection of the KIND necessary i
impossible after the outbreak of war.
} Tha the army is not at all a mer
INSTRUMENT OF QeSITuCllou IDS DcS
3 Ishown during the last three years. L
1.-THE Philippines, Cuba, and Porto Ric
) lit has proved itself a great constructiv
: force, a most potent implement for tn
: lupbuilding of a peaceful civilization.
= The C1vi and Spanish War Veteran
. No other citizens deserve so we'll c
= 1.-THE republic as the veterans, the suryi
vors of those who saved the unioI
They did the one deed which left un
!, lundone would have meant that all els
= in our history went for nothing. Br
, for their steadfast prowess in the great
est crisis of our history, all our anna
!. would be meaningless, and Our grea
!, experiment in popular freedc- 1 and sci.
: government a gloomy failure. More
:, lover, they not only left us "A united na
: ton, but they left US also as a heritae
= the memory Of the mighty deeds b
q. (which the nation was kept unite
:. We are now indeed n nation, n
: fact as we'll as in lame; we are unite
in our devotion to the flag which is tf
d. Symbol of national greatness and unit!
:. and the very completeness of our unto
: %Ienables us all, in every part of tn
!, country, to glory in the valor show