The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1901-02-28
PUBLISHED IN THE rNTERxsT
MENACE OF MILITARIsM.
Danaereas rsweF a. Placed In the
Hnads OF the PTesI-
deaG.

During the last campaign ihs d,mo-
Gratis pointed out that republican sue-
cess would encourage the party in
power to Increase the standing army.
The republicans eyadcd the question
for the most part and. when they wsrs
challenged TO meet II. resorted to sub
terfuge aud deception. They claimed
that the army then In service Was made
necessary by the war In the Philippines
and called attention 90 the fact that The
increase expired By limitation in 1901.
They pretended TO believe that tho
army could he reduced before that
time " the republicans won the cleo
tion and the Filipinos we're as
surcd that there would br no change In
the administration. These arguments
ought not 10 have misied anyone he
cause the president. two months be-
fore hostilitiFS broke out ai Manila.
asked for authority TO raise the army
to 100000
A republican house Of rcpres,Hla-
tires TpsEed bill giving him the ou-
thority and the democrats and thrir
Populist and silver republican allie, 10
the senate secured the limitation which
the republicans were afterwards -
anxious TO hide behind. The
election resulted In republic
an victory even more pronounced
than the leaders Of that party
had expected. but tho war 10 the Phil
ippinvs did not terminate, and then
the impsrialists came out from under
cover and boldly demanded an increase
in the military establishment. \ bill
was introduced, hurried through the
house and senate and is now law.
The title is a CoufeSyion Of cowhrdicr.
II Ia not bill to Increase the size Of the
standing army, but bill ITO increase
thc efficiency Of the permanent mill.
tary establishment OF the United
States" II provide tha, tho army Of
the United States shall consist Of IS
regiments Of cavalry, a corps % a5tii-
lery, 10 regiments Of infantry, one
lieutenant general. six ma ior generals.
| Is brigadicr generals. cic., etc, etc.
Each regiment Of cavalry and infantry
has one colonel. one lieutenant colonel,
three majors, Is captains, . first lieu.
tenants and IS second lieutcrani.. be-
sides tsrEeants sergeant majors cor
porals. ctc.-the etc. including, among
| other persons, privatcs ranging from
81 10 76 in zach cavalry troop, and from
a. TO i27 in each infantry company.
The president Is given the dangerous
power 10 increase the army TO the
maximum The number Of enlisted
men IL limited 10 i0O.n .nrO The maxi
mum of enlisted men mal Include r.
600 natives to he enlisted iu the Phi'ip.
pine islands II the president sees ht o
enlist them.
II anyone will read the bill complete
and count the number ~ generals.
colonels, lieutenant colonel mo iorz,
captains. FIRST lieutenant. second lieu.
tenants. adjutants, inspectors, quar-.
termsstcrs and other officers with life
/ tenure. he can understand something
Of the force which militarism can com.
msnd In any legislative contest with
the taxpayer.
II Is easier to increase an army. rsTr.
eial'y she official part. than reduce H..
and the people have before them a dif-
hcult task. but the burdens and meuars
Of militarism can he relied upon 10
arouse the people, when the awaken.
ing comes il will be found that the req.
pie who profit by large military estah.
lishmsni. however powerful e.. present
influence. are insignificant In numhers
compared with those who are injured.
| The Commoner.