The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-07

& w y ILL the Fifty-saventh Con-
" grcss follow the example
v y of its ffty-siX prede-
ccssors by failing to en-
Get a militia law under which a body
OF well-driiled and thoroughly efficient
citizen soldiery will always be available
for national defense? says the Wash
ington Post. The constitution imposed
this duty on congress, and the failure
of congress to perform it has cost mil
lions of dollars and thousands of lives.
We need so back only four years to
see an example of the fearful costli-
ness OF having no organized bodies Of
drilled, disciplined, armed, and equipped
citizen soldiers, ready for duty.
1t is true that the first congress en-
acted a militia law in 1902, but it did
not meet the constitutional require
ments and soon became the subject Of
more ridiculc and less respect than
any other piece of legislation that was
ever put into the national statute books.
1t is still a law. but far more obsolete
than the spinning wheel and hand loom
made the cloth for clothing their fam
lilies. That statute provides for the
compulsory enrolment of every able
1odied citizen between eighteen and
orty-five years of age: that he shall
'be constantly provided with Il good
musket or firelock, or n bore sufficient
for balls the eighteenth part of pound
Il sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare
tlints and a knapsack, a pouch with Il
box therein to contain not less than
twenty-four cartridges or good
rife, knnpsacl, shot pouch and powder
horn, twenty balls and q quarter pound
of powder" and that leach commits
stoned officer shall be armed with IL
sword or hanger and spontoon.' The
citizen thus QUILTED was armed and
equipped as the law directs for military
duty And when a few thousand of
him We're assembled in general mus.
ter" the spectacle caused the judcious
20 grieve, while it impelled the less
thoughtful to Indulgence in such Gin
nocent nerliment" as the NIikado de-
rived from his brilliant experimental
tions in penoogy.
"A bill to promote the efficiency of
the militia, and for other purposes" is
now before congress. 1t is called the
Dick bill taking the name of the chair
man of the House Military committee.
Geacral HaWley. chairman of the Sem
ate Military committee, is sponsor for
1t in that body 1T has the backinp. Of
Secretary Root and the officers of the
national guard. 1t provides for alming
the national guard with the same
modern rifles as are used in the regular
army. Under its operation national
officers will have regular army instruc-
tion and examination, and organiza-
tions in all parts of the country will
have opportunities for field maneuvers
at the cost of the United States.
There would be great satisfaction in
positive assurance that the long
hoped for congress has, at last, arrived.
The New York Tribune says
The passage of the bill will give the
organized militia greater importance
than it has hitherto enjoyed, because it
viii become II national reserve, subject
10 the call of the president to repel in
Vasion, suppress rebellion, or to enable
him to execute the laws. 1t aims to
make the guardsman a soldier and it
will receive the support of all those
members of the national guard who are
ambitious in that direction"