Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-30
S35, 669, $50. 65

For the 81 years of peace from
1871 TO 1911. both inclusive, our
military establishment cost S35 6e9. $50. 65
For the years from 1912 to 1916,
including the of 1912, the
cost was no less than. ..-....... 81, 621, 800. II
For the 10 years from 1917 to
1888. peaceful except for minor
Indian wars, non-expanslve
army averaging less than 5000
officers and men cost. .......A. &C, al, o6S. 50
For the years Of the Florida
war from 1886 to 1S43 it cost
as much as. Observation-Disclosures. 80 ISL, GIL so
For the 3 years of peace from
1S43 to 1915 the reduced army
For the years from 1916 to 1S49
embracing the Mexican war
the military establishment cost
For the II years of peace from
1850 TO 1860. the reduced army
For the yedrs from 1861 to 1868
including the of the re-
bellion- the armies cost no Lass
than the fabulous amount off,. 1856, SO, 923. so
For the years from 1866 to 1869,
during which large forces had
TO be maintained owing to the
French occupation of Mexico,
the army cost. 5S3, ! 40, $40 80
For the % years of peace from
1870 to 1897. the reduced army =.
For the 2 years OF 1898 and 1899.
including the Spanish American
war. the military forces cost no
For the years of 1900 1901 and
1902, including the Philippine
war. the army and volunteers
cost. 39l ,622, 6S1. O6
For the 8 years of peace from
1908 to 1905 the military estab-
Tttai cost Of our armies regular,
volunteer and military, since 1890 g. 149 $50 3SS3
Total cost of pensions for the same
period .--...-...'- ..'-.'-.'. o.ooo, ioo'ooi'"
Grand total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SO, sos, o66, 2s9 96
This enormous expense, he argues, might
have been much less If We had been pre-
pared for the several wars in which the
cd a he9n aged The civil
probably cost twice as much as 1t
would have cost had we been ready for it,
but the circumstances were exceptional.
The Spanish war, however, was not excep-
timal, and our lack Of preparation was
very costly mistake.
Praise of the Navy.
Mr.. Huidekoper thinks a great deal bet
ter of the navy than of the army. He says
that the educa ton and training of our
naval officers and men has caused an al
most unbroken succession of splendid vic
tories, from the days of John Paul Jones
down to the present time. The educa-
ton, training and personnel of the officers
and men of the navy" he says, being sub
stantially on the same plane with those of
their confreres in the regular army the
fundamental reason must be sought deeper.
1t lies in the fact that Congress has been
wise enough to hold jealousy to its con-
stitutional right to provide and maintain a
navy iis'eau VI ueieSd1iHg any part there
of to the various states and thus to give
them the power to interfere in naval as
they can in military affairs Furthermore.
the appointment of all naval officers is
vested in the President alone and not given
to the governors of the states as in the
case of the militia and volunteers The con-
sequence is that the honor of our flag and
the protection of the persons and prop
erty of our citizens have been Entrusted
to disciplined seamen, commanded by off,
GERS of professional training and expert
ence. The merits of this system over that
pursued in respect to the major part of our
land forces need no commentary: the re-
suits speak for themselves