Arizona republican., 1907-12-04

| America, 10 ASla, the fnliipplneS, ana Australia at rate not to exceed A
 mile for steamships of 16 knots speed
 or upwards, subject to the restrictions and obligations of the act of 1891. The
 profit of $2,600,0 900 which has been mentioned will fully, cover the maxi mum annual expenditure involved in this recommendation, and 1t is believ- | ed will in time establish the lines so
 urgently needed. The proposition in-
 wolves no new principle, but permits the efficient discharge of public func- tions now inadequately performed or not performed at all.
 The Army.
 Not only there is not now, but there has never been, any other nation in the world so wholly free from the evils of militarism as is ours. There never has been any other large nation. not even China, which for so long period has had relatively to it's numbers so small regular army as has ours. Never at any time in our history has this Nation suffered from militarism or been in the remotest danger of suffering from militarism. Never at any time of our history has the Regular Army been of size which caused the slightest ap- preciable tax upon the tax-paying citi- zens of the Nation. Almost always it has been too small in size and under paid. Never in our entire history has the Nation suffered in the least partic- ular because too much care has been given to the Army. too much promin- ence given it. too much money spent upon it, or because it has been too large. But again and again we have suffered because enough care has not been given to it, because it has been too small. because there has not been sufficient preparation in advance for possible war. Every foreign war in which We have engaged has cost us many times the amount which, if wise ly expended during the preceding years of peace on the Regular Army. would have insured the war ending in but a fraction of the time and but for a frac- tion of the cost that was actually the case. As a Nation We have always been shortsighted in providing for the efficiency of the Army in time of peace. IL is nobody's especial interest to make such provision and no one looks ahead to war at any period. no matter how remote, as being a serious possi- bility; while an improper economy. or rather niggardliness. can be practiced at the expense of the Army with the certainty that those practicing it will not be called to account therefor. but that the price will be paid by the un- fortunate persons who happen to be in office when a war does actually come.
 T think it is only lack of foresight that troubles us, not any hostility to the Army. There are. of course, fool ish people who denounce any care of the Army or Navy as 'militarism.' but do not think that these people are numerous. This country has to con- tend now, and has had to contend in the past, with many evils. and there is ample scope for all who would work for reform. But there/is not one evil that now exists. or that ever has eX- isted in this country, which is. or ever has been. owing in the smallest part to militarism. Declamation against mil itarism has no more serious place in an earnest and intelligent movement for righteousness in this country than Reclamation against the worship of Raal or Astaroth. It is Reclamation against a non-existent evil. one which never has existed in this country and which has not the slightest chance of appearing here. We are glad to help in any movement for internal peace. but this is because we sincerely believe that it is our duty to help all such movements provided they are sane and rational, and not because there is any tendency toward militarism on aIr part which needs to be cured. The evils We have to fight are those in con- nection with industrialism. not mili- tarism. Industry is always necessary. just as war is sometimes necessary. Each has its price. and industry in the United States now exacts. and has al- ways exacted, a far heavier toll of death than all our wars put together. The statistics of the railroads of this country for the year ended June 30. 1906, the last contained in the annual statistical report of the Interstate Commerce Commission, show in that one year a total of 10S.324 casualties to persons, of which 10.61S represent the number of persons killed. In that wonderful hive of human activity, Pittsburg, the deaths due to industrial accidents in 1906 were 919, all the result of accidents in mills. mines or on railroads. For the entire country, therefore. it is safe to say that the deaths due to industrial accidents ag- gregate in the neigfborhood of twenty thousand a year. Such a record makes the death rate in all our foreign wars utterly trivial by comparison. The number of deaths in battle in all the foreign wars put together. for the last century and a quarter. aggregate con- siderably less than one years death record for our industries. A mere glance at these figures is sufficient to show the absurdity of the outcry against militarism.
 But again and again in the past our little Regular Army has rendered service literally vital to the country, and it may at any time have to do so in the future. Its standard of eff ciency and instruction is higher now than ever in the past. But it is too small. There are not enough officers: and it is impossible to secure enough enlisted men. We should maintain in peace fairly complete skeleton of a large army. A great and long, -contin- ued war would pass before any large body of efficient volunteers could be put in the field. and our Regular Army should be large enough to meet any immediate need. In particular it is essential that we should possess a of nff;oarg troipa.l Tn,