Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-06

what they say there is little reason 10
doubt that their opinion is that of their
brother officers generally; Colonel lIcis
tand was questioned about his speech. He
said that while he did not in that talk
conc out ndt-fuotcd;y for compulsory
military training, he nevertheless was in
laN"r Of some such scheme. and hoped
some day that the country would come
! To his way of thinking. for. as liz put it
good soldiers make good citizens and
eood citizens MAKE s9"d nations
Colonel Hestand. that I knew TO advo-
cate such Policy AT this time would be
to challenge the traditions Of the repub.
lie. The average American citizen is in
tolerant of anything which restraints HIM
In the exercise of his own free will. i
may say, without being pcssimistic, thaz
TOO mary Of t.lcm, living in phc con
sclcuS prott ctInn OF thr law, are unmind-
full Of their obligations to il or Of their
duties to the Government which main
'ta'ns and executes it. Such sentiment
and such q condition. combined with lack
Of education On higher Ideals Of citizen
ship, can Only result in tile spirit az law
essness with which We have become only
too familiar as a social evil The pro-
lection Of life ana property has at times
Iii ropulOES c"ptrcS PASSED beyond tn.
power Of police control. With the posi-
hiliiy of such conditions again arising, it
is t"tter to LOOK T. prevention than to
punishment. Social evils can only b.
abat"d by education. and | know OF no
school 50 wei calculated to inn art the
Viivd by our military establishments
Il would gladly see as a requirement
for any position in the classified civil
service Of tllt Government An hnrrra III,
discharge from its military cr naval ser
vice Dr from the organized militia Of one.
"f tn" states or territories. IT Il term Ut
i few Years IN the military service would
tend to the physical ana moral improve.
mont Of tn" individual. if it would inspir.
III Tim Il more profound respect for the
law ard a broader patriotism, IL" Tempo
il
ing him from commercial or productive,
pursuits would be compensated by the re-
turn TO society of . large body of trained
and disc plincd members Ii good Dhys-
lquc ard sound morals are valuable as
sets in q ratiOn'S m manhood. then | BELIEF.
could utter no NOR patriotic wish than
that we might see the sentiments Of our
people ana the conditions OF our society
- change that every ablc-bcdicl NAL.
citizen would receive sufficient military
training t. cause him to cherish Ill its
IN him q national patriotism which,
whether he remained III the service Of hi.
country or returned to the ranks OF its
Industrial thrCnE. would ever MAX, him
mindful of his obligations Ito the flag
The value of military training to n ma
tom aside from TIL. protection soldier;
give 10 national integrity and its institu-
tionS is based uron benefits received by
Individuals through its agency, and Their
value sIs citizens when separated from tho
military service. Men who have passed
more liable t. carry with them into civil
life all Of Tho excellent habits that :;rcn
trimming tends 4" inCucatC, than if they
were not sui jtctcd To it. Ey reason III
take greater interest in public affairs. ana
there is inSpil"d in him 4 deep SET d,vo-
tt"i. To his country and constant
anxiety 70" its welfare. Through the *
tchSiVr military training of tac people.
too, the BARRIERS which society tend; to
erect b"twccn its self-constitutcd classes