Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-29
POOR FIGHTERS.


chief of stat of the army, intimates in
his annual report that we are nation
Of mollycoddles. The trained fighting
force, he holds to be insufficient to
guard the coast defenses, and the cit
iRen reserves not worthy Of consider
alton because they do not know now
TO shoot. Gen. Bell says:
cit is discouraging fact tina. II
case of a sudden outbreak of hostili-
ties with first class nation there
are not suffi cient- regular troops in the
country, even when reinforced by the
National Guard of the various states.
to form an army after deducting rn,e
necessary force to provide small
garrison at our permanent posts as
the necessary infantry supports foi
our sea coast Notifications.
"These latter are defenseless
against land force of the enemy. in
less provision has. been made for =
sufficiently strong supporting force.
The argument is frequently ad-
vanced thai we have raised, organized
and equipped armies after the declar-
alton OF war in the past and that We
can do:it again. The conditions ,tr-
der which battles of the present day
are fought are so different from those
in which We have been engaged il,
the past as not to admit of Intelligent
comparison.
While engaged in our past wars,
with the exception of the war OF 1893.
there was large proportion Of the
able-bodied men Of the nation avail
able for military service who were
familiar with the use of firearms and
who We're skilled marksmen.
To-day practically none of our citi-
zens know how to handle and shoot
modern rifles with any degree of &c,
curacy. and there is not sufficient
time to train them after the outbreak
of hostilities.''
General Bell is open to the criti
cism given other army officers, that
they are unable to appraise the citizen
soldiery Of the country at their rea!
value In the eyes of the regular army
man, the West Pointer especially, the
volunteer soldier is always a clumsy
gawk. Yet in times of trial these vol
unteers, though it might have been
said OF them that they were wholly
unframed in handling firearms, rose
admirably, 10 the situation and proved
their worth. They would do it again IL
the occasion presented itself
HOW TO GET UP.
Ii is always interesting to hear adj
vice from successful man on how
to succeed. The same prescription,
which boiled down, is to be good
aud work hard. is given by all OF
them We know what we should do t.
succeed as we'll as they do and they
knew that We know it. but we know
lots of things that we find hard to re-
member, and a little repetition is G
good memory logger. r. J. Stree.
retiring Chicago bankers remarks On
how to climb the ladder are therefore
of interest. He says
Choose for associates such young
men as are steady and whom YOU
would not be ashamed to bring inAo
your own family, or to associate with
in after life
. Don't, be a time server.
Don't keep looking at the clock.
Seek work instead of Sinking
work. Z
SUCK, uon be changing your EN-.
ployment for little raise in salary.
Always. have the interest OF Your
employer in view.
Be frugal and saving without being
mean
Invest your money, but never spec
ulate.
BE polite at, all times.
Be honest and upright in all yonr
dealings.