The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1912-03-29
FARMERS, HORSEMEN
And BREEDERS
The Proposed Reduction Of the cavaI.
ry OF the United States Army
Win Affect You Very
Seriously.


sentatives in their proposal to reduce
the strength of the cavalry arm of tae
United States Army is a question OF
vital interest to horse breeders, horse
dealers and all farmers of the great
middle West.
Here are located the larger cavalry
garrisons and from this section Of
The country are purchased not only
lAe horses for IL cavalry but also
the supplies of hay and grain. What
ever affects the market for horses and
the supply Of grain for them in any
locality in this section will have its
influence on the markets throughout
the entire west, even though any par
ocular locality may not be in the i'm
Mediate vicinity of these large cayal-
~ garrisons.
For these reasons the breeders of
horses and the farmers who supply
the grain and hay are greatly inter-
ested in this question, but on other
grounds. Every patriotic American
who correctly understands the situa-
ton must deplore the action Of the
House OF Representatives on Febru-
airy 9th, in passing an amendment
TO the annual appropriation bill re
lucing the regular cavalry from fiji
teen regiments to ten. There seems
TO be a misunderstanding as to the
relation Of the cavalry to other arms
and a failure to appreciate the ne
cessity of a strong body Of cavalry
for our national defense. The
strength which our cavalry should
have depends upon our actual needs
and is to be deduced from a consider
alton OF the work it is to perform n
war. We do not maintain in time
IF peace an army on a wal DJoting
Of a size sufficient to meet on equal
terms any army by which we are like
ly to be invaded; and, after we find
an invader actually on our shores,
we will need months to develop an
army from our great resources of men
and materials. If we can throw a
body Of cavalry in contact with such
an invading force-strong enough to
beat the cavalry which accompanies
tive can then hamper its move
ments and restrict its operations to
a limited area until we gain the
time we need to raise the force OF
infantry which will ultimately aid us
in defeating it. An example Of this
Is to be found in the work Of the
Beers (who were mounted) during the
arst year OF the war in South Africa.
Our cavalry can do all that the Beers
lid and more. But the cavalry which
is to blind, hamper and hold the In
vader must be ready at the outset.
The war will not last long enough to
give us time to create 1t. The strength
t should have can be computed with
.olerable certainty since we know the
strength Of the cavalries Of other ma
tons. Allowing for part of our caval,
ry being beyond immediate reach
when needed five regiments are now
outside of the United States) it is
estimated that we should have twenty
one regiments.
Various influences are at work in
this country which are decreasing the
demands for riding horses and it is
sound military policy for the govern.
ment to take steps for providing more
demand for that class of horses, other
wise the grayest difficulty will be en-.
countered in obtaining mounts during
war and those obtained will either
nave to be taken by force or paid for
At enormous prices. Unless we keep
a sufficient force of cavalry in time OF
peace to create a fair demand for
suitable mounts, breeders will cease
10 raise that class of horses. 1t is
within the recollection of all of US
how England not only exhausted her
own available horse markets during
The Boer War but nearly exhausted
our supply of suitable mounts; this
at a tremendous loss to herself and
entailing much loss OF valuable time.
We will have no such foreign markets
available.
We are no longer a nation Of riders.
Our people use the electric car and
the automobile. Riders and horse,
men in our country, except for a
handful on some ranches in the west
DO not exist.
We have at the present time in the
United States ten regiments Of caYal
ry, $500 men, five regiments being
on foreign service). This is all Of oul
cavalry that is available, mounted
and ready to launch against the
enemy should he come tomorrow.
Japan, IL she should attack us, coulC
send $4,000 cavalry with her irsr
landing party. Germany could sent
$4,000 cavalry with the first expedi
ton and could quickly follow it will
more.
Our other possible enemies coult
land between these two amounts o
cavalry with their FIRST expedition.
Should we reduce our cavalry b,
Ave regiments, we would have LEI
six regiments, in the United State
1880 men. Mexico has 1918 men Il
its regular cavalry.
Inasmuch as our military policy, I
we have one, Is to consider our reSu
lar army as only a nucleus. for tn
large army that will be at once necel
sary 10 raise in time Of war, IT b.
hooves us to keep the strength Of GU