OCR Text |
Show INCREASE THE ARMY. General Schofield thinks the army should be increased. His chief reason for wanting it increased is on account of the danger of an Indian outbreak at any time. If all the Indians in the country were to band together and start on the war path simultaneously, no doubt many I would be killed and all settlers in close I proximity would be in danger. But I there is not the remotest chance of any i such thing occurring. A Pontiac's war is an impossibility to-day. The danger dan-ger of a great Indian war cannot possibly be so great now as twenty 3'ears I ago, and still twenty yearsigo the country got along very well. That the Indians are more concentrated now but makes it so much easier for the Government, to deal promptly and effectively with them i "in case of hostilities. Indian outbreaks 1 1 are always sudden and usually of Bhort I duration, and to increase the army to I 50,000 men would not prevent such out- I , breaks, unless they were mostly quartered J near the Indians. The Indians have de- creased in numbers if anything, while I the whites have increased beyond prece- I dent, and their increase cannot possibly f have added to their danger from the I Indians. II General Schofield says that in a country J of 50,000,000 inhabitants 50,000 men would , be a small army to be retained with sole I i reference to possible foreign wars. If the n army is to be kept on a footing that would I i , guarantee the country against invasion in i (case of a foreign war, then 50,000 men is entirely too small a number. But the country anticipates no iwssible foreign ' war, and this is no excuse for increasing t : ' the army. Nor is it the duty of the I J ' General Government to police the I : States, that being the duty of I J the States. The Government should 1 keep a sufficient supply of arms I ' and ammunition on hand in case of any I j unforeseen emergency, but it should not I ;j keep men enlisted to bear the arms. The Military Academy should always be kept up, for upon its officers must any army rely for its efficiency when in the field. Likewise the Naval Academy should furnish fur-nish the Government a supply of naval i ! oQicers of the highest grade. Jho cav iling of some abr.ut the Military and i - Naval ' Academies being but places in which to educate a class who never become be-come of the people is all silly talk. There iis no need to increase the army, and the apprehensions of General Schofield are the apprehensions of his profession, which I holds the theory that there is no safety j ; without a soldier. |