The Regular Army is now smaller in proportion to the population
and wealth of the nation than it has ever been at any period since
the organization of the Government; the number of the lawless, the
facility for their organization, armament and concentration has on the
other hand largely increased, with greater power to do harm by reason
of the newly invented destructive and terrible explosives.
An organization and administration after the skeleton plan which is
briefly outlined below would modify much that is evil and bring the
military in harmony with the other democratic institutions of the
Republic:
PROJECT FOR A PERMANENT MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE UNITED
STATES
1. That the permanent Line of the Regular Army shall consist of
one company for each district represented in the lower House
of Congress, and one company for each Senator in the upper
House, to be organized into regiments and corps as nearly as
practicable as now authorized by law. Companies may be expanded
to double their strength in time of war, at the discretion of
the President.
2. That the permanent Line of the Militia of the United States
(in the several States) shall consist of one regiment for each
district represented in the lower House of Congress, and one
regiment for each Senator in the upper House, a company of the
Regular Army, when requested of the President by the Governor of
the State, to be one of the companies of the Militia regiment,
the captain its lieutenant colonel, the second lieutenant
its adjutant, and the first sergeant its sergeant major; the
regiment to be otherwise organized, armed and equipped as the
Regular regiment to which the Regular company belongs. In the
assignment of the Regular companies to these Militia regiments,
to avoid sectional prejudices as far as practicable, but one
company of any regiment shall be assigned to any one State.
3. That whenever there may be money appropriated for that
purpose by Congress, the President may, at the request
of the Governor, order the Regular company to join its
Militia regiment, and report to the Governor, for mutual
familiarization, instruction, and discipline, under his command
for a period not exceeding two months annually.
4. That upon application by the Governor, the President may
order the Regular company to join its Militia regiment, for the
suppression of riots and insurrections within his State, under
his command, and the President may upon proper application call
the Militia regiment "into the actual service of the United
States," with or without its Regular company, to "execute the
Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrection, or repel Invasion"
within or without the State to which it belongs.