Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-02
The Soldiers Pay.

/ HHc SDsOicrs ray.
There is great deal Of cheap
sentimentality INDUCED in just now
over the threatened reduction of
army salaries by the House bill.
A certain class Of papers seem to
imagine that soldier, particularly
one who has a high place and a
high salary, has some peculiar. in
alienable right TO have it continued
forever. Ii people will give the
subject little calm investigation,
they will find serious difficulty in
discovering a single good argument
upon which this exceptional kind
ness to soldiers can be based. 1t
would not, perhaps, be difficult
to trace it sorely to the fact that
the army is about the only branch
of public service which constitutes a
powerful class, approximating TO an
aristocracy whose united strength
has enabled its members to look
well after their mutual interests.
We do not, in saying this, mean to
iDsinuate that the officers of our
army have ever descended to the
meanness of lobbying; we speak
rather Of the soldier class through
out the world, who, having govern
ed the world through ages Of bar
barous warfare, gradually estab-
lished traditions which have en-
grated themselves in the military
code Of every modern nation, so
that people have come TO regard it
rs a matter Of course that military
service is the greatest which n cit
izen can pay his country, and should
be rewarded at higher price than
any other.
With an Insignificant exception
that of our judges-the soldier
Is the only servant % the govern
ment whose pay continues after
his service ceases. Yet the SER
vice of the soldier is one of the
easiest in the world TO obtain, nor
Is there any other class of public
servants who win so much power,
fame, fortune, and enduring nation
al gratitude, as the successful SOL
der. There is no particular hard !
ship attached to his position, ex-
cept when he is a private, and in
that case he gets least reward. As
a rule, the opportunity of war raises
men fFom oblivion, whom peace
would have left there, as our great
captains are rarely like Washing
ton, first in peace as well as war.
Had 1t not been for the rebellion
Grant would have been still smok-
lng clay pipe in Galena, aud, like
captain Cnttle, telling the custom
ers of his little store to look around
them and see if the article they
wanted was on the shelves. Had
10 not been for the war, Phil. Sher-
dan would still have been ekeing
out life on a lieutenant's salary.
aud Sherman would have been liv-
ng upon the meagre profits of an
law practice. The war
was their all. 1t raised them from
Almost penury to the pinnacle of ,
anne and to princely salaries.
They did good service and were
paid for it. Had every man of
hem resigned his place the people
would have found others Just as
rood to lead them against the
'nemy. The two million brave
elbows who shouldered musket
nth no hopes Of glory-for there
no glory for the private-bave
eturned to their homes--or gone
o their graves--and hundreds of
thousands of them are to-day in
bject poverty all over the country.
)f course It is impossible for even
he most grateful of republics TO
etire all its private soldiers ON \
ALI pay. But will these hundreds
I thousands of brave fellows de-
i've any special benefit from the
salaries Of the major-een-
rails who got all the glory as well
all the spoilsl Will their starv- g
* families feel any better because
eneral Blank gets $4,000 a wear
n the balance of his natural life
'r four years of worki By all
leans let the republic be grateful.
ut gratitude to whom gratitude
due. Pay the fighter a round
llary while he is at his work, and
hen there is no more work for
i'm let him fall into the rank and =
e OF the republics equal citizens.
ke our presidents, like our sena-
RS, like our governors, like our
-catest statesmen. Why sbould
'e man Of violence, the fighter, be
eyated above all othersi WHY
ould the general. who views
title, causing the loss OF tens Of
ousands Of human lives. deserve :,
ore gratitude than the statesman. "
no, by bis far seeing wisdom. pre-
rves peace, and prevents the bat
Icing fought at allf-Detroit