New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-15
DRAGONS TEETH.


DRAGONS TEETH.
The London Times has recently spoken
in eulogistic terms of the military power
which this country is capable, in any
emergency, of successfully organizing and
effectively Welding According to its
view
The Americans have no army, because
they are ali army; they have no eoldiers,
because every American ia soldier. There
sion, because al learn something Of the art
and pFa-tice Of war.
Our contemporary then tells Us how
easy it was some years ago to raise smile
in England by talking Of American gen.
erals, colonies and captains, and adds
There has been less of .ha. tax lat,erly
Iadeed. the United States have ehown AZ
good = crop Of dragons teeth a most
eountfi-s-
Though Christian civilization can
have no fancy fox sowing dragons tesG6
in order to the production of armed hosts,
yet certainly cur example should be a
warning to Europe against the expensive
impoicy Of maintaining large standing
armies. Such armies, instead Of being a
protection, are threat. They prove not
only q perpetual menace 10 each other,
but constant spur TO inordinate ambi-
ton, and q constant burden on pro-
ductive industry. What is the use Of
soldiers if there is no fighting to be done:
When the world gets overstocked with
fools a hero may prove as useful as
pestilence; but fools, let Us premise, are
not the legitimate product of an intelli-
gent Christian civilization, and wise men
should sufficiently respect their own
rights not to epcrosch upon the rights
Of Others, even when no cleaning bay
onets are raised against them. When
there are large standing armies it is no.
difficult to invent c1sus 5sli, and history
bears Us ont in the assertion that for
every war prosecuted for good cause
dozens have originated in unworthy
motives or groundless quarrels. Then, it
must be remembered that in almost every
war one side at least is wrong. and these
who fight On the wrorg side, whether
they know the fact or not, are at once
enemies to peace and progress.
The ease with which American citizens
can be transformed into American soldiers
is lot because they are essentially differ
ent from the Inhabitants Of other coun-
tries, or materially different in their
physical training, but because they feel
that the issues at stake are their OWL, and
they readily copjure up an enthusiastic
confidence in their own proves. That
the unframed people Of other nations fur
nish equally good raw material fox troops
is proved by the fact that new corners
from other countries furnished q large
percentage Of the fighting forces on both
sides in our recent internecine conflict,
and on the American side in all our pre-
yious wars. More than this, unlettered
negroes, who had no previous experience
in the use Of arms, we're enlisted into the
Northern army almost before their
emancipation was accomplished, and they
not only became speedily efficient il their
drill, but fought nobly" on many holly
contested battlefield.
These facts are significant in condem-
nation Of the folly Of making war pro-
fession and OF keeping up large standing
armies in anticipation Of national or do
nestle conflicts. The sole condition pre-
cedent for the disbanding of the large
armies maintained in times of peace by
European nations, is an agreement to thu
effect among the great powers themselves.
If the operation were mutual, each power
would occupy similar position, and the
threat of each would be withdrawn in
favor of peace, economy and good gov
eminent. But to make such measure
effectual, all despotic ideas of a fright
divine to govern wrong" would have to
be at once and forever abandoned, and
he efforts of the ruling classes be directed
% the strong entrenchment Of themselves
n the confidence and good will Of their
own people. When governments are pop
llarized by love of justice, a complete
Of all iraiienable rights and
. conservative regard for the material in
:erests Of tie taxpayers, from whom their
revenues are derived, they will. find no
difficulty in obtaining volunteer defend
rs when their integrity is threatened or
heir sovereignty invaded. |
1t is mistake to suppose that the
verage American is any more a soldier |
han the average inhabitant of any other
ountry who is not prohibited from the
Sc of arms. Game is not SO abundant |
ere as it was half century ago, and
unters and trappers are not so common
s they were in the days Of the pioneers.
ut every hale man of sound mind is half
soldier, and be can be made one wholly
hen the necessity arises at 1.-THE of the
ost which the training and maintenance
7 professional waz1ior involve.
The great burden which rests on the in
1strial energies Of most Of the peoples
ID nations Of the wogld IL to be found