Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-01-06
the Proposed Reduction of the
ARMY.

I If the Democrats in Congress carry
1 out their purpose 10 reduce the army
from y, 900 10 $1,000, they will perpe
/ tTate political blunuer for which the
saving in expense will not be com
! penSatiUn. There is no first class pow
er In the world which maintains SC
small an army as ours. France, with
population of 36, ,000,0 900, has stand.
in army of 100000 men; Great Britain.
! with a population Of 81, 900, 900, has an
army of 225, 600; Germany, With pop
ulatiOn Of IL ,000, 600, has peace estab'
lishment of "a, 900. Even our weak
neighbor, Mexico, with a population
OF only 5000, 600, maintains an army
| nearly as large as ours is at present, the
Mexican army consisting OF -, ,3S7 men.
Our Inilitary burden in time of peace is
altogether smaller than that of any 9th
er nation in proportion to our territory,
population and resources. Ii there be
any reason why we should maintain an
army at all it ought to be at least as
large as ii Is at present.
In 1875, twenty years ago, under a
Democratic administration, with Jetier-
son Davis as Secretary of War, the
army consisted of 12,729 men, say in
round numbers 1900. Our population
at the preceding census was ., 3,000.0 900.
Our population in 1870 was about 40,-
000, 900; and if our army bore the same
proportion to the population at present
that it did in 1855 it would amount to
about % eco, or only 1000 short of the
actual number. But we have greater
prop0rtiOnate use for troops than we
had twenty years ago. AT that time
our settlements had not penetrated
through the whole region between the
Mississippi Valley and the Pacific coast.
Oar new settlements and mining eStab-
lI@hnents throughout the vast region
on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains
require military protection against the
incursicns of the Indians and create
necessity for corresponding army.
Twenty years ago the Mexican border
was net iii state of chronic disturb
ance as it is at present, nor was there
the same necessity for taking precau-
lions against "a conflict of races in the
Southern States. Moreover, we had
not then purchased Alaska, which re-
quires constant military superintend-
ehce. We quite agree with General
Sherman, in his recent speech at the
New England dinner, that it would he
unWise to reduce the army below its
present NUM- Der. Even when the troops
are not called into active service, the
Indians are kept in awe, and the South
is perhaps kept tranquil by the knOwl-
edge that there j. force that could be
promptly used in an emergency. In
matters of this kind the proverb holds
good that an ounce of prevention is
worth pound of cure, as was signally
demonstrated by our military helpless
ness at the outbreak of the civil war.
Had We possessed 5000 troops at that
time the rebellion might have been
nipped in the bud, and the country
have been saved stupendOus sacrifices
of blood ard treasure.
1t would be ii political mistake to cut
down the army 10 the extent proposed,
because the army is popular and is ad-
with more honesty than any
other brancn of the public service. A
reduction of the rank and file would
naturally be accompanied with cor
responding reduction of the officers;
and if the Democratic hostility to Cen
erui Sheridan and those who share his
political views should cause their dis
missal, there would be "a popular COM
motion which would revive and enlist
on the Republican side the sentiments
which III 'de that party SO strong and
during and subsequent to
the war. ii the Democrats in Congress
are prudent they will curtail expenses
in those branches of the public service
" hich are corrupt before meddling
With the arDy and its popular officers.
N Y Herald