The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-11-23

that IL Is considered q degradal ION 10 D'
private soldier; and no American borl
possessed of any selfrespect will enlist o
b serves We are treated to the startling
fact that while an European military des
potism makes 1t an honor to be- soldier
and holds out the hope of high commant
TO the humblest through gallant service
we, as a Republic, practically shut gu
promotion from the ranks, reserving thu
offices for gentlemen educated to ride
booted and spurred over the plebians by
the grace of social position and com
mission The market value of this 80
cial position is found, since the Repub
lican organization put cadetships up fol
sale, to be from 3 to $4,000, 1t is reason
ably believed that were these appoint
ments put honorably upon The market
they would fetch from 5 to $4,000 each
from wealthy families anxious to give
their sons the title Of nobility.
This sort of thing drives into the army
as privates the worst possible element
low, disreputable mercenaries who enlist
only to escape the poor house or prison,
and about one third desert every year. |
have not the tables here from which to
make an accurate calculation as to the
number of desertions, but when the sub
jeCt was called to the attention of Con-
gress a year since, my memory tells me
that the fact shown was startling, .
Those officers with their doctrine of
blind obedience, and those mercenary
files are sent by men, who, convicted of
the most infamous crimes, are yet strug-
Cling to keep their places, to keep order
at the polls in doubtful States
"What Internal nonsense!" cries Mr..
Shallowplate, las if $4,000 men could
conquer 45,OOO0OO of our own intelligent
people,"
All! my Christian friends, five could
always have an open fight and fair field
the devil would put up his front shutters
and retire from business. Let us see.-
While l write, deviish, dextrous use
OF this standil army bids fair to defeat
the will the people expressed in the late
Presidential election, that foots up on
the popular vote over 25O0O0 ballots in
favor of the Democratic candidate. A
population of less than 100000 in the
everglades of Florida, with a majority of
that in favor of Tilden, can be so manip-
ulated under the bayonets of this army
as to retain these obnoxious officials in
office, or involve us in one Of the most
fearful civil wars that ever cursed peo-
pie.
THEREMEDY.
Is it not about time. then, to reform
this abuse? And the reformation is not
difficult. Strange to say, we have only
Ct pass from British to Continental ar
mics to find our remedy, That which |
makes an army more effeCtual makes it |
and consists not in the deg
radiation of the officer, but an elevation
of the private. AS the French soldier is
said to carry the baton of Marshal in
his knapsack, and with it his self re-
pect, and the German private regards
his General as his father, so the Ameri-
can should find as common soldier the
feeling that animates the cOmrade, and
his position the first round of the ladder
to military distinction. We must not
only open promotion to the ranks, but
we must shut it off from any other
source. To do this the graduate of West
Point should serve one year as private
IN the pay of a private.
One year thereafter as a Corporal, with
be pay Of such.
Provided always, that he has the incli-
ation and proves by his good conduct
lis capacity.
After such service he should be exam
n, d by a competent Eoard at Washing
40, no TO b;u 1uo Il 6notionO bafora hainr
as Lieutenant. And this
ioard should be open to the private
hose service entities him to Considera-
on. The West Pointer educated by the !
Government would certainly not shrink !
'om such competition. i
A bill embodying the above reform 3
as considered, | believe, by the present |
on Military Affairs in the {
louise, but such was the outcry against q
that it failed of favorable report, I
hat outcry was choice in the extreme
n Republican ears. "What," they cried, i
reduce a West Pointer to the ranks g
egrade him to the position of a COM i
on soldier-monstrous! 1t would de- a
roy our armv." Dear me, what ter r
BILE insult and what an argument to use f
a Democratic Committee fresh from i
le people!
Such reform would call to our army a n
fe, intelligent, patriotic element. The /
lest Point Recruiting officer would be h
Lrefulto recruit only such, for he would \
, enlisting friends, associates and COM v
.des. q
CALEB's HINT. {
lleb Cushing, the Machiavelli of to-day,
lving spotted Boss Tweed in Spain,
I'd procured tie return of that embodi. 4
ent of American Municipal Govern
ent without an extradition treaty,
ents trouble at home, and is here to
I'VE hand in it. Caleb is such born =,
pomate that he takes tea by stratagem, VI
ID goes to bed at night through a little 81
nspiracy that leaves all interested, like il
mself, in the dark. Grant and Hamil- u
n Fish, both feeling that Caleb owned !
EN-, sought to get clear Of him by max u
g the man who knew too much Chief e.
stice. Failing in that they banished CT
m to Spain. Caleb is back again, in
e same old, ill-ftting secondhand II
earing-apparel-the same smooth, quiet W
,e that is under such control one might h
y of it as clever Frenchman said of a,
that if he were violently q
cked behind the person in front would a,
t be made aware of the as ault from .,
Y change of the diplomatic counte- NJ
nee, and the inebriate Grant and the +,
iddled old Secretary of State are un- W
5y. cl
Caleb is not only willy and vicious, but II
is capable and has vast stores of learn
? under his control. His big, bald, N
otty old head is full of igeon holes, n
d four Administrations discovered that in
Caleb was wakened at any hour of the w
,ht by a tangled question of Statecraft, m
would, without hesitation, pull out m
I'M his cellular brain any quantity Of ct
ecedents on the side of the party pay r,
: him for the same. He has realized n
high as fifty thousand a year, and lives in
thirty and a half cents day. w
is sum he expends for his breakfast, ey
1yided he is invited out to dinner If 10