New-York tribune., 1876-01-17

OIX UiPLDu1IS 1ND ~ - oVI<ILEHc'
There are two branches of the pubic service
to which the mind of the lower class OF
Congressman instinctively turns when he
wishes to make n demonstration in the direction
of retrenchment and reform. These arc the army
and the diplomatic service. The professional
politician naturally shrinks from attacking
post offices and public works. He feels That
he may need their assistance in some trying
hour when he gets into the majority. But
there is nothing to be made out OF the army.
II minds its own business, as rule. IL neither
steals nor allows others TO steal when 1t can
prevent it, 1t has no weight in primary con-
yeptions. and little weight i'll elections. lis
officers are mainly educated and seii-Iespcctlng
men. They have no one to speak Tor them,
no one to !og-roll or bargain for them. II Is
therefore perfectly safe to attack the organiza-
tion. to move its disbandment, to cut down
it's appropriations, to bcdevil and worry
It in every possible way by which capital
can be made. The diplomatic service
,tands on a different footing, but is an
equally safe point Of attack. 1t has no posi-
bic way Of fighting back. 1t need cause no
surprise, therefore, that the new majority III
Congress begins its work by informing the
country through the dispatches to the news
papers that thorough reductions are to be made
i'm both these branches f; that the army Is to be
practically mustered out of service, and that
the salaries of ministers and cOnstll5 are to
be cut down from twenty-five to fifty per cent.
Whether they succeed or fail in these schemes
and whether they mean TO succeed or fail III
them, is a matter of little importance. They
intend to make q record and display their zeal
for Tctrenchment and reform.
As TO the diplomatic service, we think there
is no necessity of any alarm. 1t is true enough
that the salaries at present are small, but
there is no difficulty in filing all the missions
at existing prices, and if the pay was still
further reduced there would be no correspond
ing falling Off in the character and standing OF
our diplomatic functiOnaries The salaries are
large enough at present to tempt the cupidity
and vanity of the lowest breed of politicians,
persons utterly unfit and absurd, considered i'll
relation to such service If the pay was less,
it is possible that the Hudsons, and Cramers,
and Mer1ills, and the brol.en-down Congress-
men who now fill most of our legations would
not be so eager to misrepresent and disgrace
us abroad, while it would make little differ
ence with such men as Motley, Adams, Ban
croft, Jay, and BigelOw. 1t is possible, indeed,
that if, like the Kingdom of Greece we paid no
salaries whatever to our diplomats, we would
have Just about as good service as we have now
The vanity and the love of personal display
which would lead our rich men to apply for
these positions in that case, would at least he
an improvement on the sordid and vulgar
greed which induced most of the appointees OF
the present Administration to compete for their
places for tho mere salary. Seven thousand
five hundred dollars seems a small pittance TO
people acquainted with fashionable life at u
foreign capital. But it is opulcnce beyond the
early dreams of Cramer or a Hudson. STILL
the question is hardly practical one. The
Diplomatic salaries will not be reduced
simply because there are some hundred states
men in Congress who hope to get foreign
mission whenever their constituents cease to
appreciate them.
The attack on the army is far more mis-
chievous and dangerous movement No poll
tician expects to be an army officer or to ask
any favors from the army. He may cry him
self hoarse over the wrong done when one
armed volunteer soldier is turned out of a
post Office, because there are votes in it. But