The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-25
Reduction OF the Army.

II Is understood that q portion of the
Democratic members OF the Committee on
Military Affairs in the House of Represen-
tatives will oppose any greater reduction
Of the army than one of 5000 men. thus
leaving the aggregate force at 10000. The
Republican members resist any reduction
Mt all, and obstruct retrenchment in this
branch of the service, rs In all other bills
thus far.
halfway measure OF this kind will not
meet the expectation of the country, or
Iatlsfy the demand for economy. Every
body who has investigated the subject out
Ide of the preferred class knows that the
army to-day is more than twice too large,
considering the uses and necessities to
which 1t is applied.
SHERMAN, SHERIDAN, and the interest
which they advocate, want n standing
army on the European model, with splen-
did STATS, generous pay and allowances.
and all the accessories of great rank and
pomp. Such an establishment is supposed
TO magnify their grandeur, aud indeed il
would be very fine IL there were no taxes
to pay, and no suffering to endure for SO
much display.
templates the smallest possible force con-
sistent with protection. The warnings of
the fathers against large standing army
have been abundantly justified by recent
experience, when United States troops were
employed in Texas Arkansas, Louisiana.
Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, and
other States, TO overthrow popular govern
ment, and placed at the orders OF thieving
and murderous marshals for the basest Of
partisan uses.
We want no such standing menace and
no such immense power in the hands of
President who may be corrupt and I'M
scrupulous. one of the chief ISSUES before
the people, when a Republican majority
Of two-thirds in the House was crushed
out, was reduction of the army down 10
The lowest point. That question was dis
cussed in all its phases, and the judgment
rendered at the polls was that 10000 men
would be abundant for every need of the
country.
Since Congress met, the inclination has
been to compromise on force of 5000.
Even at that figure it would be practicable
20 save perhaps fl fteen millions OF dollars on
The annual budget without in any way inn
pairing the efficiency of the service. That
economy would represent the interest on
three hundred millions of fivo per cent.
bonds
Investigation shows that the main diff
,ulty in protecting our Southern frontiers
les, not in defiriencyin the number of the
troops, but in the worthless character of
those used for that purpose. Gen. ORD
testified before tho Committee on Texas
Depredations, the other day, that the
negro troops stationed on the line Of the
Rio Grande are not only useless for ag-
gressive operations, but that they are such
rndisciplined rufIians that officers are COM
PEELED to remain in their quarters in order
10 protect their families against their own
Joldiers.
Partisan influences have kept these
troops in service, though they are more
dangerous to the households of the CON-
manding officers than to the Mexicans,
whom they can hardly be driven TO eight
1t is part of monstrous system by which
the public expenditures have been shame
fully augmented and the people burdened
with outrageous taxation. The time has
come TO institute thorough reform In this
department of the public service.