Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-09-20
NO STANDING ARMY TO REPRESS
STRIKES

1t is not often that practical business men
like Col. Tom Scott of Pennsylvania, seek ex-
preston for their views through any writings
of their own 1t is therefore all the more
notable that the Colonel should come before
the public, as he lately has done, in an article
in the North American Review, the advo-
cate of standing army as the means of re-
pressing such tumults as have recently been
witnessed on the lines and at the termini of
the railways of several of the Eastern States.
That representative capitalist, like Scott, who
takes no other view of the masses than as of
so many toilers who are rightfully at the
mercy of the wealthy and powerful should en-
terrain such views as he expresses in that pa
per is not to be wondered at The means of
seeking hearing is what is unusual and sur
prising. 1t is not often that the MORNING
APPEAL finds itself agreeing with Jeremiah
Black. He is too notorious copperhead and
rebel sympathiser to command any of our lik-
ing !; but when he is right he is quite as right
as if he never had been wrong. Moreover,
he has very terse and vigorous manner of
expressing himself. We are very glad to find
him venting opinions entirely in conso-
nance with our own, as the following. In
letter to Mr.. John Barr, editor Of the Pitts
burg Post, the venerable statesman deals with
the question of standing army as follows
/" 1t cannot be necessary to tell you or any
other sensible man that this country will never
consent to be governed by a standing army
until the people make up their minds to aban-
don republican institutions utterly, and sub
NIT without murmuring to an absolute despo-
tism. The enemies of liberty on both sides
of the water have offered many excuses for
maintaining large armies in time of peace but
never anything so weak as that they set up
now. Hundreds of thousand of laborers find
themselves unable to protect themselves and
their families from starvation, and they be-
come turbulent, as every other people has
done under the same circumstances. To main
tain standing army for the purpose of keep
ing them in order is the worst remedy that
could be devised for the evil This reduces
the workingman to state of mere slavery, |
where the bullet and the bayonet of the soldier |
come in place of the Overseers lash. If they |
submit, they will be fit instruments to make |
slaves of us all. If they resist, civil war will |
become the chronic condition of the country. |
The United States have no right to informed |
die with this business except in certain con-
tingencies, well defined and carefully provid-
ed for in the Constitution. The old excuse
7 hot hos 70 t,o 1oJ Io
cause they confne the powers of certain per
sons within limits inconveniently narrow, is
not one which ought to find acceptance in the
Judgment of free people. But if the general
Government must settle the controversies be-
tween the railroad corporations and their lab
orers, let its interference take any shape but
that of standing army; for that would be not
only cruel and dangerous, but the most ex
pensive that could be adopted. [ believe none
Of these corporations think that less than a
pose; and that is gross miscalculation, for
three times the number would hardly be suf-
icient 1t would be much better, easier, and
cheaper to take out of the Federal Treasury
As much money as will pay the railroad en- ,
ployees fair wages and let the corporations
have the fruits of their labor as clear gain
Of course, don't say that we ought to be ,
.axed to free the railroad companies from the {
burden of paying for the labor they employ, t
10 that they may increase their profits or be
'aved from losses, but we had better do that ,
han worse X