The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-20
The Army Appropriation.

Congress was called together specially
on account Of the failure to appropriate
money at the last session for the support Of
the army during the current fiscal year.
But for this fact there would have been no
necessity for the present extraordinary scs-
sion. Therefore, the first business to be CON
sidcrcd is the army in all its aspects, and
the acts OF the Administration In carrying
II on in defiance Of law Mr.. HAYES insists
that Congress shall take the figures of the
War Department. vote all the money asked
for the year. make no investigation, and 20
about its business when these orders have
been obcycd.
This sort of summary proceeding would
suit that class of Republican managers who
seek to avoid IA rupture in the party and to
preserve the cXtcrnals Of harmony until u
collision is forced 10y circumstances. But
the condition of the country demands that
this whole subject shall hc turned inside
out before any appropriation is made II in
wolves the gravc-t questions that =, parate
the executive and legislative departments.
II a standing army can be kept up for six
months without any check 10y Congress on
it, numbers or cost, what becomes of the re-
straints imposed on the Executive by the
Constitution The danger Of such prcce-
dent Is too plain to Toe discussed. This is
the first attempt under existing laws 20 defy
the will of Congress and to support the
army by ilagrant abuse Of the public credit.
There il no urgency for passing the
appropriation, even II there was no serious
dispute about the items Of the bill. Com
gross has assembled to lcgislatc for this
object and nn Legislation will meet the
public expectation that Is not preceded by
the fullest scrutiny. The country looks
particularly to the House Of Rcprcscnta-
tivcs for this duty, and expects the pledges
made in Mr.. RANDALL's address on taking
the Speakers chair to bc redeemed by the
majority that elected him. No backward
step will be tolerated by the people
Tho appropriation for the fiscal year
which ended on the 3Oth Of June last was
much larger than the House intended for
the army, and was voted solely from the
apprehension Of n great Indian war. then
supposed to be impending. The army was
maintained at its present maximum of
25,O0O men. and a force of $500 additional
cavalry was added for temporary service.
Deception was practised on the House To
carry that scheme through, and the troops
thus obtained instead Of being used against
the Indians, We're gathered at Washington
last winter to back up the Electoral Con-
spIacy
In the estimates just submitted to Con-
gress from the Treasury We lind the follow
ing figures:
War Department estimates for i-7s So 4ad 7Gi Hs
War Department Appropriations Tor 1877 ai''@i.r-i "a
Excess for is7s .................. si,I-,p Is
Here is IA half million in round numbers
above the appropriations for last year. when
Congress, with mistaken libcrality, voted
everything the department and the military
chiefs asked for, under the belief that their
statements were true, and that there was
Immediate danger Of an Indian war. when
none in fact existed. and the whole cutlery
was gotten nj 10y selfish Interests. After the
experience we have had. the House is cspc-
cially bound to investigate thoroughly, and
10 deliberate we'll, before voting the peoples
money away for a standing army Mem
bcrs had better study the figures and con
slider the millions, If they expect to be- re-
talncd in Congress Al this time every vote
Will be watched with keen eyes. and the
record will not be forgotten hereafter