The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-23

Batting the Hook.
Gen. SnERMAN's pet plan for increasing
the army is to rasr the infantry regiments
10 twelve companies. 30 as 10 put them ON
The same footing with the cavalry and ar
tillcry. BY this scheme the number of new
officers to be created would bc twenty-five
Lieutcnant-Colun twenty-five Majors
fifty Captains, and ono hundred Licuteuants
10 be appointed from civil lie. II is pro-
posed to take these officers from the South.
OF rather to promise TO do 20. and thus
to enlist the support Of southern Rep
resentttves in Congress for the project.
This is only one Of the artful de-, that
will he rcsorted to in order to prevent
proper reduction Of the army to pcrma-
nent peace basis. No regard is to he had for
the straitened condition Of the Treasury. or
the suffering of tax-riddcn people. who
are loaded down with burdens uf every kind
and distressed 10y the staguatiOn in all de-
partmcnts II business.
The military chiefs. who are drawing cnoi-
nous pay and omoluments. care notAlr,, for
the misery which athlete the country. They
want a large army to command aud to lice
at their own discretion, especially IN putting
down, at the point of the bayonct, any com
plants from the laboring MASSES against
starvation wages or any strikes for better
pay. They believe in NAroLEoN's method
OF dealing with disohcdcnt populacc, who
suppose they have some rights that great
corporations should respect They believe
In grape and canister as a remedy against
free speech. and associated labor seeking To
protect itself from oppression and wrong.
We speak now of the Intriguing chiefs who
have constantly been lobbying at Washing
ton against every form OF ret rcuchmcnt Tor
the army.
There are gallant and distinguished OIL
GERS who have taken no part in these selfish
lntrigues, and who are perfectly willing to
cooperate in any reform Congress may
adopt. Since general scaling Of the public
service is admitted to Ice necessary, 80 as to
bring down the expenditures within the
means Of the taxpa yers why should the army
be singled out rs an exception; Eight or
ten millions were cut off from the navy. in
the face Of an cutlery like that now heard.
without in any way affecting its efficiency.
In truth. it is improved with limited appro-
priations. since the rule Of plumber has
fc1scd NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
buN.
Every branch Of the civil service has been
pruned of excrescenccs, and the work il still
Incomplete, because more millions can he
saved by sterncr economy. The army,
which costs twice a. much the navy, has
thus far been alone excepted from the re-
trenching rule applied everywhere else.
The deceptions practiscd and the means
used To make this exception are now we'll
understood, and will be fully exposed at the
approaching session OF Congress.
Fifteen or more millions can be annually
struck of the budget 10y bringing the army
down TO ten thousand men. which j. Il suiii-
Client force for all practical purposes. though
insufficient to keep up the grandeur of a
General, Northumberland, Maior-Gen-
erals, acknowledgements. and their mag
nincent stats. II hn- been we'll said, We
have an army Of officers that eat up mill
lions every year. without rendering any
equivalent for the vast sums that are squan-
dered in maintaining such an establishment.
The South has suffered for ten years, be-
yond comparison with any other portion OF
the country. 1t Is just emerging from
the misery Of carpet-bag rule. aud remains
stricken with poverty. The people Of that
section must for a long time 10 come expect
b. have their necks CALLED 10y the heavy
yoke of debt They are Ill able TO bear new
burdens, and this last proposition to add "a
the tax bills by increasing the army and
distributing couple of hundred Offices
among southern members of Congress Is an
Insult and an outrage. There may he n few
vcnal politicians, willing to sell their birth
tight for n mess Of pottagc; but TO SUPPOSE
That the representation from the South can be
bought up i'm this way j. absurd Gov. HAAiP-
ruN eXprc -rd the true sentiment when h,
paid; 8" / am opposed 10 an increase Of tn,
army, or. in fact to any large standing
army and believe that the gallant citizci
soldiers could always hc relied upon for the
protection Of life and property and the cn
,orccmcnt Of the laws So will say every
honest memhcrof Congress. North or South
who desires TO have military ruic r"otraiur,
md economy enforced IN every department
Of the Governments
Filibnsters in the House of Commons
Those who entertain the Ulea-aut belle