The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-10-31
CUT DOWN THE ARMY
A Sound View cfthis Great Question
What Congress May DO
From The Journal Of commerc

From the Journal Of Commerce
One Of the bulwarks of Cur liberties is
the supreme power Of Congress over the
army. Congress alone can fix the numbers
Of and appropriate the money for the ma
tional war establishment. This, with
many other wise provisions of our political
system, was copied from England. The
old Bill of Rights in that country forbade
the maintenance Of q standing army in time
of peace without consent of Parliament,
and that body has for nearly two hundred
years declared what should be the strength
Of the army and how much it should cost.
The Congressional control of the army
has worked admirable as principle, until
at the last session. the House refused tosap-
propriate funds for the War Department
unless the troops which then menaced the
South and the peace of the country were
withdrawn. As neither the Senate nor
the Executive would accept this condition,
the money was not forthcoming Since
then the retirement of the regulars from
the South aud their gallant conduct in the
late labor riots has put the House 10 d
more confiding and amiable frame of mind
aud at the extra session this month the
army will be generously treated, We doub
not. But any attempt 10 increase it much
will meet with resistance.
No favor, we trust, will be shown TO tn,
recommendation which, il is said, Secretary
MeCrary will make, that authority be con
ferred on the President to enlarge the arm!
at his discretion to 10000 men. The Pres
ident cannot augment the army withou
running up its expenses. Will Congress
cede these powers to the Executive
The House of Commons would regard sucl
a proposition from the Crown with tn
greatest suspicion, and Indignantly rejec
it. Congress, if it respects itself, wi
spurn such suggestion as insulting.
will insist on fixing the number and tn
r cost of the army from year to year.
If Congress authorizes the President L
raise the army to 10000 men, he will b
continually and sorely tempted to do ii
The pressure upon him from army officers
contractors and fomenters of border quar-
rels would be irresistible unless he were a
firm as granite. We would spare tn
! President this conflict and annoyance, an
probably save the nation from an adde
financial burden and the aggravated dar
gers Of war with Mexico, by keeping tn
management of the army in its preseu
z hands 1t is not likely Congress will il
crease the army by single man; and th
War Secretary may think himself lucky
the roster and the appropriations are nc
cut down together.
One enlargement of an army leads t
another. 10 Great Britain the standin
r. force has more than doubled, with the cor
/ sent OF Parliament, since 1926, though W
see 10 reason for this 10 the foreign o
domestic relations of that country.
: Congress adds 5000 or 10000 men to on
army now, there will be request from tn
= War Department for as many more in tw
' years A standing army, even the small
est, has in it the seeds of peril to FIRE
government.
A militia composed Of volunteers, in eac
State, we'll disciplined, is, on the contrar,
; the best of guarantees that our hbertiC
Z. will not be attacked or subverted: and, q
II the civil war and the recent riots triumph
f antly prove, a citizen soldiery is equal
any emergency in State or national affair