The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-10
Economy Must Go On.

Economy Must so On.
Outside Of Texas. all the troops In the
Southern States have been withdrawn. and
yet there Is no sign 81 disturbance If in
stead of employing them on partisan SER
vice, az has been the practice for the last
ten years or more. the army had been ju-
dicously distributed along the exposed
frontier. ten thousand mon would have suf-
feed for every need. and the Indian troubles
might have been composed by the good
Offices of honorable men, who would not col
Jude with corrupt agents in plundcring the
tribes to which they were assigned as
guardians Of their rights and interests in be-
half of the United states
The real objects Of maintaining n large
force in the Southern States were. first, To
prop up by the bayonct alien Governments
that could not stand alone; and. secondly,
-to furnish an excuse for army wholly dis
propurtoncd to the wants Of the country,
and which. like a cancer has been eating at
the vitals Of the republic since the close Of
the civil war.
The figures are actually appalling TO real
i1c, when it is considered that the army has
been ON the peace establishment since 1865,
and in that period Of time has consumed near
lowest calculation. two hundred millions
might have been saved in these past twelve
years. if there had been the least disposition
b. cconomgc and to cut of excrcscenccs that
were constantly growing into serious bur-
dcus. But the policy OF the Republican party
was To- encourage extravaganza in every
direction; initiate prices; preach the doc
trine that national debt was national
blessing; vote appropriations for Rings;
Nil the goose that laid the golden egg
at the South; destroy our commerce on the
American continent 10y the creation Of mo-
nopolics; and make excess the rule Of lcgis-
ation
This vicious system, erected in violation
OF all natural laws, was bound to collapse,
A. 1t did in 1873. and TO entail the ruinous
consequences which have followed since
chen. The end is not yet, though there is
promise ahead ii Congress will address it.
sell earnestly and honcstlyto the duty OF
bringing down the public expenditures with
n the necessities of the country. A begin
uing was made in the last Congress, in spite
Of the most determined hostility of the Ad-
ministration and the Republican majority
IN the Senate, both Of whom threw every
possible obstacle in the way Of practical re-
lorm.
Every branch of the public service except
the army was subjected to retrenchment.
and the House of Representatives struggled
mantully to extend the same rule Of economy
to il as TO the navy and 10 the civil depart
ments. Various causes cOnspired to defeat
that policy at the first session and at the
last. In the former the clamor OF q great
Indian war was one OF the means most sue
cessfully used and in the latter the proviso
Of the House, that the army should not be
used for political objects, was employed by
the Senate to defeat the Appropriation bill.
These prcteXts will not exist when Con-
gress comes together in October; but new
cry will be raised, as result Of the recent
strikes. The great corporations and capi-
talists will boldly demand an increase OF
the regular army, which, reduced to plain
terms. means that new taxes are to be i'm
posed and new debts created. The advocates
of this audacous scheme have not reflected
upon the consequences that might ensue
from such an experiment.
Taxation is now a grievous load to carry,
nut taxes to maintain the army at its pres
ent maximum Of $4,000 men, or to augment
it, would raise a storm of Indignation which
could not he easily subdued. Labor is heavi-
ly weighted and can bear no more. The
House Of Representatives should not he
diverted from the path hitherto pursued,
which is the only safe road out OF our
troubles Economy must go on until the
public burdens are diminished and the la
boring man has chance to be something
else than newer Of wood and drawer Of
water