Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-14
TEAT "COMNUNISM" AMOUNTS TO


TEAT "COMNUNLSM' AMOUNTS TO.
The viyacious reporters of the Chicago
Times, short time ago, in hunting around
for one of those startling sensations in
which Chicago journalism delights, lit upon
gang of disconnected workingmen who
had formed some kind of an organization.
Straightway the industrious and imaginative
Times reporters furnished-on paper-these
unemployed workmsn with a choice assort-
ment Of rifles and other deadly weapons, and,
having magnifed the numbers of the NAL
contents to the proportions of an army, set
that army to work-on paper-to overthrow
the whole fabric of society. Journals in
other parts of the country, anxious to emu
late the enterprise of the Chicago news
gatherers, soon discovered that the con-
spiracy had ramifcations in all the chief
cities of the Union. Regiments of 'Com-
munists'' were found everywhere, armed
and drilled according to the most approved
modern system. For want of a moro
"movina tale,'' the papers generally through
out the country took to repeating the flying
rumors, and to discussing the dangers that
threatened our institutions.
The whole of this absurd outgrowth of an
ambitious reporters fancy would not be
worth a second thought were it not that Ger
tain Republican papers of greater or less in
fuence are trying to turn the ridiculous
scare to political advantage. Thus the two
Tribunes-Jay Gould's and Joe Medill IS
are pretending to foresee an enormous Ca
lamity menacing the republic unless the gov
eminent adopt "stern measures etc., to
crush the phantom commune. The object
Of the Republican papers in uttering this
bloyiant nonsense is nothing more nor less
than to prevent the abolition of the super
fuous strength of the army. The first item
on which any one would lay his finger,
in looking over the government ex
penses with purpose of economic
ing, would be the figures set down for the
cost of maintaining an unnecessarily large
and overpaid army. The Democrats in Con-
gress, anxious to bring the governmental
outlay within the governmental income, have
prepared bill ordering this obviously Just
and indispensable economy. 1t is not the
first time that the Democrats have endeav-
ored to curtail expenditures in this reasona-
bic way. Neither is the present Republican
opposition to economy new thing. Just
now, however, the Republicans are instigated
by more than one reason to make deter
mined stand against Democratic measures
tending to abolish wasteful establishments
In the first place, nothing would bring more
Joy to the hearts of the 'sstalwart'' Republic
cans, than to SEQ Congress obliged to increase
the taxation on account of diminished
revenues against stationary or enlarged
expenses. Such condition would give their
fatulent ranters a subject to howl over on
the stump and in the press. OF course the
blame for the increase of taxation would be
laid at the door of the Democratic House,
while convenient silence would be main
tanned as to the Republican share of the
business.
But the Republicans have another and
more dangerous end in view when they cry
out against cutting off army excrescences.
They hope again to introduce the military as
political element in the South. It is their
intention this summer to send their most