The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-23
The Army Rill.

We have just received from the Hon. |
Richard W. Townsend, member of con-
gress from the 10th district, copy Of the
bill introduced by Mr.. Banning from the
joint committee on Reorganization of the
Army. The bill is avoluminous document
Of 294 pages. Knowing that Mr., Townsend
was thoroughly alive to every interest af-
fecting 1.-THE west and especially this state,
and furthermore knowing that he is one of
the best friends that Rock Island Arsenal
has in congress. he having rendered this
section good service last summer In secur-
ing 1.-THE Arsenal appropriation while our
own member was busy in mailing public
documents to country newspapers, we
therefore wrote him regarding the provis-
ions of the bill that affect the Arsenal. Mr..
Townsend's reply only confirms the tele-
graphic reports of the attempt made by
eastern manufacturers of arms to do away
with the United States arsenals and place
the power in their hands to swindle the
government in time of war, as was done
from 1861 to 1865.
Section $50 of the bill contains this SEN
tence:
THAT ordnance and ordnance stores
shall be provided by purchase, by con-
tract, or in open market"
| This section is strangely at variance will
the economic measures of the present con
gress in the face of the fact that during
three years of the war the Springfield arm
Org alone saved the government oyel
Seuen millions of dollars, which figures
: must have been accessible to the gentleman
who had charge of the bill. Another stronl
argument, besides that of economy and G
; independence of any combination of east
: ern manufacturers, is, that by making it
q own ordnance and ordnance stores, the hes
i and most perfect arm as we'll as reliabl
ammunition is placed in the hands of tn
men who fight. Do we not all remembe
: how the boys in our first engagements dur
' ing the war were placed at q terrible dis
advantage on account of imperfect arm
Il and defective ammunition, and how ez
r pensive it was TO change these arms late
in the war? Is there another greedy hord
- of army contractors anxious to grow rio
from the necessities of the country wher
ever such necessity shall occur? There
. no doubt but there is strong combinatio
r of eastern manufacturers at the bottom {
Ir this attempt to do away with our nationa
e armories and place the government at til
q mercy of private corporations for its NEAR
of national defense.
Especially is this matter one Of grei
importance to the South and West, TIL
Arsenal at this point is demonstrating II
r fact that manufacturing can lie done GU
f. side of the classic boundaries of Ne
England as economically and more advar
tageously than within its immediate terri
y tory-that the time has arrived when tt
nj South and West, whose interests are ide
s, teal, shall no longer pay tribute to tt
lg East. No one can blsue the East for i
I'd endeavors to hold this tribute, but it
oF manifestly the duty that every weste
and southern member of congress owes
his own section to defeat this last attem
of eastern manufacturers to abolish Il
most economical and servicabIe means
national defense.
Of one thing certain we can depend up
ro the valuable services of Mr.. Townsend
defeating this clause of the bill,