The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-20
ABOLISH THE dRHYi


To TIL EDITOR OF The SUN-SH From
the adoption Of the Constitution ill the days OF
the Mexican war tho United states never had a
regular army in tho sense in which IL Is now
used by the military Ring at Washington. This
appears on tho faco Of history President
Washington tried the experiment Of establish
INK such force In the American Legion. but
ne himself vas tho first lo recognize It's insult
abloness under a government Of the people,
md 1t WIS d.shandcd during his term Of Office.
Thereafter, until 1916, the regular troops 60
called werc really volunteers. Of the same lass
az thosr who fought in our civil war-that is
their regiments wclo raised "a required and
disbnndcd when the necessity WIS over. From
1916 t) 1890 only few regiments Of infantry
AMI bait rirs Of artillery were kept in service
and they were obliged TO earn their wages Ike
other Americans The Florida war and the
extension OF the fur trade on the plains gave ~
only two cavalry regiments lthc old First
and Second Dragoonsl and il WAS not
till the Mexican war that the present cNclu-
siye. useless AMI expensive regular army
began 70 accumulate power and to influence
legislation in It's own favor. All our present
general officers and head Of STAN Departments
entered the service during the Mexican war or
Immediately after. II was during Tho Mexican
war that the jealousy between volunteers and
regulars commenced and that the regulars
ilrst exhibited their hatred of jhoir follow sol
dicrs, simply because tho volunteers lid not
depend on Government zap for n livelihood in
times VI peace. II WIS IN the VI Xican war that
the West Pointers first started the opprobrious
name II mustang officers for an those who
entered the army from civil life; and the
jealousy then rousol has only incrcascd eyer
since. In Mexico. also. the system which pro-
longed our civil war 90 81 n a period was first
inauguratcd. that Of giving the volunteers all
the work. while tho regulars got the prizes
and glory What the regular army Is now Il
has become under tho ralc ~ Grant. Sherman
AMI sheridan ail men formed IN that epoch.
Those men have started the cry familiar IN
Adm ui-tration journals. that volunteers are
costly and cNtrayngHut' In comparison with
regulars. They point 90 the 1.Nt 81 the Union
for the civil waras $1,000 600 600. and insist that
had half ~ that money been spent in rrcserv-
ing regular army in proper state We should
have been saved the rebellion.
1t us examine this question " relative cost
ana see whore We come out.
From 1851 TO 1861 tho United sintos Govern
mont expended nearly 100000 .0o0 on the rcgu-
lar army yet it lid not prevent the rebellion,
white about half of tho West Pointers in liz
ranks Joined the enemy. many Of them leaving
the scrvico almost under Are while every man
drew tho last available cent Of his nay Did
this 5000 Ou0 900 justify itself 10y service when.
rs noted in n former letter. not one regular ofll-
oer or soldier died in defence of his post until
the groom volunteers were called from plough
and counting room to shame tho " professional
soldiers into some show " manhood Lot vs.
upposa that we had never had a regular army
but depended on volunteers from 1916 20 1861.
raising them rs required. We might still have
had rebellion but tho country would have
been about thousand millions richer and Icf-
fers1n Davis and Robert y. Ice would not have
been able 20 make the trouble they did 10y means
OF tho knowledge acquired nj the national oN-
pcnsc at the Military Academy II West Point
What Is tho use of maintaining rs We do to-
day. at an expense Of i3OOc0.00O per annum.
regular army which Is NJ protection 70 W. In
war which never yet saved the United Statos
from any dang, r. and which has 20 hn replaced
~ volunteers Whenever Aghting is necessary
Tho Military Ring at Washington answers hy
referring - tho chain - forts in the Military
Division 81 the Missouri AMI To- tho police du-
iic- performed by tho soldiers. II they 10 rem
der ~ III services. loi us "a the Canadians DO
call them by thoir right namo-uo,ice
Let Us abolish tho regular armS entirely. and
strip IL Of los coat of tnse AMI sham. II never
4 .
AMI no,,,. ,,,t, t ,,,,i". H.. ,,r,s,,,, $50,
MN. siii.r. ,t'' I-n,..,i ST. hos go
,,,,.a.., -. IS, -. ,r,. - -.
''''.' -. 49,, -. -
..,.t..t' ~. tt T.,
80 90 NV, ooo oon
,,.,
t.,, H.. .., ,....t.,. 80. .-....,
ii - ,.,sc, M -, -.
~ -. go c'' ~
,, -
-, ,,' INV ''.','.'.'~
- ,t, .'' ,,, ,...i., ..'.,,
- '' =, ~ w. 80 80.
~ '.. ~ N'' !.
W., ~ ' -. ~ 80 ',II
-, ~ . -.
1,,, " - "' ,,..,',,..a 4, -.
-, 80 -
- ''',''', "a,
.o,o -, li,, S,'t..,','1,,.
- 11.,,,,. "I s. c "',,' RI, -. -
80 - ~, 900
- .' "''''' '',,
',,,,, "". '''',' "'r 49,
,tea1 H., ho' .', ,s,,a, a. 49,, ,.,'o,
,.i ~, a., - -
-N'' '7' "i N''Hh'''tH al 'h' 'hil''l-i' AN'0N'