New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-31
THE GOUERNNFN TERISS BINDS.

furnishes lis no particulars concerning the DIS
astlous fate which bclcll the latest effort ct
Mr. Samuel Cox in behalf Of the OPP
pressed and down-trOddcn. II is only recorded
! with cXa~pcrating bIryiy that the amend
mrnt which that energetic champion OF
the workingman offered to the Army bill,
"prohihitinS army musicians from PLAYING FOR
hire in civil life" was rejected. That only, and
no more 1t seems improbable that
he suffered the occasion to pass with
ont making one OF his soul stirring
appcal, on behalf of the class whose
special defender he is; but more i'm
probable that il he had il would have been
omitted in the press reporters condensed
essence Of the debate. He may not have been
in his seat ut the time, and 50 missed the
opportunity to call the attention of Congress
aud the country to the woe, of the Worklugman.
But even in this brief record We have renewed
testimony to his vigilance and devotion. For
il scarcely needs To bc pointed ouI that The
purpose of this amendment i, In direct accord
with the policy of his party, of which he Is 50
strenuous and eloquent IN adSocatc, OF pro-
hIhling governmental competition with any
kind of labor. Obviously. the policy which
would forbid the employment of convict
Labor IN any mechanical pursuit, would
apply the same rule and for the same reasons
10 the employment of the Marine Band for
hire in civil life" so long as Mr.. Cox
has deserving constituents who gain a
hardly-carncd subsistence at the slow
and laborlous crank of the organ. or 80
long ~ Mr.. Cox himself draws long
bow" in political discussion. hc must oppose
4t,s. Il .-tlf
from the mimpcdcd Use of the brass or string
bands of the Federal Government in civil life.
II i. 10 be- regretted that M Cox did not
upon this occasion deliver one of his well
known ,pccchc, on the dignity of labor and
the wrong, Of the laborng man. Il
wa, one of the opportunities oi hI1
life On such a theme he could have
poured Scorn and contempt upon Il
bloaicd and pur,c-proud all-tOcucy thrilled
the hearts of the doWn-troddcn with srntl-
mcnt- of an elevated aud yarirgatcd and In
nohliag character and made the Marine
Band hum. 1t come, to IL now upon the wing
of fancy the melting patho' with which he
would have depicted to the country the toll
some lot of the struggling street musician ::
the shoulders bent under the burden of
the superintendent organ; the PARKWAY
look of eyes that have grown wca'y in the
search for nickcl- by day, and bccry in the
pursuit of comfort by night; the sad smile
awakened by the thud of a two-ccnt piece
upon the soilcd shccp-skin of the brthumpcd
tamboulnc; the callOuscd knuckIcs of the
winning young person who plays that
hollow and unsatisfactory instrument; the fan
taste performances with which the accompa-
nying monkey conccals his settled melancholy
and makes II mockcry of grief with counter
fcitcd mirh; the slow procession of three
marching from door to door, receiving at
one the proud mans cOutumcly. at another
battered, and very likely pewter hyc-ccnt
piece, Il, another the spurns that patient
merit of the unworthy takes, and at still an
other the noisy notice of the SpIA dogs bark
10 move on. AL these, we say, We can fancy
the Poor Mans Friend describing on the
floor of the House, III such language
and at such length that he dlSsolycs
the quorum in tears, and multiudcs Of
the most stout-hcartcd Democrats are driven
sobbing to the House restaurant to drown
their soirows in the bowl, forgetting that,
under the restrictions lately established in
that department, they will have to do il in Il
tcacup.
Then, too, by way Of contrast, how he could
have described the Marine and other bands
now maintained in absolute idlcncss at Gov
eminent expense: their red trouscrs-if they
be rrd-and their brass buttons and gilt
and spanglcS and tromboncs and bass
drums and all the evidences of their highly
pampcrcd and pcttcd condition. All. how he
couM have set off the wealth and pride and
arrogance of the Marine Band armed rs it
is with great variety of costly wind lnstru-
mcnts, finely and extensively apparcllcd, and
endowed with an oycrbcaring naughty and
housekeeping major-how he could
have set it MI off against the noble i'll
digenco OF tho struggling organ grinder
Then there is that great multitude OF dcscrv-
ing persons now coming forward to whom
the world owes living who are preparing
musicians life by diligent and un
wcared practice upon the clarinet. the
fife, the huto, buglc, and violin. The strug
giles of these young men to qualify themselves
for positions IN brass bands where they might
earn an honest livclihOOd-hOw well Mr.. Cox
might have described them. And are these
ardent and aspiring youths to have their
hopes dashed by the Federal Govern
mcnt's going into tho brass band bust
ness and competing with them for tho Fourth
of July and st. Patrick's Day businessi That