New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-20
TILE 1rrICK UPON TIE ARWf.

THE ATTACK jPON THE Ihbl.
The growing apprehension OF fresh labor
troubles this Summer, and the possibility that
the strikes and riots of last July may
be repeated on an even larger scale,
give special interest to the warfare of
the Democratic party upon the army.
If among a dozen intelligent gentlemen,
gathered together at hazard, the subject OF
the army is mentioned. there will be no
dissent TO any OF these propositions: that the
army is too small that it i, OutragcOus!y over
worked; that its officers are Ill-trcated and
undcrplid by the Government; that, as n
rule, they are the most honorable, honest, in
dustrious and able of the public servants. No
one .dcncs--at least no one but the grossly
ignorant-that il is the most purely Democratic
institution in the country. In every other
profession-the law, the clergy, medicine
wealth and social standing are powerful
adjunctS Of success. In our army, alone OF ali
armies in the world, these circumstances have
not a feathers weight. The millions of a
Vanderbilt or an AstOr could not make a cap
tam ont of a lieutenant until the slow pro-
gress of years had brought the milliOnaire's
name to the head of his list. The autocratic
will and the high position of President Grant
could do no more than procure for his son
temporary staff appointment through the favor
of a friendly general, and could not raise him
an inch in the regular line. As the pay is so
little, ana the chance for distinction 80 slight
the only thing that tcmptS an American gen
ticman iuto the army il love for the pro-
fc,siOn Of arms strong enough to induce him
to forcgo oil hope of worldly prosperity. and
IN sacrifice the thousand chances which
life offers 10 other men, in return for an
honorable tenure of service and mere
subsistence. We are always ready enough
to call upon them when we are in
trouble. On many occasions the appear
ance of little squad OF regular soldiers, led
by a captain whose pay is less than that OF
street scavenGers clerk has put stop to riot
and piiasc, without the shedding OF drop
of blood Republics proverbially have short
memories, but we certainly ought to remem-
Der that last Summer the tardy dispatch OF a
handful of United States soldiers saved several
cities from scenes too dreadful to contemplate,
and this without the necessity of firing shot
We may safely assume that no honest people
have any quarrel with the army that one
soldier is not dangerous to the liberties of
two thousand citizens-this being the proper
ton of our armed force to our population !;
that they are very useful in emergencies; and
that they mind their own business 10 an ex-
tent unusual in our time and country.
Why, then, are we called upon to notice
every year persistent attempt on the part of
politicians, of some sort or other, to prosecute
and destroy this little body Of few hundred
gentlemen, who ought to be respected and
liked by every one, and who certainly give no
good men cause to fear or hate them This
wear the chief leaders in tins outrageous per-
secutiOn are Mr. Banning, of Ohio, and Mr.
Hewitt, of New-YOrk. The appearance Of
Banning in this character is not especially
surprising. He is a vain, narrow. dishonest
man. He was elected by the votes Of scoundrels
who are now in the Ohio Penitentiary for
having violated the laws for his benefit. lie
looks 10 the lowest class of the population
for his support, and he imagines no will
curry favor with the tramps and communists
by his scheme for the destruction OF the or
ganization which they regard as the most dan
rerous obstacle they will have to face, in the
attack they are preparing upon social order.
He is not tramp nor communist himself,
but he has not honesty enough to oppose those
who are, nor lntclllgcHce enough 10 see inc
ruinous tendency Of any concessions to them.
He has been cmbittercd i'll his vindctive van
Ity by the contempt his silly malice has cx-
cited among decent people, and the virtual
abolition of the army has at last become a
fixed idea with him. But what is Mr.. Hewitt
doing in this galley9 He is patriotic, law
abiding citizen, devoted to the cause of law
and order by every impulse OF ms heart and
every motive of interest Yet his scheme for
the reduction Of the army by consolidation of
regiments and starvation of officers, might
have been elaborated around the beer-tables
of Citizen Schwab himself Both he and Ban
ming seem to think that only the private sol
der deserves the consideration and respect of
law-givers. The muster-out of third Of the
officers of the army, and the depriving of those
who remain of the nccessaries of life, Banning
regards as a proper concession to the tramps
and Hewitt as the ""best that can be obtained
Gin the present condition of public opinion
1t is difficult to treat this question seriously.
How many men in Congress would do lieu