The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-17
The Lavish Congressman.


OF the people in regard to large standing
army in time Of peace might be accom-
| pished. But tho military influence which
possesses Washington captures Congress
every year. and, SO far rs the army is con-
ccrncd, nulliiics the representative principle
In our form Of government. That military
power is composed in part Of one general,
! nine acknowledgements. seventeen colonies.
eleven hcutenant-colonels, twcnty-cight
majors, twenty captains twcnty.three leu
tenants. ten acting assistant surgeons
| Most Of these officers are married With
their wives and relatives they constitute
large portion 81 the best society in the
national capital. Against its seductions
and cntreatics the average Congressman is
utterly powcrless. lie turns his back ON
! his duty surrcndcrs his reason. stultiiics
! himself 10y his votes.
When hard pushed he will frankly admit
that our army is an army Of officers; that
the figures show that there is one commits
stoned officer to only 81 privates. Will he
vote 10 consolidate the regiments Read Ia
him the testimony q, Col CoRBIN Of the
| 1wcnty-iourth Infantry: 81 have seen
captain 20 on parade with only his sergeant,
the captain forming the front line, the SER
geant the rear. After having been captain
for ten years | have frequently gone out
with only four men, He will honestly say
that the whole thing is shocking bur
lesque, and II course should be reformed.
Yet he won't vote TO reform IT, 1Ie won't
vote to reduce the number Of regiments.
to consolidate the force, to reduce the
staff 10 muster out the unnecessary
! ANi.ar= RaaI IN him, fha lat
muster rolls Of the present for duty"
How II the strongest regiment Of cavalry.
the Tenth, which had then enrolled Al COM
missioncd officers aud vs. enlisted men.
there were present for duty only Il officers
/ and SOS men How OF the weakest regiment
Of artillery. the Fifth. which had 81 COM
missioned officers and 4I3 enlisted men,
there were present for duty only "A officers
and 800 men, How in the strongest reei-
ment Of infantry, the Tenth, Company X
mustered for duty only 10 men; Company
+, B men, Company G., 10; Company II, %;
Company |. ~ and Of the 26J officers and
men present for duty In the whole rcgi-
ment only l7j were private soldiers while
! In Company q there were one captain
ami six uon-cunmissioned officers TO cont
maud the nine privatr-! Read to this
! Congressman from the War Department re-
ports how, IN the Twonty-lirst Infantry.
there We're present for duty of Company 4
| eight commissioned and non-commissiuncd
officers. commanding ten priyatcS and two
musicians; of Company l., ten officers, cou-
mRuding eleven priyat.- and twomusican-:
Of Company L, eight officers, commanding
twelve private- and one musician, how
eight privatcs and one musician in Company
X were drilled, disciplined and commanded
| 10y ten commissioned and non-comm-sloncd
officers. He will promptly acknowledge
that the army is wasteful farce, and that.
from the fact that IL Is an incongruous mon
archical institution in the midst Of domoc-
racy, IL must always be- an unpopular as
! well as an unsuccessful farce: and he will
freely admit lin private conversation that
! II ought to be abolished. But he will not
vote to abolish it, nor to reduce it, nor to
consolidate IT, nor to reform It.
He will swear naturally and wholcsomelv
over Surgcon-Goncral BARNES testimony
before the House Military Committee that
he draws forage from the Quartcrmastcr in
! Washington for five horses, two Of which,
kept in stable behind his private Office, are
used by his son. who Is in general practice
family. and ono belongs to an absent friend
who gets him fed and groon.'d at the ex-
pensc Of the Government by lending hm To
the Surgeon-General. But this average
! Congress man will not vote to abolish the
"forngc' and other military swindlcs by
which the Government is shamciully robbed
and army officers constantly di-houor thcm-
selves. lie is very clear, too, that ia the
present collapse Of industries, shriukage
of all property values, and general dis
ttcss, SlI7OO a year is excessive pay
for Gen. SHERMAN's services as COM
mandcr Of our fragmcntary army. But
he will not vote to reduce this pay
Show TO him the pay list Of the officers Of
every grade from general to second icuten-
ant, He will agree with you that il exceeds
that Of any army in the world; that it was
fixed when gold was above groenback-,
and when the nation was rich prodigal,
reckless, and drunk on a flood Of paper
money; that it Is outrageously dispropor-
| toned TO the value of the services rendered
But he won't vote to cut down the pay II
the army. Indeed, 20 vote for the army is
fashionable, politically and socially. And,
then, this average Congressman may be
hurt as politician, and damaged as mem
her Of society, by voting against tho army,
while he may not be hurt among his con-
sutucnts by voting for it. So ho votes
against tho people.
Taxpayers Of tho United States you have
got To- supplement this mans Weaknesses
You must cmancipate him from the con
trolling influence Of Washington society.
Yon must surround this representative vot-
t.fl :.