The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-31
Democratic Folly and Repnblica N
Passion.


In. the great political ferment at the
national capital the amount Of yeast seems
to be out of proportion to the quantity Of
dough. The democrats are doing badly
enough but we see no good reason for so
much excitement as prevails among their
opponents. Both parties are giving undue
Importance to small matters. Of what
real consequence is it whether federal
soldiers are permitted to be employed
to preserve peace at the polls? 1t was OF
considerable Importance in 1865 when the
act was passed which the democrats are
now seeking to repeal. because the work Of
disbanding the great armies needed for the
war had then made but little progress, and
large force was kept on foot for several
years after for maintaining order in the
Southern States. But our present army is
too small to do any harm or good in
connection with the elections. General
Sherman is year by year declaring his
opinion that the army is deplorably in
adequate for the duties required Of it
in the Indian country. Of our small and
inadequate army the greater part is serving
in the Territories beyond the Mississippi
There are two or three regiments, or frac-
tons of regiments, stationed on the Texas
border, and a few companies, or fragments
of companies, to man the forts and guard the
public property in the arsenals scattered
along the seaboard States We have an inert
and rather phlegmatic President-more like
King Log than King Stork, who has never
placed soldier near any polling place in
the United States, and would have no dis
position to do so if the army were as large
as it was in 1865.
Men of sense look on and wonder what
all this furious excitement at Washington
is about. Even if President Hayes were the
reverse of what everybody knows him to
be-if he were a restless, intermeddling,
INSCRIPTIONS politician-where would he
get troops to overawe the voters of the
United States at their innumerable polling
places? Is anybody lunatic enough to be-
lieve that he is going to strip the
vast wilderness on both sides of the Rocky
Mountains of the few soldiers that
are scattered through it, transport them
distribute them as far as they will 60 among
the election precincts ofthirty eight States?
If he leaves the army scattered for hard and
vigilant service throughout the vast ex panse
of the Indian country whence is he to get
soldiers to station at the polls? Was there
ever such indescribable folly and such
crazy exaggeration as is made the pretext
of this great political hubbub. this much
ado about nothing" at Washington? The
stupidity of the democrats in raising such an
issue and the insanity of the republicans
in their cry of revolution about it are
equally unworthy of men of sense and judg-
mcnt. There could not be more frivolous
subject for so vehement and infammatory
debate as that which has been opened on
the Army Appropriation bill. SO long as
the army is so small that the whole OF it is
needed for service against the Indians poiit-
ical zealots trfe with the understandings
and insult the good sense of the country
by pretending that tho presence of
soldiers at the polls is either
peril or protection. If with SO pitt
fully small an army as ours, with no
surplus soldiers out Of the Indian county
and the forts, the President should attempt
to control the elections of the country by
tho use of troops he would act like caild
with cupful of salt and teaspoon trying
to change Lake Superior into sea water.
And yet this heated and acrimonious debate
turns upon this contemplate chimera-
upon whether the least aggressive of Prosi-
dents shall be permitted to employ nom
existent soldiers to keep peace at the polls.
No Censure for the Zulu War.
The English House of Lords has refused
20 DECLARE Ito raorat that the Govarnor