The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-20
Ords of Wisdom.

Tho pending bill appropriatcs in round
numbers twcnty-seven millions Of dollars
for the support OF the army during the next
fiscal year. This army consists OF twenty
five thousand men, large proportion Of
whom are not citizens Of the United States,
and are not in any manner or form identified
with the welfare Of this country. They are
mere advcnturcrs, picked up recruiting
stations, from whom no other oath is re-
CURED than obedience to the orders 81 their
superior officers. Plainly speaking, they
are. in the main, nothing but imported mcr
ccnarics.
Each soldier costs the people about eleven
hundred dollars year, besides being housed,
fed with the best, and we'll taken care OF in
other respects. What number Of skilled la
borers, average farmers, or good mechanics
get in these times eleven hundred dollars "a
year. even exclusive Of rent, subsistence.
and the like, which the common soldier docs
not payy Look at the matter practically,
for IL directly concerns every working man.
The highest form OF mechanical skill does
not command over $3.50 day, and, to got
that, the workman must be exceptionally
able. The average Is little above one-half
| that wages, but we take the best for an illus
tration.
There are but three hundred and nine
working days in the year, excluding sun
| days and national holidays. Now, If first
! rate mechanic should work every day in the
whole year without intcrruptio and have no
/ deductions for LOST time, sickness in his
| family on accidents. he would earn just
| sl,0Sl.j0 at S3.jJu day, and from that sum hc
! would have to house his wife aud children
| and clQthc thom and feed them. Brickayers
stone masons, painters, carpenters, and a
number Of other trades. even in prosperous
times, cannot work regularly throughout
! the year. They are fortunate in the present
period Of distress 70 find employment foi
/ 0nc-half or onc-thrd Of tho year.
Tho law thus NOT only makes the condition
Of the regular soldier, who Is mostly an
alien. and has no tic to bind him here, and
no knowledge Of or care for free Institutions
not only far better than that Of the average
citizen whether farmer, mechanic, laborer
or professional, but it stations him at the
polls on the day of election, which may bC
called the poor mans day, and places a
hayonct i'm his hands TO control the ballot
/ This is the exact application OF the exist.
ll- fNN'If hllA litAo l'Nll At4h'Al lI''A A'N''l
and over again In many Of the States. II
was this brute force that stood behind the
conspiracy "a steal the Presidency in 1876
and helped to consummate the fraud at
! Washington.
History is full Of warning as to the down
fall Of republics. Corruption and oXtIaya
gauce first sap the moral foundations, anr
then an army Of mercenarcs complete the
work In his memorable Grafton on the
completion Of the Bunker Hlll monument
DANIEL WEBSTER described the present
situation with almost the spirit OF prophecy
in these striking words:
"Qute TOO frequent resort Is made tomiary force
ami quite too much of g. substance ol tie people is con
,umei In maintaining ormlo., not lnr defence again,
foreign aggression, INT l1l tn,,ig o'it'e IN H,"r
ha,fg standing armies ARE the oppressive Instrument
Tor governing the people IN c htnl, OF hereditary au,
arbitrary monarch. military republic Go.,lhur
io.ioi n,oh flt.A. 4sr tIat of uAlta-En and sup
ported only by the sword. Us movement indeed, but
r.irosrodc and di-a.fous movement from the rcgula
and old fashioned moaarchcal systems
"li men would enjoy the llcs-in.s of republican GOV
mutual counsel aud consultation. ty 1t sense and lceun
Of general interest, anl ly the acqui,sccuce OF th
nI'n''l ns moo,"v properly expires ed fis b'
thc reprHl of ur army % the pol,Lp aud al Owe am
r miI trY must D. krp According to tlc Language a.
our uil oI rsht,, strict suhorlnauon the civ au
~orb Wherever this Lesson is not learned aud prae