The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-05
The Party of the Standing Army.

DE GoLYER GARFIELD, FRYE, and the Ro-
publican leaders who have taken part in
The debate on tho Army BILL have all threat
ened veto of the simple proposition 20 re-
peal brief clause in the Revised Statutes
by which regular troops are forbidden TO
serve az ordinary police Mt the polls In
order that the question may be fully undcr-
stood the section and the phrase TO be
stricken out are given below:
SIC 15cs Every officer OF the army or navy. or
other person In the civil military naval service Of the
United States who orders. brings keeps has under
hts authority control any troops armed men al any
place where general or special election is held In any
STATE unless he necessary TO rcpe armed
mics Of the United States. te,p N, pele Ne polio
shall be nncd than Ave thousand dollars aud
tuncr imprisonment At hard labor not less than three
months nor moro than five years
1t is not proposed in any way to disturb
or to impair the constitutional provision
which authorizes the President to furnish
aid ON the call OF the state authorities TO re-
pei invasion on TO put down domestic vio-
lencc. but only TO forbid the presence Of
soldiers at elections under pretencc OF
"keepiag the peace at the polls" In other
words, they are not allowed TO act as n con-
Etabulary. or TO usurp the functions OF the
bANbc VI HiuulClldl lpllNtt tltuAtu tNpItSSlg
TO preserve the public peace.
This is the whole question, as now pre-
sentod on the Army bill and because the
peoples representatives propose to repeal
an obnoxious clause OF the section above
cited, they are dciiantly told by the friends
of the Administration that the appropra-
ton for the army shall not receive the sig
nature of the Fraudulent President. He as
sumes 20 dictate legislation 10 the law-mak-
ing power, and threatens to stop the sup
plies by Il veto, thus In another form, usurp-
ing the functions of Congress.
Stripped of the false pretences which have
been dragged into the discussion the de-
mand Of the Republican leaders is that the
Executive shall determine the expedency
OF measures pending before Congress, and
by threat OF veto, coerce the majority
into submission to the minority. Otherwise
the appropriations for the army will fail.
For our part, we hope they may fail now
and hereafter, until the public mind is fully
reused to the danger Of maintaining a stand
ing army, and the people are made 10 soc
the enormous outlay for which they are
shafiefully taxed
The Republicans may well be called the
1NANs VI ehN SAoAAihS diHiNs nave
used it unscrupulously in the past, as an
engine of political power and now on the
eve of a -1reAidenti4l election they cling
year. They captured and held the South
ern States through this agency, until public
Indignation at the North released them
from its iron grip. They summoned the
flower Of the army from the Indian frontier
in 1876, and stationed it at the capital with
artillery trained on the House Of Represent
atives during the electoral count They
intend, if allowed, TO employ it to carry the
next President into office.
Mr.. FRYE gave part OF his time TO Mr..
BRENrs, the Republican Delegate from
Washington Territory, who had prepared
speech for the occasion, In which, speaking
Tor his political associates he said:
" But ever sine ii.ill ha. been under consideration
an attempt has been male % further reduce It hc army,
10 only nnecn thousand G,nueiucu tak about thc
army being too tphcnNy They an, mistaken Il too
bottomhsht The rank and Tic shoai be- increased g. az
least MY thousand men, provided with all necessary
supplies"
This is the sentiment Of the Republican
party, who defeated fairly by ballots in
three successive elections for Congress and
one for the Presidency would seem to be
now ready to employ bayonets as a means
OF moral suasion.