The National tribune., 1881-09-10
Reducing the Army.

\ few years ago, when it was proposed TO re-
duce the Army to maximum Of less than 25, 600
men, those opposed to the movement developed
sufficient strength to defeat it in Congress, but
the reduction is being made all the same. First
Candy and the unfortunates who died in the far
Northwest among the lava beds; then Custer
and his nearly 800 officers and men slaughtered
upon the banks Of the Rose Bud; next Thorn
burgh and his gallant troopers farther south,
and now Hentig and his comrades in Arizona
upon our Mexican border,-in all nearly 500 men;
and how many civilians and defenceless women
and children have meantime been murdered by
our red brethren God, only knows.
We are not inclined to lay all the blame for
these frequently recurring massacres-for they
are nothing less-upon the Indians. They doubt
less have good reason for every outbreak,-at
least the reason has seemed sufficient to them;
and far as the treachery and cruelties practced
and cruel. The real responsibility rests with the
Government, or, more properly, with the people
of the United States
The mawksh sentimentalists of New England
and the equally mawkish politico-rcligio of
other sections of the country who virtually con-
troll the Indian Department must share one-half
of the blame, and those who insist upon main
tanning an army barely sufficient to picket along
the edge of the hostile territory must take upon
themselves the remainder for their burden.
1t is no fault of the men belonging to our gal
liant little Army that they are killed. The only
wonder is that under our established Indian pol
icy any are permitted to survive. The agency
system as carried out, and with the treacherous
material it has under its control ought, seeming
ly. to be able to reduce our military establish
ment down to a genuine peace footing, viz, the
commander-in-chieta and corporals guard, with
out difficulty. If the Indian could, by such a
sacrifice, be thoroughly and forever disposed of,
we might, however reluctantly, be willing to
welcome the sacrifice as the best means of say
ing many precious lives in the future; but mas
much as no such desirable result can under the
existing state of things be hoped for, we trust
that Congress will, at an early day, pass law
transferring the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the
War Department: and then, in order to give our
soldiers at least an equal chance with the red
devils increase the army so that suitable garri-
sons may be kept at important points and enough
men be left to thoroughly police every inch of
territory wherein the savages are to be found.
Of oo,,rca IN, ;ocrooCo of +ba o,-,,,
means, also, increase of appropriations for its
support but what a few thousands a
few millions of dollars to such a Nation as ours.
when weighed in the balance with the life of one
of our citizens, whether soldier OF civilian need
lessly sacrificed?
We expect that any proposition looking to an
as it has in the past and from the same source.
The Indian Ring, which includes all so-called
who from safe distance can
look upon slaughter of white men by Indians
with dry eyes, and yet who 90 into Mysteries and
almost dissolve in food Of tears in case one OF
their chosen pets comes to grief; would do every
thing in their power to defeat such a measure.
They might even succeed in their endeavor but
if they are permitted to do so, it should be only
with the distinct understanding that there shall
be no further reduction Of our army through the
be willing to go bail. Let them see to it that
their savage wards behave themselves