Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-26
WHERE ARE YOUR SOLDIERS.

The German Emperor, young and in
experienced man, who knows more about
swords and bayonets than it is possible for
him to learn of craftsmanship, in his latest
speech to his parliament devetes himself
to the subject of the strengthening of the
army, and the introduction of changes in
the service that will augment the effici-
ency of the military arm of the Empire
and thus conserve the ends of peace, with
Gods help" And this is the reason the
Emperor gives as an excuse for the in
creased total of the budget by some So
100000 marks for the new year-that is to
say, for the greater demands to be made
upon the industries of the country for
money with which to maintain in idleness
vast army Of soldiery. Only few days
before this speech was delivered, the En-
peror and the Gar of all the Russias met
on German territory, fell upon each others
necks and embraced as brothers may do.
Then followed brilliant army and naval
displays on the part of Germany that must
have impressed the Gar deeply with the
strength of his host, and have set him to
industrious thought concerning the cost of
life and treasure to his country should
Russia and Germany come to blows.
About the same time, on this side Of the
Atlantic, the representatives of eighteen
American nations we're being entertained
at Holyoke Mass, after having visited
seven of the States of the American Union,
and receiving welcome from some twenty
five millions of people. AT the town
named one of the most thoughtful of the
delegates turned to his escort and asked:
'But where are your soldiers@ The dele
gate received for reply: "These are our
soldiers-the people; this is the reserve
force of the nation; every American citi-
zen is an unarmed soldier, and every
American citizen is sovereign; he bears
arms when his country calls; but there are
no permanent levies, no hirelings armed to
keep the peace; peace dwells with us be-
cause she is not repulsed by the atmos-
phere of distrust and want of confidence in
the people,
"But you have standing army, yet in
all our tour thus far I have not seen
soldier upon your streets"
eyes, we have enough of an army to gar
rison few forts, care for the arms of the
Government and protect the borders from
savage tribes; enough naval force to form
the nucleus of a countless host of armed
seamen when the nation needs to call
them from the peaceful walks of COM
merce, but standing army to preserve
the peace is the very remotest need of the
republic"
''In my country" responded the dele
gate, about one-tenth of the able-bodied
men are soldiers and in large place like
this a man stands with gun on every
corner. All ! this government by the peo-
pie is wonderful p
InO ltsSOH VI tHSoS thO pdl as Adp pms 10
patent. The contrast between the situa-
ton here and in Europe is striking one.
On this side of the great waters We are
following out the line of craftsmanship
that proposes to remove the isbility of
war between the nations of the hemis-
phere, by disarming and yielding entire
control to the angel of peace. On the
other side she dwells among the people by
compulsion, and her benefcent presence is
secured at the point of the bayonet in the
hands OF hirelings who are supported by
the industries of the country to which
they are not contributors.
Hon. Boyd Winchester, who has recently
returned from four years of diplomatic
service in Switzerland, most advantageous
point of observation, declares that sit is
no exaggeration to speak of Europe as an
armed camp, with the dogs of war pulling
heavily on their chains. Some chance
tide rather than any chosen course may
any day cause rupture, such as has not
been seen since 1916. Nations drift into
war, and peace is rarely disturbed by seri-
GUS matters. But in fact there is no Eu-
ropean peace, except the peace described
by Hosea Bigelow, which was 'druv in
with bog'nets. An armed truce is pre-
served OUT mutual terror-if tranquility