The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-28
THE ARMY'S MORAL WELFARE.
A Soldiers Views on the Subject-"Mind Your
Own Business

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. IA mass meet
ing was held to-day in the Foundry church
under the auspices of the united Christian com
mission in the interest OF the moral welfare of
the army and navy. Mr.. Proctor, secretary of
war; Representative Cutcheon of Michigan the
Rev. DR.. Orrville J. Naive. the army chaplain at
Fort Niobrara, and others occupied seats on
the platform. Secretary Proctor briefly ex-
plaineq the object of the meeting and paid a
high compliment to the work of the association.
The morals of the army are certainly a
source Of much bother to the religious en- :
thusiasts, who have not as yet fully realized
the true import Of the words ''mind your
own business" The boys who wear the
blue are rubbed hard and often by the press
of the country. for trifiing derelictions
which among civilians would go by unno-
ticed. The mere fact of man becoming a
soldier is no mark of his stepping from the
plane occupied by the citizen as respects
him morally-none whatever, and the ride
ulous efforts made by those who hear
only to believe-the silliest of rumors is alb
surdity in itself. To gain an insight prop
erly into the morals of the army, these good
| people should by all means visit incognito
| the army posts, and view the general con-
duct of the different garrisons. They would
be most agreeably surprised when it be-
comes patent to them, that rhe regular
| soldiery are not as debased as is apparent
in the minds of those whose Yocations as
ministers of the gospel are misapplied ones
and whose efforts would shine more con
spicuously in other professions. The army
consists at present of perhaps 10000 en-
listed men, the authorized strength being
| %, 900. AS a mass, this body of men are
more moral in every respect, than like
number of civilians. For Gods sake, let
the army rest in this particular and if these
good people desire to do the enlisted branch
kind turn let them petition Congress to
increase the pay of the soldier in manner
corresponding with the increase in food,
clothing and sleeping comforts. Large
bodies move slowly. 1t took quarter of
century to show the subsistence and
quartermaster departments the beneficial
results which would accrue from changes
recently made for the benefit of the soldier
and on the same basis of reasoning it may
| take like time to prove to Congress the
Righteousness of increasing the pay, yet
| Secretary Proctor plainly shows such leg
islation should not be neglected in his an
nual report only recently made public. Re-
ferring once more to the subject matter of
this article, the united Christian commits
sion, let me mention an anecdote of jack
sons time, when old Hickory sat in the
Presidential chair. A prominent European
OF the feminine gender called at the White
House, intent on seeing the chief executive.
When she called she was met by Martin
Van Buren,, who received her as only Van
Buren, could, he being the dude of that
time. She was seated in the best furnished
parlor, when the President was sought after
to inform him that his presence was desired.
Jackson was found, seated in his peculiar,
yet comfortable style, legs higher than his
head, pulling vociferously on an old cob
pipe, his beard of weeks growth and his
clothes seedy enough. The old chieftain
was earnestly engaged reading disserta-
ton on rag money, when approached.
His friend said: ''E'or Gods sake, Mr..
President do change your clothes, do shave,
do hide that old pipe and do appear as
quickly as possible as the report of your
looks, general demeanor and conversation,
will be heard of after a bit across the
waters" During this outburst jackson sat
as immovable as the Egyptian Sphinx, and
then raising his eyes slowly from his read
ing, his countenance as stern and unrelent-
ing as it was at New Orleans, replied
Look here Van Buren,, down south where
| was born and raised l knew man who
became immensely rich by attending to his
own business" So in the name of the
gods of mythology, let the morals of the
army rest. y
| December 10, 1890.