People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-08-26
SOLDIERS AS POLICEMEN.

a strong view Of the tendency of the
times toward standing armies and a
government of force. The closest
analysis of the dispatches sent out
from Tennessee do not indicate that
more than four or five hundred
miners were in actual rebellion,
though the favorable sentiment Of
the community doubtless gave them
great advantage in the campaign
waged against them by several
thousand militiamen equipped in the
best style known to warlike art.
In Georgia, as this is being writ
ten, an effort is being made to arouse
military enthusiasm by demand on
the Governor for ammunition in suf-
fcient supply to enable two or three
companies to encamp on short notice
at certain coal mines in this State.
There is no evidence that the mines
are objective points Of an invasion
or attack from any source, but evil
IDENTIFY the managers Of the mine,
old and adroit politicians, think
something is to be gained by playing
on the military spirit Of the young
men who comprise the militia, and it
would not be a matter Of surprise if
several companies were yet en-
camped in the neighborhood Of the
mines, to test their capacity for
camp life and-blind obedience.
In New York the entire national
guard was called under arms, to
bulldoze some 500 striking switch
men, of whom it is said by the local
papers less than 10 per cent. are dis
posed to be rowdyish or to violate
the law. The Buffalo Enquirer,
published at the scene Of the trouble,
discusses the matter, and suggests
some compromise that should make
the people, including governors and
sheriffs, think. The Enquirer says
To-day out there at East Buffalo
5000 men are under arms. Heaven
alone knows what they are there for.
Sheriff Beck and Major Bishop don't.
Gen. Doyle dosen't although he
probably thinks they were created
for the express purpose Of forming
starvation patrol camps to guard the
the property of his employer.
Do you know how large an army
5000 men make? General Wash
ington didn't have that many availa-
bic men when he assumed charge Of
the armies of the Continental Con
gress. He fought the battles Of
Long Island and the Jerseys with
less than that number. He made the
attack on Germantown with third
number. When General Taylor
moved on Corpus Christi at the be.
ginning Of the Mexican war he had
1000 soldiers all told. When he
advanced to the assault of Monterey,
defended by 10000 Meucans, he
had 6,625 men. At the bloody bat
tie of Buena Vista when he engaged
General Ampudia with 10000 Mexi-
cans he had $500 troops. General
Worth had only $500 men at Molino
del Rey. Sherldan's raids from
Winchester to Petersburg were
made with a force of 10000.
An army of 5000 men is larger
than the force under the command
of General Winfield Scott at Buffalo
when the war of 1912 was in pro-
gress. It is almost as large as the
immortal corps of which Xenophon
wrote. It is almost as large as the
army which William the Conqueror
landed upon English soil. It is
more than half as large as the force
which William of Orange disem-
barked at Torbay. It is one-fourth
as large as the army with which
Alexander the Great conquered the
world.
Gen. Porter said that he would
not come to Buffalo until he was
sure there were troops enough here.
He says that he can forward 5000
more if necessary. He had better
send them along. They are needed
just as much as three-fourths Of the
men here in the field. If it is such
hard work for 5000 men to preserve
the peace against less than 10 per
cent. of less than 500 striking switch
men, it is necessary to have the
other 5000 in order to prevent over
work.
1t is unfortunate for the National
Guard that incentive to serve In its
cI L L 1.