The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-19

to Cypress another. We defy Sover-
eign or any one else to point to a single
instance where militia troops have been
employed other than as the law directs
to oppose mobs, guard property from de-
struction by assailing lawlessness, TO re-
slst instruction and a foreign foe; to
uphold the authority Of Sheriffs, police
officers and the courts.
fit is true that the rich of Chicago gave
TO body of regulars a stand of colors, it
indicates nothing hostile to free govern
ment, but rather that these so-called
arlstocrats are deal more patriotic and
law ABIDING than they have been cred
tied with being by Mr.. Sovereign. Such
manifestation OF regard for the troops of
the people is thousand times prefer
able to the attitude assumed toward
them by Sovereign, whose ideas of self
government and human freedom ap-
pear to be bounded by the desire for I'M
restraint, to consist of liberty to do as
he pleases, and to act without restraint of
or respect for the laws of the people.
There is no better indication of the
stability of American institutions than
such as take the form of recognition of
duty well and faithfully done by the peo-
pies servants, and it is regretable in
deed, If it is true, as Sovereign alleges,
that it was left to the rich only to pub
licly approve the faithfulness of the
regulars in Chicago The poor, the
men of moderate means, the small home
owners, the merchants, shopmen and
artisans would have done themselves high
credit had they too united in the public
thanks that the presentation of the colors
amounted to. since they had more at
stake than had capital. All their hopes,
peace, prosperity, property and privileges
as citizens depend upon the laws and
their enforcement. Wealth can flee,
volt. the torch of lawlessness, the
breath of anarchy and the steel of foreign
bayonets assail.
AS to the standing army, it is miserably
small now, and its paucity as to numbers
was never SO we'll illustrated as last sum-
mer, when it was demonstrated that scat
tered over an immense expanse Of coun-
try, this small body Of men could have
been paralyzed by complete interruption
of tran nnrtatinn hE 6nroacfin q fOr
eign foe. The army is not now sufficient
ly large to care for the posts of the Nation
and the few military properties we pos
sess. If for nothing else it should be in
creased to enable the frontier posts to be
decently manned and the forts and arsen-
ais to be fairly occupied. 1t should be in
creased to afford better protection to all
the people, poor or rich, high or low. 1t
should be increased because it is the con-
servator of order, since so long as men
are, there will be those who must be re-
strained.
We can conceive of an ideal state of
society in which, with every man doing
his full duty to his fellow, and invading
no right of his neighbor; with all nations
at peace and in amity, and all men
minded for exact justice, there would be
no need to have a well-disciplined militia,
nor yet standing army; neither Of
ticers to execute the laws. nor deliber-
alive bodies to frame laws nor courts to
decree. Until the time arrives when
men are perfect and society has attained
the level of unbroken peace and justice,
we shall need the organized militia and
the regular soldiers to enforce laws, to
protect human rights, and to stand guard
over the liberties of American citizens.