The record-union., 1895-02-22
A NATION WITHOUT MILITARY
SPIRIT.


The late German ambassador to China
NJ. Y. Brandt, declares that his observa-
ton makes it clear TO him that despite
her numbers, the weakness of China is
in her traditional contempt for the mill
tary profession. They, the Chinese, are
the least military of all peoples. Some of
the tribes of Africa are far more military.
and we have tribes of American Indians
more skilled in the arts OF war, and more
sensible of the value of organization and
discipline.
There is a lesson in these facts for us,
namely that the maintenance of mill
tary spirit is factor of safety to the re-
public. Washington measured his
words and calculated the full meaning
of his expression when he said in his adj
dress to the American people that in
well disciplined and equipped militia
lies most important safeguard of the
republic.
The idealists, the socialists and the an
archists, who are of one mind in this mat
ter, clamor for the abandonment of all
militia and army systems, but each has a
distinctly well defined purpose to accom-
pIish. The idealist dreams of reign of
love, when arms will be no more needed,
and vainly fancies that the abandonment
of the military spirit will bring on the
paradisical period. He puts the cart be-
fore the horse, in fact. The abandonment
OF arms must be the result, not the cause,
of the blissful period.
The socialists urge the abandonment Of
all military forces as most essential part
of their scheme of perfect equality accord
ing to merit and justice. 1t is urged, not
as in itself accomplishing all, but as aid
ing the socialistIc idea in its development
and acceptance by removing the means of
armed otfense and teaching men that they
can and must live without their hands in
their hip pockets.
The anarchists-and it is lamentable
that they have succeeded by cunning in
inducing so many American workmeu to
unite with them in the demand-would
have the militia system abandoned, in
order to further their warfare upon all
government They declaim against law
as unjust restraint of human freedom
against the coercion of arms as an act of
slavery; against society as organized as
rule of the many over the few in viola
ton of the rights OF the latter.
We are never going to be reduced to
the non-military condition of China. 1t
would take a thousand years to fasten
upon us such a system and blot out the
impress ofthe military spirit that now dis
tinguishes US. But we do need to combat
with vigor and Indignation any and all
assaults, no matter how cunningly de-
vised, against the American National
Guard. We might we'll treat the man as
public enemy who roars against the
| guard, and denounces it as the tool and
| hireiing of wealth, corporate power and
greed, and as the enemy of the poor man.
| all odSI anal CIiSLiC LOl anu DdluOTuaSD
! is insulting to the genuine American.
The man is a fool who does not know
that the American militia system is the
| strongest safeguard of the rights of the
poor and the humble. It is the bulwarl<
and right arm of the law, and the poor
man enjoys no right, may entertain no
hope, have no aspiration save under the
law, and by virtue of orderly organiza-
ton of society, which we call govern
ment.
Abandon the citizen soldiery system.
withdraw the wholesome restraint of the
militia arm, and there is not cents
value of property, not a single personal
right, not even the right to life and limb,
that will not become constantly subject
to the rule of the mob or the tyranny of
the hireling wealth may employ to do
battle for it.
Absolutely the condition of China, with
its division of authority, it's patriarchical
system, its non-military spirit-in place