Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-01-30
MIR. AND MRS. DARLINGTON BOOTH.

absolute commander of the Salvation
Army, was sent to this country to take
charge of the scattered forces, who were
making little progress here. He was an
Englishman born and bred. He brought
with him his wife, the daughter of a
Church of England clergyman. They
entered at once upon the work and have
accomplished wonderful things. Mrs.
Booth is as much of commander as her
husband, and in every undertaking she
has had an equal share.
They found here about GOO officers and
G,0OO soldiers, poorly organized and
standing very low in public estimation.
To-day there are 2.1O0 officers and $500
local officers, the latter being men and
women who work at their various call
ings in the daytime and devote their
evenings and Sundays to army work
There are $50 corps and 10000 soldiers.
OF institutions the army has Is slum
posts, q rescue homes, % training garri-
sons for cadets, 4 food and shelter. de-
pots, numerous houses of relief in vari-
Gus cities, and outrider circuits in the
mining camps of the West. In addition
to this there is the War Cry, with a
weekly circulation of 10000. In the
acquiring property, the headquarters
building in New York City being the
largest and finest.
One result of which the Booths are
proudcst is the rise of the army in pub
lie estimation. At first churches and
people generally gave no approval or
support. Having got their hosts thor
oughly organized and accomplished tell
T. l.
commenced work among the higher social
classes. An auxiliary corps was started
and it now numbers among its members
leading ministers, Governors, Senators
and many men of wealth.
The army had distinctly risen in the
social scale when Gen. William Booth
came to this country last year. The
progress of the American army in popular
esteem seemed especially to displcase
him, and he preached continually about
the necessity of keeping down every ten
dency to rise above the gutter. The indie
pendence of the American army and its
evident tendency to crt loose from En-
glish rule and methods caused many sharp
talks TO officers. He saw that a continue
ton meant ultimate separation. He said
the army was too much Americanized.
AFTER leuNiug tuls Country WE'LL DOOtH
started on a tour of the world to investi-
gate the wings Of the army in various re-
gions. He sent from India the order reliev-
ing Ballington Booth of the command in
America. At the same time he relieved
the commanders in several other coun-
tries. He Is determined that the armies
shall feel that they are all under his COM
mand and that every country shall be sub
servient to English rule. International
headqua rters in London have continually
interfered in the affairs of the American
army, countcrmanding orders and giving
directions that seemed unwise to the lead
ers here. No appointment to high rank
can be made without approvalof London.
All these things have been borne in
silence, never getting outside Of the ranks
of the officers, but the order removing the
commander and his wife was more than
they could endure. The soldiers talk Of
the revolution of 1776, and say II Is time
for the Americans TO again arise against
the English. If the orders are not rescind-
ed the army will take measures to declare
itself independent of London domination.