New-York tribune., 1896-01-26
THE SiLTiTION ARMY.


Unless all the early indications are at fault.
that will bc a remarkable meeting which has
been called for February 3 at Carnegie Music
| Hall t. protest against the transfer OF Com
mand,r BallingtOn Booth and his wife from
Ncw-York TO some other post In the Salvation
Army service The arrangements have not long
been under way but already promises of CO.
onerailon from all parts Of the country have
been cl,citcd not few Of the most influential
men and women OF this city have cordially, al
most eagerly, signifed their wish to help the
demonstration IN every possible way, eminent
clcr.ymen If all commnnions will be present in
full sympathy with the spirit Of the meeting
and boxes ii s said. may command hEh
premium II will be an extraordinary tribute
70 Mr. and Mrs Booth, and one wholly deserved
by fhcm We do not think, however enthus-
osffc thn sneakers and the audience may become
! that they are in danger Of putting too hlgh an
estimate upon the fidelity and discretion with
which the commander and his wife have exer-
ci,cd their large authority and their sun larger
influence From the beginning Of their work
ou,nny us they have commended themselves 10
all elements ~ the population and have been
an inllspensablc factor in making the work IL
self an object Of weneh universal interest ana
appreciation
And fhis fact suggests the reflection that,
remarkable as the proposed meeting will be In
IT, relations to the Booths, ii will be still more
remarkable rs tribute 10 the organization
whose servants they are. The record OF the
Salvation Army Is brief in point Of time, and
IL seems only yesterday that its nature AMI
on,ratlons were a subject of jest rather than Of
serious concern. Many II those to whom no
/ religious or humane cndcavor is laughing
! matter were certain that il was doomed, not
| only 10 failure and cXtufton, but to the miser-
! able fate Of Of making Christianity contemptlple
I'm The eyes If Il multitude whose honest but IL
norant aspirations it had cheated. To-day 1t Is
recognized throughout the civilized world as an
immense and bcncliccnt force, whose material
and splritlal resources have been controlled ana
,xnnnded with marvellous skill. and from whose
u.st If il entirely reasonable If not absolutely
safe 10 draw confident assurances of lis steady
growth AMI permanent utility. The chief sig
nlGcance. therefore. Of the impressive demon
stration which is about To be made l. the verdict
which 1t will render ip favor of an institution
which only recently was an object Of general
suspicion or aversion.
The estimate which will thus be conspicuously
nut upon the Salvation Army we are ready TO
accept and ratify, as are 70 join In every
| suitable tribute To the character and usefulness
| ~ Commander and Mrs Booth But 1t seems to
lis that there is reason 10 doubt both the pro-
pricty and the advantage Of protesting in such
a manner against their recall. The Salvation
Army Is on a strictly military basis. Implicit.
III ulqic,tonlng obedience to orders and rigid
fla of tha nj I'm In
and. 50 far rs it is possible to judge, the funda-
mental condition of its success In the exercise
Of his undisputcd authority, and Of a sagacity
| which hitherto has not led him astray, the Gen
eral has decided upon an important change OF
command If under the pressure Of opinion in
and outside Of the army-an opinion largely in
cited by personal respect and affection for Mr.
and Mrs. Booth, and Of necessity formed with
out knowledge of the reasons which have in
duccd the General to issue an order Of recall-he
should surrender his judgment and reverse his
decision. the consequences might be extremely
unfortunate. He would in that case establish Il
prccedcnt to which hereafter appeals would
probably be taken on frivolous grounds, and
would Introduce an element OF disorganization
into Il military SYSTEM From a comparatively
narrow point of view, the transfer OF the Booths
seems TO be an error Justfylng remonstrance
But il is by no means certain that the Genera
has blundered or, IL he has. that concession
TO a mass-meeting would not agsravate rather
than prevent mischief
Doubtless no threat Is intended. or has ever
been thought of, by the organizers Of this pro
test; but it will inevitably convey such sug
ceston For the impulse proceeded from thu
Auxiliary League OF the Salvation Army, ant
therefore the movement to keep the Booths II
this country contains menace Of dsconten
and Of material injury in case Of their removal
The intervention Of such an influence invOlvc'
grave considerations Of policy, but we should
expect that the organization would lose more
than It would save by yielding to 1t. CORE
spondcnt of The Tribune has suggested that the
preScnt situation Is favorable for declaration
of independence by the American branch Of thu