Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-01
THE SALVATION ARMY RuCTIoN.

New York World: That feeling Is quite as
strong in the American mind today as 1t was
at the time of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. If there is to be any government In
this country II must be an American govern
ment, and If there Is to be any Salvation
army 1t must be an American Salvation
army.
Minneapolis Tribune: II would take but a
word from Ballington Booth to establish the
Salvation army In this country as an inde-
pendent organization. hence his forbearance
under what appear to be very trying circum-
stances is all the more to his credit What
ever the cause may suffer, he cannot be
blamed for it.
Chicago Inter Ocean: The Salvation army
seems to be too much Of family affair. Be
sides the father, who is Commander-in-c chief,
this unpleasant episode has already brought
into prominence three sons, all generals"
Is the whole affair merely a family quarrel?
Is the title to all the property Of the army,
vast and widely scattered, in the name Of the
father and his sons?
Kansas City Star: 1t was probably a mis-
take for General Booth to order Balington
and Mrs. Booth to rclinquish their command
in America. 1t was mistake in the latter
not to submit without parley or question to
this decree from the head of the army. 1t
would be a worse blunder than any that has
yet been made for Ballington and Mrs. Booth
to think Of setting up an Independent army
Chicago Tribune: The remarkable growth
and prosperity of the Salvation army have
been largely the outcome of unity, obedience
and discipline, of the personal influence of
General Booth, and Of his great executive
ability. Any movement to divide the army
may have the result to diminish its power,
for good. Such an outcome would be con-
sidered as calamity by all persons who
have the interests of the submerged tenth
Of the slums and cutters at heart
Chicago Record: If he does take the
course of forming an independent branch he
will merely be doing what the founder of
the Salvation army, William Booth, did in
1861, when he turned from the work of a
methodist preacher to undertake the forma-
tion of the Salvation army Ballington Booth,
II he decides to break loose from the main
organization, may point out that in acting
according to his own best light he is merely
following precedent made honorable in the
annals of the army.
Minneapolis Times: The row in New York
is supposed by some to have been feeier on
the part of Ballington Booth. He was anxious
to see whether he was strong enough to es-
tablish an Independent corps on this side of
the Atlantic. His incpient rebellion appears
to be complete failure and he has lost his
job and gained pcoody's respect by his
fghty attempt tc play the political general
The high toned Christians who have coddled
Commander Booth have done him no good,
nor nave they raised themselves particularly
in the eyes Of the Christian world.
Globe Democrat: The Salvationists per-
form a service that is of decided advantage
to society. Their methods are peculiar but
well adapted to the ends they have in view.
They have won popular respect in all of the
large cities by their industrious and practical
devotion to the interests of morality, of
charity and Of philanthropy. 1t is to be
hoped, therefore, that this crisis in their
affairs will be so adjusted as to avert serious
consequences and permit them to go for !
ward in their sphere of usefulness with the
greatest possible measure of success.
Buffalo Express: The trouble in the Saliva
ton army seems to be due to the unwilling
nes9 of Americans to submit even in church
affairs to the autocraic government which |
General William Booth established for the
army. Ballington Booth recognized this and
relaxed the system somewhat, thereby en-
abling the army to obtain a strong hold In |
this country. though up to his time its work |
had been generally unsuccessful. Now the |
elder Booth appears to have made I'D his |
mind that the time has come for bringing |
the American branch under the same auto
cratic power that rules the organization else
where. He Is likely to regret it.