New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-11
ORR SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.

The complete confidence not only in the Ad-
minisiraton but in the personnel OF me Army
and Navy which Is implied by the unanlml'y
Of Congress In apprOpriatng S5oOOoo0o TOT
National defence should be reflected in places
which have not hitherto been remarkable Tor
generous appreciation. We refer to those large
classes of citizens in private and public lie
and in newspaper offices 10 whom the soldier
and sailor have been decorative figures TO ad-
miro in one moment. ont Of patriotic enthu-
siasm and 10 jCer at In the next Inc military
force of every nation Is apt 10 be judged solely
on its public performances. In times of peace
the civilian is not indlsposed to speak with
cynical humo- of brass buttons" 10 protest
that the poorest paid man In the service Is
really kept in reprehcnsbe luxury by too
complaisant Government. and TO hint that the
idleness in which both officers and men are ac-
customed 10 live is simply outrageous.
Against this carplng attitude, which we be-
l.eve is far more common than is generally adj
mltted. let us set a few proSaic facts; not the
heroism Of a soldier or sailor in action. hut the
sterling conduct Of men of whose dolngs from
years end to years end we hear practically
nothing Our Washington dispatches inform
us that the Commssary Department is in such
five hundred thousand men AT Atlanta the pro-
visions to feed them would be there before the
men. 1t Is stated that an emergency timetable
has been perfected. SO that If the necessity
ere TO arise troops could be concentrated with
extraordinary rapidty upon any point Now. 1t
is natural TO assume that all this is exclusively
the fruit Of recent events Journals contain
announcements that there is renewed activity
at the navy yards, unusual preparations' are
reported from the arsenals, and to a certain ex-
tent the public conception Of the whole military
department as spurred to sudden and excep-
tional effort Is justified. But 1t is important TO
remember in Justice to the men who have for
years been silently doing their duty. that the
machinery Of war has long been kept as nearly
In n state Of perfection has been compatible
with the appropriations made by Congress for
the purpose.
Wellington complained. In the Peninsular
War, that the home Government sent him
abominably ll-found troops. With a good
cOmmissariat. he said he felt that half the bat
tie was Won; he counted good administration
of the army as almost the first duty Of the
commander. Our own Army and Navy do
not need 10 walt for war in order that a test
Of their proficiency may be made. The present
moment witnesses an increase in supplies an
augmentation of the force, but, far the
fundamental capabilities of the great war ma
chine are concerned, they have been kept in
4 state Of smoothncSs and readiness by those
very soldiers who have seemed To do nothing but
take part in paradeS and live idly AZ the OK
pense Of the Government. We can judge now
Of what the men are worth and be grateful.
The truth is that there Is no Woodworking
servant Of the public than the man in the rogu-
lar Army Navy He walks n round Of duty
which, If not always dull, Is certainly not I'M
duly celebrating; he keeps the wheels of the
service In impeccable order; he studies much;
he is not lavishly paid; he spends the greater
part OF his life removed from the society of his
lone friends. and he is not seldom patronlzed
Ey the uninstructed civilian Out of the pres
ent crisis he promises TO emerge with n little
more consideration, we believe than he has
enjoyed since the war.