The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-07
PRIDE IN THE ARMY.
aFrom the First to the Last Hasstood
by the Country"

by INC Country
kansas city Journal: The friends of
peace, at all times ana under all cir
cumstances, meet with a Encouraging
obstacle in their propaganda in the
pride which every nation that amounts
to anything feels in Its army. The flag
of a country-which Is the object of Its
devotlon-ls, in the beginning, symbol
of war. and is carried by It's soldiers.
That was the original mission Of the
stars and Stripes. There was civil
government and state, but It was the
commnnder-in-chlef Of the American
army who designated the flag which
was to fly as the emblem of govern
ment, both civil and military. The
army Is the recognized custodian and
keeper Of the flag.
The regular army Of the United
States. though small one, as the mr.
niles OF great nations 90, has always
been the pride Of the people. In the
earliest days Of the nation school was
provided by the government, primarily
for the education Of officers Of the
army, and It has been the boast of
Americans, that West Point, as mil
ltary academy, has no superior in the
world. Both the uniforms OF the ca
diets at West Point and OF the army OF
the United States have been held In
honor and no American who has among
his family pictures those OF ancestors
wearing the old gray or the old blue
fails to show these first to his friends
and visitors. The youth who looks
from the canvas in perpetual boyhoOd
and perpetual bell buttons, and the old
soldier who wears the garb, perhaps.
that set on the tall figure Of General
Winfield Scott at the battle OF Lundy's
Lane are alike the objects Of u pride
that never dims or fades.
The army OF the United States has
always been so small and so scattered
over an immense country In the per-
Torrance OF It's duties. that 1t has
never INDUCED in the grand manoeu-
vers common to European armies, but
the movements OF regiment or even
OF n troop or a battery, never fall to
draw n crowd Of Interested spectators.
In the country. no open, air show COM
petes with n muster or the movements
OF the men-at-arms. It is safe to say
that no civil or religious procession Is
regarded as so impressive as the order
ly marching Of armed soldiers.
In q hundred years and more this
sentiment OF the American people to-
ward the nrmy-by which is meant the
standing army, which exists continue
ally in peace and ward-has ever been
changed. The honor paid the army
which remains the guardian Of the
flag. which rnlses It ut sunrise every
morning and lowers It every evening.
in crowded cities and In lonesome posts,
a hundred miles from any other collec-
tIon Of white habitations, that honor Is
perpetual.
We are said to inherit what is called
an aversion to standing army from
our English ancestry; yet no people
take more pride In their armies than
the British and the Americans, who
cherish civil liberty, II any people in
the world do. Both maintain armies
which, though supposed to be continued
from year to year, by the will OF Con-
gress or parliament. are, In truth,
standing or perpetual. No armies are
more thoroughly cared for or more pop
ular with the people.
The public orators who speak OF the
soldiers Of the United States as assas-
sins and murderers will not draw. That
is not the talk for Americans, and never
has been. TIL the advent OF the new
heaven and the new earth the Ameri-
can nation will stand by the army,
which, from the first peril to the last,
has stood by the country,