Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-05
COLONEL BRyAN's OPINION
Need Tor an Army of Occupation In
Conquered Islands Only Tempor-
ary-First ReIeaso tho Volunteers
who aro Held I'm Arms Against
their wil.-Daneers to tho BODY
Polite In tho Growth or Militia
rism Great and Imminent.
(By william Jennings Bryan.)

gress December 9Th, 1898, the President
makes the following recommendation
in favor OF a permanent increase in
the standing army:
The Importance Of legislation for the
permanent increase of the army is
therefore manifest, and the recommen-
dalton OF the Secretary of War for that
purpose has my unqualified approval
There can be no question that at this
time, and probably for some time in
the future, one hundred thousand men
will be none too many to meet the ne
cessties of the situation.
1t is strange that this request for SO
large an increase in the permanent
army should be asked Of a peace low
ing people just at the time when the
Car Of Russia is urging the nations
OF the world to Join in the reduction
of military establishments But strange
as 1t may seem the President not only
requests 1t, but the Republican leaders
in Congress seem inclined to grant the
request.
Progress in Europe; retrogression in
the United States!
In the old world 1.-The currents of des-
tiny" seem to be running in the drec-
ton of relief to the people from mill
tary burdens; shall they run in an OPP
posite direction here?
During the recent campaign the peo-
pie were urged to support the party in
power until the fruits of victory"
could be made secure. Is the first fruit
of victory to be realized in the transfer
OF large body of men from the field
and workshop to the camp and bar
racks-from the ranks OF the wealth
producers to the ranks of the tax con-
sumers? Such n transfer will lessen
the nations wealth producing power
and at the same time exact a larger
annual tribute from those who toll
OBJECTIONS TO A BIG STANDING
ARMY.
Any unnecessary Increase In the reg
ular army is open to several objections
among which may be mentioned the
following:
First-1t increases taxes, and thus
does injustice to those who contribute
TO the support Of the Government.
Second-It tends to place force above
reason in the structure of our Govern
ment.
Third-It lessons the nations depend
cnce upon Its citizen soldiery-the
sheet-anchor of republics defence.
NO one objects to the maintenance of
regular army sufficient in strength to
maintain law and order in time of
peace and to form the nucleus of such
an army as may be required when the
military establishment Is placed upon
a war footing: but the taxpayers are
JuStlned In entering n vigorous protest
against excessive appropriations for
military purposes
IL Is not surprising that the protest
is most vigorous from the masses. be-
cause under our system of taxation the
bulk OF our Federal revenues Is collect
ed from import duties and internal rev
XtAc
all OF which bear most heavily upon
the poor. Import duties are collected
upon articles used by the people. and
the people do not use the articles taxed
in proportion to income
for instance, man with afa-iaeane
OF SIo0,GOO does not eat, nor wear. nor
use hundred times as much of articles
as the average man with an income ne
si'ooO. The people with small incomes.
therefore, pay, as a. rule, a larger per-
centage of their incomes to support the
Federal government than people with
large incomes. The same is true of in
ternal revenue taxes collected upon IL
quors and tobaccos. Men do not use
liquor and tobacco lii proportion to
their incomes. Thus 1t will be seen that
our Federal taxes are in effect. an in
come tax; not only an income tax, but
q graded income tax, and heaviest in
proportion upon the smallest incomes
CASH MORE SACRED THAN PER-
SONS.
II we could supply a part of our ne
ceSSary revenues from q direct income
tax the burdens of a large army would
be more equitaSiy borne, but, according
to the decision of the Supreme Court,
the income of an individual Is more sa-
cred than the individual, because the
citizen can be drafted in time of dam
ger, while his income cannot be taxed
The army is the impersonation OF
force. 1t does not deliberate, it acts;
1t does not decide; 1t executes; it does
not reason, 1t shoots.
Militarism is the very antithesis of
Democracy; they do not grow in the
same soil; they do not draw their nour-
ishment from the same source.
In an army orders come down from
the commander to the soldier, and the
soldier obeys: in a. republic mandates
issue from the sovereign people. and
the public servant gives heed. If any
one doubt the demoralizing results
Which follow the use of force, even
when that force is justified by neces-
sity, let him behold the change which
has taken place in the views of many
of our people during the last eight
months, and then estimate, IL he can,
the far-reaching effect which a large
increase in the permanent army would
have upon the thoughts, the purposes
and character OF our people.
Our Government derives it's just pow
ers from the consent of the governed,
and its strength from the people them
selves. We cannot afford to weaken
the Governments reliance upon the
people by cultivating the idea that all
the work of war must be done by pro-
fessional soldiers. The citizen is n
safer lawmaker when he may be called
upon to assist in the enforcement of
the laws, and legislation Is more like