Evening star., 1900-08-03
The Bryan Brand of Mi1itartsm.

The first suggestion growing out of the
triumph of militar:sm in North Carolina
Yesterday relates to the accuracy with
which by such means an election result
may be forecast. The commander-ln-cnief
Of the red shirts predicted a majority for
force Of forty thousand. and that hgure
confronts US the day after the contest. so
that. given the number of men in state
entitled under the law to vote, and the
number it is sought to d'sfranchise, and one
may tell just how large an army is neces-
sary and how much hard riding must be
done in order to trim the opposition down to
a condition of helplessness. The majority
was placed at forty thousand. and forty
thousand it is. Some unusual energy in the
bulldOzing IN the back counties may run
the figure up little, but IL is safe to say
that il all the mounted rowdies had strict
" followed instructions there would have
been no variation from the calculation or
the chief of the men behind the guns
Another suggestion relates to the econo-
my of this service far as the public treas
ury is concerned. The state is put to no
expense to support the force. The men
furnish their own horses. their own grub
and their own uniforms. They draw no
pay unless we take into account what may
be distributed among the colonels and the
majors in the shape of small county ap-
pointments now that the state patronage all
falls into democratic hands. And is not the
bruiser worthy of his hire? Shall man
take his life in his hands. and some other
mans life out of that mans hands. for
absolutely nothing?
Another suggestion relates TO the new re-
lance thus disclosed In the militia. so to
speak. And this is an important point. MIR.
Bryan and his friends see great peril and
a heavy expense in Il large standing army.
But here is no standing army. These gritty
yeomen do not go into camp. Their ser
vice is not even compulsory They come
and go at their own pleasure Their pa
triotic work for the present is over. and
they uisperse to their homes. Their red
shirts may be laundered and laid away in
the hair trunks. Their neighing steeds
may be hitched now to the carts or the
plOughs. or turned out to nibble in pasture.
There may not be another call to arms for
two months But then. If the call comes,
here is the army. ready TO respond in a mo-
ment, and to make sure the electoral vote
OF the state for the presidential candidate
who stands for free institutions. free speech
and a free press. and who abhors force
when exercised against those Filpinos who
are in revolt against American authority.
Senator Marion Butler squeals- But who
will hear him with patience OF sympathy?
There is but one appropriate reply to him,
and that is short and highly poetical Rats,
Has ne never reflected on that beautiful
sentiment.
The mercy I to others show.
That mercy show to me?'
When Mr.. Buffers own seat in the Senate
Is threatened he is ii lusty shouter for fair
play at the polls. But when Mr.. Bryans
interests are involved he Is in sympathy
with the red shirts in North Carolina. Mis-
sLsSippi and Louisiana. And for that mat
ter, he Will cooperate from now until No
veInber In Mr.. Bryan's behalf with the red
shirts of North Carolina. who have just
despoiled him.