Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-09
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ABOUT "STANDING ARMIEs.y

ABOUT STANDING ARMIEs.Y
Chicago Tribune: The constitution
vests in congress the authority to raise
and support armies Whether they
should be large or small was left
by its amer to the discretion of con-
gress. There has been a standing army
since the establishment of the govern
ment. and it was larger in proportion to
population ninety years ago that it is
now. Never yet has that army been a
menace to the liberties of the people.
That army, no matter how large it may
be, never will endanger the stability of
free institutions if it is made up exclu-
sively of such soldiers as Mr.. Bryan has
proved himself to be. There would be
much desperate fighting before military
rule could be set up in this country. The
standing army required for that purpose
would have to be composed of better
campaigners than the democratic presi-
Dental candidate.
MIR. Bryan dabbled a little two years
and a half g in hat 'militarism''
which he is condemning now so vigor-
ously. The military spirit took possess
sion of him and he entered the army.
But he did not believe the post of honor
Was Il private 5 station. lie went as a
colonel. His services We're needed in no
capacity. There was an abundance of
volunteers better qualified for military
service than he was. Yet he insisted
upon getting into the army with his
regiment, though in doing so he thrust
out of the way, against it's protests, a
regiment which had been organized first
and in whose behalf he had promised to
use his influence,
Mr.. Bryan's military service was not
due to heroic devotion to his country's
cause. 1t was prompted by political on
siderations. He felt that if the wal
should last for any time and he was not
in it in some way he would be left out in
the cold. He went into the army to keep
himself before the public and did quite
as much political as he did military cam
paigning while he was a colonel.
Having made nothing out of his mill
tary venture Mr.. Bryan is now concern
ed about the dangers of militarism and
of a standing army. There would be no
policemen if there We're no criminals.
There would be no need of a standing
army for home service were? it not for
the existence of who but for
it would stir up disorder oftener than
they do. There were such demagogues
when the constitution was framed The
men who drafted it were mindful of t
Shay rebellion in Massachusetts and
they gave congress power to raise
armies to protect the republic against
domestic as we'll as foreign foes.
The protection which the standing
army has given the people against the
attacks of mobs, melted by demagogues,
has been of priceless value. A riot like
the one headed by Debs was an attempt
to subvert the principles of free govern
ment. If there had been no national po-
lice force in the form of the standing
army of the constitution and no presi-
dent willing to use that police force Thai
riot would have assumed national pro.
portions.
The standing army in quelling thai
riot at Chicago shed no blood. The mere
display of force was sufficient. Nor wa.
any blood shed by those regulars WIKI
We're sent by the president, in obediehcs
to the application of the demo-pop gov,
ernor of Idaho to suppress domestic vic
lence in the Occur d'Alene mining dis
trict. The fear of what might happen i
resistance was attempted chilled F'th'
spirits Of the rioters. They were read.
to fight a sheriff or a governor. They ha,
no wish to get into a controversy witt
the representatives of the government o
the United States.
The American standing army is an in
surance against domestic turbulence an
bloodshed. 1t is of more value thar te
times the number of volunteers or mill
tiamen, especially if those volunteers ar
of the political type. During the las
: twenty-five years it has not been neces
: sary to appeal to the government NOR
n than three or four times for the aid c
> it's standing army. Had there been n
such army its aid would have been need
ed a hundred times.
+ 1t is not strange h la the demagogu,
e the socialist, the Debsite, and ever
n other man who is seeking to weaken an
, subvert the fundamental principles {
: the American government should attac
the standing army. He recognizes in
d his arch enemy. When he passes frol
f violent speech to violent act it confront
him and bids him hold up his hands. +
obeys the order, for he knows tt
y would be If he did not.
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