New-York tribune., 1900-09-13
TRr1y DEMOCRATIC ARMY.

We called attention the other day TO a grossly
unfair and dsingenuous attack upon Army
methods of appointment and promotion in
which Colonel Bryan had INDUCED in one of his
recent West Virginia speeches. 1t did not suit
the Nebraska orators purposes on that occasion
to stop with his usual picture Of the burdens to
industry and the perils to political and civil
liberty involved in the maintenance of stand
ing army in 1900 no larger relatively than that
kept under arms by jefferson or Madison. But,
yielding to an impulse to condemn existing in
stitutions and methods. unhappily too conspic-
uous in his makeup. he artfully sought to
foment popular prejudice against the Army by
insinuatng that only the sons of the rich. the
favored and the powerful could hope to share
the distinctions and honors of military service.
The farmer and the artisan. as he had already
said al Topeka on August %, were to pay the
increased cost of an expanded military estah-
lishment but their SONS were less likely to fill
life positions in the Army than the sons of
those who by reason of wealth or political
prominence exert influence at Washington.
This Indictment of the methods which con-
troll appointment and promotion in the Army
we denounced the other day as the sheerest
demagogy On it's face Colonel Bryans charge
is a reckless and foolish slander. aimed at
military body whose traditions and spirit have
voted and brilliant. Were an appeal to facts
necessary to disprove the calumny that the door
to rank and hOnOrS in the Army is closed to
deserving aSpirants of any class or antecedents
in life. a complete answer to the Democratic
candidates charge could be found in a timely
statement in the current issue of The Army
and Navy Journal AS it points out, Repre-
sentatiyes and Senators make practically 30 per
eeH1 of aH the West Point appointments and
t5YtOiidRhin their selections wholesale as con-
trollablp by financial and oligarchic influences
Is 70 bring a verdict of favOritism against
American politicians of every party section and
belief. But appointment TO West Point is not
the only door to military command and emolu-
! mentS. As Army records show. two out of
six of the brigadier- generals of the line and
majority of the field officers following them
next in rank originally entered the service by
the process open 10 any young man of good
| character and good physique-that is by going
10 the nearest recruiting rendezvous and en-
listing. And every one familiar with Army
| methods knows. once commissioned through
! graduation from West Point or by promotion
! from the ranks. the combined influence Of the
| 'plutOcrats. the trust OctOpuses and the poit-
'cal bosses is powerless to prevent soldiers
advancement"
In the light of these facts how shallow and
malicious must Colonel Bryan's efforts seem to
prejudice the American Army in the minds of
the plain people. The Nebraska leader was
a member of Congress himself for two terms,
and doubtless exercised his right to make APP
pointments 10 West Point and Annapolis Was
he governed in his choice of cadets only by the
| influences of wealth and political prominence
centring in Washington? If he was not. in
what spirit of Pharsaical superiority does he
venture TO bring the wholesale charge of cring-
ing to these influences against his Republican
Democratic and FOpulist colleagues? Colonel
| Bryan'S restless energy has been employed for
some years past in attempts 10 undermine
established political institutions and established
National policies. But 1t has never been spent
more foolishly and recklessly than in impeach-
ing the popularity and democracy of a military
service which for more than a century has
adapted itself with singular exactness to the
needs and spirit of the American Republic