The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-11
SEATTLE. SATURDAY. August ~


II In noteworthy how history. espe-
cialIy Democratic history. has ten
dency to repeat itself. Thus with the
cry OF threatened militarism. which
rome Of the Democratic leaders are
endeavoring 10 make a dominant Issue
IN ths present campaign. Something
like thirty-nve years ago there were
considerably over million men under
arms In this country: the majority OF
them trained and veteran troops. The
United States had an army which. in
the judgment Of competent military
critics. could have met successfully all
Of the armies which coalition OF the
rest Of the civilized world could have
pot into the field against IT,
More than this. In many OF the states
In the Union. not limited to those In
armed rebellion. the military authorities
took precedence OF the civil Under the
stress Of the great emergency which the
country had TO face. constitutional
guarantees were for time swept away,
and the strong arm OF martial law was
used to deal with offenses which the
civil courts were powerlens to handle.
Under mere executive orders, civilians
were. In Instances. placed under milf
tary arrest, and incarcerated where no
writs OF habeas corpus could find or re-
lease them. In many of the states Il
seemed . matter OF doubt whether the
constitutional guarantees OF individual
liberty would ever be restored and It
certainly could not be predicted when
tho civil authorities should there SUPER
,ede the military rulers.
There was show of reason
then in Democratic forebodings Ar 20
threatened mIiitarism: and those FORE
bodings affected some Of the loyal ana
patriotic citisens of the country. When
II was shouted from the stump by Dem
ccratic orators that no people who
parted with their liberties ever regainei
them, save by an appeal to arms. thes
prove the truth OF the assertion. and
10 give force to the prediction that the
whole character OF the government
would be changed as result OF the war:
that a military despotism was falrly
en- the way 90 succeed the former con-
stitutlonai authorities.
All of these predictions proved false.
The dlshanded armies az upwards OF a
million mon dropped back into civil
life, and instead of being a menace {,
the public safety the former soldiers
became the strongest, broadcast minded
and most energetic element IN each
community, The building % the new
West Was largely the work % the men
who fought the war ~ the rebellion.
ana In every community the men az
distinguished war record became the
foremost citiEens In private and the
leaders In public Iite Every conasg.
tatl0nal guarantee ~ Individual liberty
was retained by the people. and the
states which had been in rebellion
gradually had restored 10 them all ~
their former constitutional rights.
Every alarms, prediction proved aSso-
lutely easeless and the men who then
made them or believed them with sober
seriousness laugh today at their forrser
forebOasngx.
After such an experience as thss. the
idea tina; there Ia anything In the pres
ens situation 10 justify fears Of m,u.
tarsm Ia this country ls too laushahlv
absurd for serious argument The pres
Snt army, volunteers aud regulars to-
gether is hardly ene-twentleth as great
as the veteran armies which aisbanes4
y generation ago. There Is no PROPOSE
ton before congress. or elsewhere
Increase the regular army TO any basis
seriously In excess OF the presen, en-
listed force. and In no event 20 Increase
II beyond the immediate necessities e
the government That army comprises
lees than one man for every thousand
iHhsbltantss substantially the basis II
which sn ordinary police force In a oits
= essaIiasd. The major portion af it