Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-10-25
CHAMP qARE'S LETTER
Vast Navy Proposed by
Republicans.
RIVAL ENGLAND'S FLEET.
Imperialists Demand Preposter-
Gus outIays.
WOULD RAISE A MIGHTY ARMY.

Republicans Contend That We Should
Have Military Force In Pro-
portion to Our Population - That
Means Eighteen Hundred Thousand
Men--Cost Would he stupendous.
New Features of the Philippine
Question-Menace to Old Soldiers.
FIocISing TO Bryan.
Especial Washington letter.
1t is amazing with what rapidity this
Philippine war has changed the opin-
ions of Republican statesmen. Until
this year nobody of any reputation
ever openly advocated the theory that
we should keep up military and na-
val establishment of vast proportions
Now it is asserted by Republican lead
ers, both in congress and upon the
stump, that we should have a navy
equal to the largest in the world, which
means equal to England's. That would
take $310,000,000 In cash to build bat
tleships of the first class, to say noth-
ing of torpedo boats, armored cruisers,
protected cruisers, monitors, commerce
destroyers and other smaller craft, for
England has 62 more battleships, and
one of that class costs at least $1,000
900. To make navy really equal TO
Englands would probably cost ST ,000,-
100000. believe as firmly as do the
Republicans in the wisdom of Saneho
Panza's dictum that ''in peace is the
time to prepare for war;" Consequent
ly am in favor of navy adequate to
all Of our wants, but | am teetotally
opposed to any such monstrous folly
and preposterous extravaganza as to
undertake to rival England in the size
and strength of our naval equipment,
for we have no use for it. A man does
not have to be an idiot in order to be
patriot.
Immense Standing Army.
It is now vigorously contended both
in and out of congress and for the first
time that we should have standing
army as large in proportion to our pop
ulation as any other nation on earth
has, and men who have never given one
moments consideration to what this
proposition means throw high their
sweaty caps In air and yell for it as
though it meant great blessing for
she republic. What does this proposi-
ton mean7 France, with population
Of 100000, has q standing army of
100000 men; Italy, with about the
same population, has about the same
sized army. Germany, with a popula-
tion of over 10000, 900, has an army of
over 100000 men. and so on to the
end Of the chapter. The truth Is that
every nation of Europe is groaning un-
der the great load of tax to keep up
its standing army. To such an ex-
tent has this been carried that it is
said in Europe that every laborer car
ries a soldier upon his back, and while
the census figures have not all been
published for this years census the
general estimate is that we have pop
ulation of about 100000, not count
ing Porto Rico and the Philippines.
On the theory that we should have an
army equal in proportion to the stand
ing armies of other countries we would
have an army of about 100000 men,
for which we have no earthly use and
which would cost an annual sum at
the thought of which the oyerburden-
ed taxpayers must shudder.
When the bill to reorganize the ar
my was before the house, eatechised
my Republican friend. Colonel B. It.
Marsh of the Quincy district, who was
a brave Union soldier and who Is a
leading member of the committee on
military affairs, as TO the cost of main
tanning a soldier in the regular army.
His reply to my inquiry was that the
average cost of maintaining a regular
soldier while doing service in the Unit
ed States is about $1,000 per year. On
the basis of 100000 regulars, at ST.
600 apiece, the cost of the standing ar
my would be 81 ,S00,000,o00 per year,
and there isn't a man living who can
give any valid reason or plausible ex-
euse for withdrawing 100000 young
men from the ranks of the producers
and loading them upon the peoples
backs at cost which the mathematic-
al powers of the human mind are mad
equate to comprehend. The only way
to prevent this stupendous folly is to
elect Bryan and a Democratic con-
gress, for there is no earthly sense in
electing a Democratic president with
out a Democratic congress to aid him
in his patriotic endeavors for the pub
lie veal. | repeat it that we have no
use for such a standing army or any
thing approximating it.
Strength of the Republic.
We have never depended on the regu-
lar army or great navy for our de-
fense; we have never waged war in
which the volunteers did not do the
major part of the fighting, and the
United States never did carry on o
war without success. The real strength
of the republic lies in the patriotism
and yalor of the volunteers. men who
are not professional soldiers. but who,
when the country is in danger quit the
civil walks of life, shoulder their mus.
kets, fight till the country Is victorious
and then cheerfully lay down their
arms and return to their business.
Volunteers fought the war of the
Revolution. they fought the war OF
1872, they fought the Mexican war,
they fought the Indian wars and they
did the principal part Of the fighting on
both sides in our titanic civil war.
The most splendid army that the sun
ever looked down upon was the conf
bined forces of the Union and Confed-
crate sides at the close of the civil
war, and the most amazing spectacle
ever seen among men was that of q
million and half veteran soldiers
Stacking their arms, dofing their uni
forms and returning without MUIR
muir to the peaceable yocations of
American citizenship. The volunteer
soldier is not only the safety, but he is
the glory, Of the republic.
From the close of the ciyil war In
1865 down to the beginning OF the
| Spanish war our standing army had a
strength on paper Of 25,000 men. As a
matter of fact. it usually averaged
% 900 officers and men. and we got
along spiendidly during all that time,
aud IL the possession OF the Philip
pines necessitates such d psyy and