Last evening the Union discussed the value of the large standing armies maintained by the principal nations of Europe.

Mr. Shaughnessy opened for the affirmative. He argued against the large military establishments maintained by the great powers on the ground, first of all, of the enormous expenditure which they involve. At the present time, three millions of men are under arms in Europe, at an annual cost of more than $500,000,000 a year.

Mr. Frank Backus Williams replied, on the negative, that the armies of Europe have been one of the greatest civilizing forces which have developed and built up that continent. It was this very system which uprooted feudalism, and rendered the barbarity at tending it no longer possible. It is true that armies cost something, but so do peaceful governments, yet no one would favor the suppression of the latter. The very nature of our civilization demands that these armies shall be maintained. They have also a historical justification. The Persians. the Egyptians, and the Greeks all maintained large military establishments. Armies protect commerce, they prevent many wars and shorten others. They are, so to speak, a tax for insurance. Military discipline educates the lower classes, and begets in a man a cordial and enthusiastic love of country.

Mr. Gray, who followed for the affirmative, maintained that the world has outgrown large armies. Large armies are a direct encouragement to needless and exhausting wars. This was the case in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. We should live up to the high standard which William Penn reached when he made his great peace with the Indians, an event which Charles Sumner declared to be "the proudest sight which American history records."

Mr. Chenoweth, on the negative treated the subject in a humorous way, and entertained the Union for fifteen minutes with some apt stories, as well as several sound arguments.

The debate was decided in the negative by a small majority.