The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-17
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. IL, 1878.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. IL, 1878.
How fast, in this country of heroes.
politicians and great men generally. new
things become old, old things are wholly
lost sight OF, and men and things pass
away and are forgotten, The world at
Washington, especially, sees much of this
vanity Of vanities. The famous men who
have survived the war era may be counted
upon ones 6ngers--Grant, Schurz Butler,
Alex Stephens, Bsyard, Thurman, Ed
munds and Blaine. And how long will
any Of these survive his retirement from
public life7 There is no Webster in our
day. There is no great soldier; no leader
in journalism nor in theology no Shake
speare lives now, nor Scott, nor even a
Dickens. And yet the world was never
so far advanced as now in government, re-
ligion, and science, The time, itself, in
which We live, is great, despite its
lack Of renowned or rarely. gifted persons.
Capital society is looking for exciting
times this winter; so are capital polite
ians. All lhe departmental world is on
the gli rice because Of the expected change
Of the Administration from Republican
into Democratic hands, Republican
clerks are expecting to be ousted, and are
striving hard 10 secure themselves against
being thrown out Of employment penni-
less by economy and thrift, while scores
II A Il h.
South. are aocking into the city, already
engaged in pulling the wires which will
put thsm into positions made vacant by
the removals which are sure to be made
with change Of Administrative power,
Since last winter excitement over the
House Of Representatives, Doorkeeper.
ship and the consequent attempt to place
Gen. Shields upon the the retired list oi
Of the army, public attention has been
particularly called to that list-to what
and why IL Is. The statutes provide that
any officer who has been in service thirty
years, or has been disabled by wounds, OF
inospacitated otherwise, may, at the
Presidenps discretion, be placed upon the
retired list, which gives him three fourthi
pay without service, Of whatever office ht
holds at the time Of his retirement Fol
years score or two of disabled officers
who long ago passed the examination By
the Retiring Board, have beeu waiting fo
vacancies TO occur in the retired list bu
retired army officers are tough as mule
and do not die off fast So, last year, whel
provision was inserted in the Appropria
tion Bill for the support Of the army, en-
larging the retired list from 300 to 4OC
the President ut once retired 35 disable,
officers, and has 65 vacancies left. Their
are plenty Of officers who are really in
capacitated by age, and have served mucl
longer than the limit required by law; bu
for various reasons they do not wish to b
retired. Some are proud Of their station.
and will not hear to being laid on tn
shelf-tbough that is where they justl
belong; others would be glad to be so dis
posed Of, but want their superior officer
TO 60 out first, so that they may be pro
NOTED before leaving the service, thu
the dignity Of higher title an
tho advantage Of higher pay. There is
clause, however, in the statutes which pro
vides that after an officer has served 35 year,
or is 81 years Of age or past, the Presiden
can retire him at his discretion whethe
the officer wishes it or not; and after close
ly scrutiniziDg list Of so officers who hav
been sxomined and passed by the Retirin
Board already, the President intends re
firing all those save few of the mos
aerviceabl. RICHARD.