The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-11-02
washington Letter.

WAsHINGToS, ID c., October Ia, &c.
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 Tor
gotten! The world at Washington
especially sees much of this vanity
of yauities. The famous men who
have survived the war era may he
counted upon ones fingers Giant,
Schurz, Butler, Alex Stephens, Bay
ard. Thurman, Edmunds, Blaine.
And how long will the name OF any
of these survive his retirement from
public life There is no Webster IN
our day. There is no great soldier.
No leader in journalism, nor in the
ology. No Shakespeare lives now:
nor Scott nor even u Dickens. And
vet the world was never SO tar adj
vanced as now in government, re-
lirion. science. The time itself in
which we live is great despite its
lack of renowned or rarely gifted
persons. s
Capital society is looking for ex-
| citing times this winter; SD are capi-
tai politicians. All the Depart
mental world is on the qui rire be-
cause of the anticipated change OF
the administration from Republican
into Democratic hands. Republican
clerks are expecting to be BUSTED and
are striving hard to secure them
selves against being thrown out OF
employment nenniless by economy
and thrift, while scores of Demo
Gratis, particularly from the South
are tiockiug into the city, already
engaged in pulling the wires which
will put them into the positions
made vacant by the removals which
are sure to be made with a change %
administrative power.
Since last winters excitementO vel
the House of Representatives door
keepership and the consequent Mt
tempt to place Gen. Shields uPoi
: the retired list of the army, publl'
attention has been particularly call
ed to that list, to what and why l
is. The statutes provide that an,
officer who has been in service thirt.
wears, or has been disabled b.
wounds, or incapacitated otherwise
, may, at the Presidents discretion
be placed upon the retired list, w'iic
gives him e-fourths pay. withou
services, of whatever office he hold
at the time of retirement. For yea'
II a score or two of disabled Officers
: who long ago passed the examinatlo
. by the Retiring Board, have bee
waiting for vacancies to occur In I'll
retired list; but retired army officer
!, are tough as rule, and do not d
off fast. SO, last year, when pr,
vision was inserted in the appropri'
ton lill for the support of the arm
charging the retired list from '5O0
400, the President at once retired
, disabled officers and has 65 vacancl'
! left. There are plenty of office
: who are really incapacitated 10y al
!" and have served much longer tia
~ the limit required by law; bnt +
= various reasons they do not wish
q be- retired. Some are proud OF the
:: stations and will not hear 10 ben
- laid on the shelf, though that
= where they Justly belong; othe
y would be glad to be SD disposed
y but want their superior officers to
u out first so that they may be pr
a NOTED before leaving the service
W thus gaining the dignity of "a high
~ title and the advantage OF high
~ pay. There is a clause. however,
: the statutes which provides that l
az ter au officer has served IS years,
u is 62 years of age or past, the Pre-
~ dent can retire him at his discreet
%. whether the officer wishes 1t or NJ
~ and after closely scrutinizing !
IN ~, of 50 officers who have been {
~ amined and passed by the Retiri
oe Board already, the President inten
=. retiring all those save few OF
"a. most scrviceable. RIcHARD