The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-09-28

in enthusiasm and flew kites. lie pre-
dlcted that the raw swamp town that
had been named for him would have
100000 population in twenty-five years
and that II would outstrlp New York,
or even Boston. He speculated some
what In real estate here himself and
paid for Washington lots twice what
they would fetch to-day. lie eneour-
aged Robert Morris TO speculate, and
that shrewd tinancier, who had held
the armies of the Revolution up by
main strength, sunk all of his money
and passed four dark years In deb
tors prison. II was during that dis
nal season that the Federal Govern
ment appealed TO Virginia and Mary
land for loan, under the implied
threat to keep the Capital at the
North II the loan was not forth com
Ing.
In round figures, Maryland leut S72,-
900 and Virginia $4,000. Not a
cent of II has ever been paid back.
win IL ever bc2 Doubtful.
As a Senator recently said arhe
United States Government is the
most relentless creditor and tho most
exacting and unscrupulous debtor tha!
the sun shines ON. When II IL DIVIDED,
II is a very Shylock; when II
owes, II Is as indifferent to It's obliga-
tions as q tramp
The machinery TO which creditor
of Uncle Sam must appeal Is so elabo-
rate as to dissuade all but tho pluck
lest. First, he must apply to Congress
for permission to go to the Court Of
Claims. After tedious years and
great expense, that court Is reached
perhaps witnesses summoned, and
the correctness of tho bill verified
perhaps. Then he must 20 to the
Secretary Of the Treasury and induce
that august functionary to condcsccnd
TO include tho amonnt in the current
appropriations asked for.
II the favor IL graciousiy granted,
the claimant, II still alive, must go
back to Congress, and watch the ap-
preparation at every step Of Its pro-
gress, through two committees and
through both houses. Nine times out
Of ten some domagogue then "objccts''
to the amount, aud 1t Is dropped, aud
the claimants children or grandchil'
dren may again present the bill, with
the same circumlocution, In future
years.
The Robert Morris have msstlon'
ed was out Of pocket 100000 for adj
vances during the Re, olution, aud hi
loss was never made good.
Similarly John Ericsson saved Tho
country by sending the Monitor L
Hampton Roads in 1862, and was nevel
paid for II. On his death bed he
Haunted an unpaid bill in the face O
Uncle Sam.
| happen to know a case In point
In 1864 q cartridge factory blew up In
this city and killed some twenty young
women engaged in the difficult an,
dangerous business offilling cartridges
| by hand. A young man examined tn
scene, thought II over, and concluded
that he could make machine tha
! would do tho work. lie broached th'
idea to the War Department AM
was laughed at for his pains, being In
formed by the Chief or Ordinance tha
the thing was impossible.
The young man, whom will ca
Dodge, persisted in his dream, devise
plan, made working model, carrie
II to tho Chief of Ordnance and set
going. That puzzled functlonary wa
surprised, bewildered, pleased, con
vinccd he took IL to the Secretary o
War and said: "Evcry cartridg
hitherto made in the world has bee
made by hand; no moro will b
, made by hand when this remarkabl
machine is generally adopted; and
will save two-thirds the EXPENSE
The Secretary sent for Dodge an
gave him an order for a machine, al
tnorizing him to incur the necessar
expense in making 1t. The young ma
, went to New York and Boston, <,
the various patterns constructed an
parts made; assembled them and 81
up the machine in Washington.
!, did all that had been predicted for
, and Immediately superseded han,
filling In all the arsenals Of the coul
try. More than that, the Governmel
, made machines and sold them
: France, Enland and other countric
: and the whole world now fills its ca
, tridges with machines made on Il
same model.
Well, that was q quarter of cent
ry ago. Dodge has never received
: dollar from his valuable an
humane invention from any sour
whatever. Year after year
has gone before Congress and as
ed compensation. Year after yel
. committees have reported his b
., favorably. Four times 1t has passed u
. Senate. Four times ii has been favo
a ably reported in the House. b
whenever 1t has approached succe
10 some demagogue with pilfering |
,i stincts has interposed his objectio
Ie and the proposition has died an unns
n ural death. Meantime Dodge b
grown gray; children have grown
IL manhood and womanhood about hir
his ingenious device has saved hu
i dreds of thousands of dollars to O
l. Government and millions Of dollars
the world, yet he has never been pa
q cent--not even for the first machi
y which he made on the written ord
Df Of the Secretary Of War.
e. II Is iio wonder that now. WITH
Il duebill nearly century old, Virgin
comes forward and says 10 Uncla Sal
y *If you win build d turnpike fire
ir miles long to Mount Vernon. | "
nj oivn vou n racainf In full fnr f,ta unf