The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-26

was designed by Prof j. w Shipley, of Sara
toga, n. Y. Instead of the arrangement of stars
used in our national standard, the blue field
was decorated with eagle guarding tho
| Western hemisphere, surrounded by symbolic
wedding-ring. while the background was form
ed by golden stars arranged in the form of Q
Southern cross.
/ ABOUT ARMY DEsERTIoES
The Maior-Geueral Commanding the Army,
the tant-General, the Inspector General
and the Acting Judge Advocate General OF the
/ Army, i'm their annual reports, which have
been given TO the public during the past week,
/ have seyerally discussed nj considerable length
the subject OF the military crime of desertion,
/ which has of late years grown TO such an eX-
tent as TO create this official discussion, viii CHI
extends back, also. to the annual reports of the
1 Division and the Department commanders.
lntemPcrancc aud the license allowed at sue
ceedng pay days is alleged TO be the primal
cause, and most Of the reporting officials think
| the evil could he remedied by greater restric-
lions placed upon recruiting officers, to see that
| men OF bad habits should not bC enlisted.
/ With all due Difference TO tho several officers
who comment in their reports upon this sub
/ ject, the GOssiper thinks that they overlook
the real cause aud he forms his idea from his
| own experience and the opinions of dozens of
| troop, battery and company commanders with
1 whom he has talked at times on this subject
4 during the past dozen years
/ When a soldier is afflicted with chronic in
/ temperance he is of no earthly use in any COM
! mand, and the best way 10 be rid of him is to
summarily give him a dlshonurahle discharge
! lie is constantly source of trouble 10 his COM
/ rades, and an annoyance 10 the First ScrgeHnts
/ and the company commander. and when IN the
! guardhouse for his constantly recnrring in
fractions of discipline, forces his we'll behaved
comrades TO perform his as well as their own
duties of guard aud police.
The true fault lies in the work that our
troops are called upon TO do. young man,
with ardor for military life enlists and goes
10 the frontier after q course of preliminary
instruction at the recruiting depots, aud in
stead of being taught there that he must keep
clean and neat and be well drilled, he is first of
all asked if he has any trade. If he is black
smith, carpenter, house painter, brick or stone
mason or harness maker, he is put special
duty, and kept at work at the trade he hoped
TO abandon TO be a soldier, aud forced 10 work
more hours day than he did in civil life, Mt
much less compensation. If he has no trade,
he is apt To be placed on the daily detail " of
iaborers, helping those who have trades, aud
mix and carry mortar and dig cellars and
trenches, without getting any extra pay 1T all.
so 81 comes To pass that when young man
feels restless IN the narrow limits OF working
at trade. and hopes 10 stimulate his ambition
by becoming a soldier. he finds upon arrival
that he has only exchanged work with indie
pendence for the same work, mt less ray, with
the iron band of military discipline encircing
him. He soon becomes Disguised. and when
payday comes, with IFS scant recompcnse for
the labor he has done. he gets pass, gets him
sell full OF the vlianous liquor obtalnable at
or near Army posts, and listens readily TO a
suggestion 10 get away.
III CoBgfcsS, when ordering the binding of
new or the improvement al old posts. would
a
leave the soldiers to do soldiers duty, there
would speedily be n marvellous decrease in the
present awful percentage OF assertions, aud in
the end u would be far cheaper for the United
States for the cost Of tho enlistment clothing
instruction and transportation Of each recruit
would astOnish most of the lawmakers If they
cared enough for the subject TO once analyze
the figures Gen. keltOn could give them.
LIBERAL ARMY FURLoUGHs.
"The men in the ranks have no occasion for
complaint on one point" said an Army official
the other day at the War Department" aud
that is on the liberal system now in vogue Of
granting extended furlonghs
" In the old times before the war. IL was
almost the most uncommon thing kaOwn in
the service 10 grant enlisted man a fur
Tough for any considerable period, but now
just look at them. Here il a batch of orders
just received from Gen. Crooks headquarters
at Chicago, aud sec some OF the furloughs he
has granted.
" -Four OF these men arc granted six months
each, aud all Of them have permission 10 go
abroad. Two Of them are SeFgeants aud the
Others are private soldiers. Such "A thing was
never heard OF in the olden time Then there
are eight more ranking from the Chief Trum-
peter Of the 9TH Cav to Eve private soldiers and
four Of these also have permission 10 leave the
United States"
THE RIGHT TO CATCH SEALS,
which has for the last 20 years been leased 10
the Alaska Commercial Company, Of which the
late Mr.. Hutchinson. of Washington City, was
so long the President. will expire ON the LIST Of
next May. These seal islands in Behring'S Sea
have heretofore been considered very valuable
and large fortunes have been made from the
privilege accorded by the Government 10 the
company operating them. There will doubtless
be great competition when the privilege is
again placed upon the market.
INCREASED PENSIONS.
Senator TaTpie of California, reported favor
ably from the Committee on Pensions of the
Senate upon the bill lately introduced by SEN
atOT Quay, Of Pennsylvania, fixing ST. Der
month as the rate Of pension to be granted all
persons who now are. or who may hereafter
become. totally helpless from Injuries or
wounds received. or disease contracted while
in the military naval service Of the United
States.
GooD-BY, BOYS
The delegation Of Sioux Indians who have
been IN Washington for the past two weeks
made visit 10 Senators Allison and Wilson at
the Capitol on Thursday last They had a long
talk or consultation with the Iowa Senators,
and when they filed out Of the committee room
the bystanders were c0uYuised AT the Good bv
boys with which salutation the Indians took
leave Of the dignifed Senators.
NOMINATIONS.
The following nominations Of Army officers
were transmitted 10 the Senate by the Pfesi.
dent during the past week: Second Lieut. Ed
win u. Babbitt 9th Art. 10 be First Lieuten-
ant. Ordnance Department; First Lieut. Or
mond NJ. Lissack, 9TH Art, First Lieutenant
Ordnance Department; Serg't Daniel Luns-
ford, I'd Art, Second Lieutenant 9Th Cav.
Sergt Frederick s. Wild, 18th Inf, Second
Lieutenant, 18th Inf; First Sergt Robert
Alexander, 4th Inf, Second Lieutenant 7th
Inf.
CHAT ABOUT PEOPLE
Surg Joseph Y. Porter, IT, S. Army, whose
resignation wAs accepted By Secretary of War
Proctor last Summer, after "a difficulty arising
from his being ordered from Florida 10 New
Orleans, Is trying 10 be placed on the Retired
List OF the Army. To effect this end, Senator
Gibson, OF Louisiana, introduced bill in the
Senate last week, aud Dr. Porter and his fricnds
think II VIII pass without opposition.
VETERANS IN THE CITY
Gen. john S. Witcher. Major and Paymagter
/ ". y Army, D. at the Ebbitt House for a f. ~