The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-21

| UO-uhy OF JneT luJure prospectus rs Sell-Sup-
porting missionaries; and in view OF what
they have done and are now doing the ex-
pertinent OF Bishop TAYLOR cannot be re-
garded rs the utter failure that some OF his
critics have represented.
Looking Backward" in the Senate.
Tho Hon. PRESTON BELLAMY PLUMB OF
Kansas is the statesman who introduced
Senate bill Number 3765, providing for the
organization Of the Grand Army Of Labor.
| Hcle is the full text OF O measure which has
been for several weeks In the hands OF tho
Senate Committee on Education and Labor:
"B, Il enacted &c, That tho President Of the United
StRtes shall forthwith Issue call addressed to all citi
OF the United States twenty one years of age
inviting them to serve in the Grand Army OF Labor OF
this Republic for not less than one day under the fol-
lowing terms and conditions FIRST, tho hours OF labor
shall exceed four hours day for more than ave
days in each week, for more than six successive
weeks without intermisslon OF two weeks; second,
the Of shall DO four dollars per day and DO
payable weekly in the deoaratory full Legal tender
| silkthreaded Kreenback paper money OF the United
| States OF America exclusively.
SIC. ?. That an executive department OF labor be-
and hereby established and the office of Secretary OF
the Department Of Labor at salary Of four dollars
day hereby created for the purpose Of enabling tho
said President TO rapidly commission and assign raid
volunteers to duty In the public rervcO where their
abilities will reflect credit upon themselves: and It 10
hereby distinctly provided that tho tenure of office In
said service shall be held exclusively at the pleasure
OF the said volunteer and not ms heretofore, at the
pleasure of some spokesman who may happen to hold
commission issued by the President of the United
| states or other officer thereof
"SKc. D. That the money necessary to carry the
provisions of this into effect be- and is hereby.
proprAted OF any money In tho Treasury not other
said Treasury then shall be the duty of the
Treasurer Of the United States to inform the Secretary
of the Treasury OF that fact and ho shall at
sufciency thereof TO be prepared and covered into
the Treasury for said purpose
$50 4. That all laws parts of laws, In conflict
herewith be, and hereby. repealed and this act
shaIl take effect when approved"
The PLUMB bill combines with some Of the
most beautiful features OF the Looking
Backward plan for the regeneration OF So
ciety q provision in which the MuGwump
theory of the civil service is carried to its
logical consequences; while in another sec
ton the fiat money doctrine comes in with
full force. Altogether, we may fairly say
that few laws making changes Of a moro
radical character have ever been proposed
in Congress.
At first sight it would appear that the
1 Il
satire, and that the Kansas Senator was
either the author or the victim Of an undig-
nifed joke. But when Mr.. PLUMB intro
duced the bill he explained that he did so at
the request Of the Wage Workers Political
Alliance OF Washington; and 1t must be re-
membered that the bill is only little more
amazing in its declared purpose and only
little more ridiculous in its provisions than
a dozen other measures of the same sort,
where the deadly seriousness Of intention Is
beyond suspicion.
Moreover. it Is likewise true that whether
the original purpose was solemn or farcical,
the PLUMB bill has been committed in the
regular order to the consideration OF the
Hon. HENRY W. BLAIR Of New Hampshire;
and what may happen when his lunar intel
ligence grasps the full significance and
beauty OF the scheme no man can foretell.
The War Department and First Sergeant
LEIPLER of tho Second Cavalry have been
working at cross purposes OF late The de-
partment is exertinG itself to diminish the
enormous number OF desertions In the army,
while LEIPLER has Just been found guilty Of
addressing one Of the men OF his troop in this
encouraging way:
pack mp your traps and pull ont Of the troop"
"lfyou don't like it. you had better pack up your duds
and out of tho troops you good to the army
any way"
Are you going to pack your traps and get out this
pay day You had better 10. am watching you"
You had better quit and get out; you here
anywhere else"
"You had better pack up and 20 homo to your
mother"
You had better pack up and 20 out the prairie
AN..t
That the unfortunate trooper, In face OF this
reiterated counsel, failed 10 desert may per-
haps be considered by the energetic First Ser
geaut Rs only another instance of q chronic
disposition never to do what he was told to do
The court sentenced the Sergeant to be ad-
monished II such misdrected zeal is COM
mon In the army 1t Is not surprising that de-
Sertions are also frequent
The harbor defence ram Is likely to be tho
next veasel for which bids will be asked. 1t
was authorized several years ago. and was
planned by Admiral AMMEN fully nine years
ago. or course the Admiral has continued to
improve on his original design. as advances
have been made In the art OF naval construc-
ton; and tho result will probably be a useful
craft for It's specific purpose. The displace.
ment OF the new ram is likely to be from 2.700
10 1900 tons. and the two difficult problems
are high speed and great protection. craft |
built for this purpose must 60 fast enough to |
catch the vessel she wishes to attack. must |
be handy enough III manRuyre to prevent the
enemy from eyading her blow. and must be
well enough armored TO avoid the destruction |
OF her own motive power by hostile shot be- |
fore she can come within striking distance
The International Commission of Engl- |
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