Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-26
WAYS PAST FINDING OUT.


are past finding out. 1t has been to US
source Of infinite curiosity to watch the
metamorphosis of an ordinarily practical
sensible and clear-headed man into a red
tape, unyielding, impracticable and slow
going army official of our great and glori-
! GUS Government. Just what there is in
the process of the change from civic to mill
cary position that makes man, formerly
clear and sensible in his expressions ard
courteous TO his fellows dull, unintelli-
gent and stupid in his replies, and at times
| absolutely provoking in his reticence and
refusal TO explain simple matters, we have
never been able to discover.
1t has been said that the two soldiers
gone, of all others who were unchanged by
elevation to high military rank, were
Grant and Sheridan, and that the
most conspicuous now living, who is
in all respects "as of DID," is Sher-
man. Both Grant and Sherman after they
left West Point spent many years in bust
ness life-they had abundant opportunity
to acquire worldly wisdom, and they inn
proved it. They learned how to meet and
reply to the everyday citizen, and how to
answer directly to the point. Circumlocu-
tion they had no admiration for, because
IN business they had found it to be an OBJ
stacle to progression, and creator of
| friction
But there are scores of army officers who
have never learned, and never will learn.
| how to respond to the plain nineteenth
century citizen. The citizen who does not
wear shoulder-straps is entirely conscious
of his infeMority: he admits, with the
most humble but outspoken frankness, that
he is an inferior being, and that he has
not even the hope of rising to the exalted
attitudes in which the regular army officer
dwells. He is meekly in constant state
of confession that, as compared to an
engineer officer, he is especially low, vulgar
and unworthy. But, then, as this is
country of equality, so far as men are con-
cerned, and as be foots share of the bill
by which the engineer officer is enabled to
wear standing collar and gold lace, he
does venture, when he approaches such
dignitary, to hope FOR an understandable
answer to simple business question
though that hope is not often fulfilled.
As an instance in point, it will be re-
called that to ascertain the fact that the
Paine break was to be- or ought to be
treated, took about two months of exertion
on the part of the friends of the Sacra-
mentc river and final appeal to the au-
thorities at Washington Yet a simple
yes" or mo" would have satisfied the
people, if the engineers in charge of the
Sacramento river could have been induced
to youchsafe so explicit reply to respect
fui inquiry. A more recent case is that of
the San Francisco Produce Exchange and
Major Heuer. 1t was found that in the
upper Sacramento the accumulated snags
so obstructed navigation that the grain
crops could not be removed by steamers
and barges. There was imperative ne
cessity for immediate action, and surprise
was expressed that the Government snag-
boat had not been sent up stream, Ac-
cordingly, the Exchange sent to the
engineer officer respectful statement of
the case, and asked if the snags would be
removed by the Governments fund un-
expended being on hand that was pro-
yided for just such work
1t would seem to the plain, home-spun
business man that ''yes" or 'no" could
have been youchsafed with the ordinary
accompanying conventional expressions of
acknowledgment, etc. But no, army and
engineering etiquette forbidding clearness
and explicit recital of fact, the Exchange
was informed that probably the snags COM
planned of would be removed soon. This
grated upon American sensitiveness, and
the Exchange appealed to a Congress
man, with something Of heat in its tone,
so that the wires warmed up as the dis
patch went on, saying that the reply of
the engineer in charge was not under
standable. The Congressman went to
headquarters with the complaint, and then
telegraphed that headquarters had pre-
pared orders that the snag boat should be
dispatched forthwith to the reaches of the
river obstructed. Here was explicit an
swer, and the Exchange was satisfied.
Thereupon an enterprising newspaper man
resolved to take a hand in the matter. and
interviewed Major Heuer upon the sub
ject to ascertain why an order from Wash
ington became necessary.
The surprise came at that point. and it
was crushing, and is yet-the truth is,
said the Major, the snag boat is under
going repairs, and the orders from Wash
ington, which have not come, could not
hasten them a moment As soon as the
repairs are completed the boat will be sent
eP SeASain " ieAuofe tue OUSITuCtlous.
The conundrum now is and will always
remain unanswered, "Why in the name of
plain English could not Major Heuer
have said so in the first place? Is there
anything in the regulations that would
have prevented him saying to the Ex-
change what he confded to reporter ?"
Had he condescenGed to have unbosomed
himself in the first place to the extent of
saying II am about to send the boat, and
she will go up as soon as her machinery is
repaired" the grain shippers would have
been spared some trouble, the Exchange
some annoyance and the cost of long tel
egram the Congressman would have been