New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-14
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
HOT WEATHER POLITICS AND PERSON
ALITIES.

MR.. CUMMINGS SOUTHERN TuP-wHY NAVY
OFFICERS coMPLAIN-MB. INGALLS, AND
THE NAvY-Ax ARMY INCIDENT
EX-SENATOR EUsTIs.
lrRox THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE rRrBuSE.l
Washington June 13.-when the Hon. Amos J.
Cummings returns from his Southern i0unt he Will
find two anxious Democrats waiting at the sVa
ton so 70 speak 1t Is generally undersuoou'
and the word has been passed around among the
boys to that effect, that the Hon Amos mas no'
gone south merely to look at the country. Inc
impression prevails in upper Democratic circles tns'
Brother Cummings has been scouting and that ne WIN
bring back q report full to the brim Of Interest tic
is known as lover OF nature. His friends are aware
that gracious landscape fills him with ecstasy TIC
too has thrilled the " violet by messy s'ohe
and felt his soul stir and leap within him at the aeo
of puring brook But his is not an emotional quest
this time. He has been taking notes He Is loaueu
to the gunwae with fnct and observation. And wheh
he aghts on NewYork soil and In tile privacy OF some
quiet consultation room unshps his diary those TWO
anxious Democrats. to whom reference IS maze nDoVe
will be on hand surrounding him with afectionnte russ
and waiting for his news with CLASSY eyes of eXpecta
ton.
Neither Senator German nor senator-Governor Hill
believes in the inevitable regards next years Demo
cratic nomination. Neither thinks that ii must 90
to Mr. Cleveland by default. Both feel that, with at
least two magnets Of high intensity scattered about IN
the storm area the lightning will not be left wholly
without an alternative Moreover, others have made
tours of observation through the South and returned
with impressions anything but favorable to the Ceve-
land hypothesis. Mr.. Hill himself has quite recently
laid his taperng finger on the pulse of Georgia, and
Mr. German himself has included, not only Georgia
but few other Southern States In certain quiet
little horoscope. But Cummings-Cummings the 1oval,
the shrewd the impulslve, the conviva-he has Just
made the grand circle, and he returns gorged with
sapence which they could not acquire themselves and
which they need greatly in their business. DO we, can
we wonder at the vigil by the depot gates the cooked
eye the quiverng ear, the rigid yet wildly wagging
tal7
Often have l asked myself whether by some chance
any whisper however faint, OF what is happening in
the outer world penetates the solemn hush OF The
Democratic JOss-house In Broad-st. Often nave
speculated as to the effect upon the Joss himself IT,
through the mururs OF his adorers and the incense
swung to him by rapt acolytes. he should catch
suggestion or a hint. What If airy messenger
had brought 10 him from far-o Mobile Bay the after
supper talk OF the Browder Club with Brother Cum
mings as ITS focus and inspiration What If he could
| hear Senator Pugh unfolding 10 the Hon. Amos the
state of mind of the Alabama Democracy or the Robber
Barons OF protection in Alabama and Tennessee warn
ing him that no FreeTrader need count on them next
| year! How he would have enjoyed spirit-witness
Of the scene of the roseembowered balconies OF
the Capital City Club. with Brother Cummings sweety
smoking his cigar and Major Lingston Minis, By Cad
sab imparting his personal impressions Of Mr. Cleve
land on the occasion OF his visit to Atlanta in 1887
Nevertheless Mr. Cummings has all these things and
more beside tucked carefully away in his notebook
| and Brother German and Brother Hill and Others Of
| great weight and moment in the party councils VIII
| pore over them and pray for light within the next
few months. II is not happy family In these piping
times of preparation, and the return of the Hon. Amos
with the fruit of his extended and carefully chosen tour
will scarcely add sugar to the situation.
| Navy officers have something 10 complain Of beside
the delay and difficulty in the way of promotion. OF
course the chief hardship lies in the fact that they
waste great part Of their lives away In the execution
of practical drudgery, doing an ensgns work at Time
when age and experience have really qualified them
for command Indeed 1t might almost frivolous,
in view of the graver drawbacks to the Advancement
of Navy officers to refer 10 comparatively unimportapt
details and yet they details that enter so constantly
| and so intimately into everyday life, and SO greatly
affect individual weL-beng, that they cannot be TOO
! seriously considered.
| An Army officer who IL assigned 10 duty at an ont
post has his quarters provided for him. His fuel and
the forage for his horse horses is furnished; he has
these things and all the other necessares OF existence
II his duty takes him to large town or city, he gets
Communication for quarters, forage etc, ana thus 10
enabled 10 place himself comfortably without touching
|
more than is required TO maintain him decently Navy
! officers however are less fortunate On shore duty
they do not find the same comforts that are provided
for their brethren Of the Army. ordered 10 a navy
yard or city station OF any kind they are In manner
compelled TO shin for themselves. The average yard
is furnished with a limited supply Of house-room'
Usually there are two three elgD.e dwellings Win
desirable perquisites available nomnally by prece-
dence but practically By favortsm, and the houseess
| ones thrown upon their own resources. one oncer
gets comfortable even luxurious, house ahother
appropriates less yet comparatively hhaDaoe
| and so on down the scale but there remain NUMBER
| of officers equally entitled To provision by the Gov
ernment who get nothing at all, and who ont OF IN
ferior paw are compelled to provide for themselves
In this way the burden falls upon those least able To
susain IT, The big prizes go TO the most prosperous
and the expense rests upon those who have the small
est means.
The arrangement is unhappy from every point OF
view Not ONLY does Il work injustice and oppression
In the abstract but In its operations 1t leads to dlssen-
zion and autagonism. Some OF the most unfortunate
| and deplorable discords known 10 the service have
pr,vr ont OF the rvalries. the schemrgs and leal-
ouses incident TO the partition Of the meagre accom-
modatons for officers at Navy stations. Navy Officers
sbouM be provided for well and as inelligentN as
Army officers are Events have shown that In almost
all foreign complications the Navy Will necessarily be
the more important arm OF offence as well as OF de-
fence Why not bestow upon 1t at least as much care
and consideration and forethought as upoh the ARMY
II would be interesting 10 know Just what Mr. In
calls thinks at this time about the utility Of Navy
| only month or two ago he was pleased to puohsh
somo particularly scornful and sarcastic comment on
the regular annual scare and to cTtclse Win
prodgal freedom the croalers and sarmsts VINO were
| tmid enough 10 think that the country might some
dav need a few weapons OF approved efficiency. Sur
yeying the situation from Kansas, and unable 10 DIS
Germ hostile fleets in the Missouri ohng, Mr.. ingalls,
couId realize but peril threatening the American
neople The fact that intelligence, energy and frn-
cality we're accommodating money while spendthrhe'
oilers and incapables let il slip through their fingers
,cu him as a sinister circumstance, iustifyng the
most dOleful forecast But he could see no other dan
ger on tho horizon and the idea OF providing against
danger which he could not perceive and appralse
struck him rs next door TO imbeclty.