Omaha daily bee., 1891-02-02

drawing full pay and rendering no service TO
tho govern ment, but they are kept on full
pay instead Of two-thIrds pay because they
cannot get on the list which Is more than
full 1t is proposed to reduce the limited list
from 400 TO $50 and transfer bodily the lin
itcd to the unlimited list,
Inquiry on the part OF members OF the
house has had the effect OF injurng this
proposition. The men who are on this re-
tired list from disabilities growing out OF the
volunteer service have the sympathy OF con-
gress; but the disabilities of men from the
regular service are suspected unless they are
apparent 1t is discovered that not only do
men drawing the pay of retired army officers
get into the service OF the federal govern
ment in civil capacities and draw "a second
salary, but they seek the retired list for the
purpose of drawing retired pay and having
opportunity to make money by engaging in
business in civil life. 1t is stated
that nearly every one Of the men who
have been placed upon the retired list before
attaining the age of siXty-fOur has almost
Immediately engaged in private business.
The question naturally arises, If these men
are capable Of performing duties for them
selves which are far more onerous than they
have had to perform in the army why are
| they placed upon the retired list Why do
| they not simply resigni
"A couple OF years or so ago n member or
! the Judge advocate generals corps came over
| from New York ana applied for examination
| and asked TO be placed upon the retired list
At the same time he openly announced to his
| friends that, If he got retirement, he would
enter upon the practic of law in New York,
| Co.. ,ba 49,, iIa oIinc,ad dvsnon
| sia or sor,etbino, of that chor-
acter Why he could not ill sinecure in
| the army with a station IN New York, but
| so,no ,Ionn 10 oni,, rIoood ,,n6n The ro,irnd
| let no ono knew event n a rvapted tho nov,
| of IA retired officer. He got the retirement,
| enjoys the two-thirds pay from the army and
without en- tiing Tbero ,,,oro r,ar n,,dor hip,
,rho ,vontaa his ,lnoa "a % aau,an 10,
| rrgod his t,disa tiljties :, ~ " '
| II 10 m oman socrot tho, ooaots rati,iro
| from the ,piIita,.,, ord ,,ayoi ocadamins nf
| West poirt ana r~nno,ia o;,hnr i,mn,,,;n,
thei, disobiiitioo ,.nrIoi,, short tino to l,ot
on tbo rntired ,ist a,. ha,in, o Sisnbiities
cnrci,de 70 rcnioi, IL tha sn,,;to tiii thny an
Get unon the retired list hv some hook or
| eeroou II hoo,;s ~ iool, o thoTh ~ % va 20.
tirnd iists 81 r. ar'd "' so,,Ia bo
Fit f i y, tiV 5 ai,ny a,iu woutI uo
ti 'Au' ooI0'O' iot eoAk ie'''oA"' ih'ee'isa-
| "ohh of TIE CoNsoLs'
| No one appreciates so forcbly as a United
| States consul what the agitation through the
| Pan American bureau has wrought in the
way of preparing for an enlargement of our
Har rAtts a0Ioau: ,--, -,. g.
retary Blaine has imposed upon thcs. men
| who are now in reality commercial agents
| instructed to enlarge markets abroad
| certain duties which it is believed will have
| the effect of fading an outlet for our surplus
| farm produce 1t will be remem bered that
| during the last two and half wears of Presl-
dent Cleveland's reign the consuls in all
| British norris and many Other countries
were nothing more nor less than free trade
| writer's, II seemed that the state department
was for the time simply engaged in bolster
| ing up President Cleveland il his work for
| free wool and lower duties unon if not free
o., nll, b.,
articles of life. The consular reports teemed
| with free trade arguments. Those written
| 'by consuls to tariff countries attempted to
| show the failure of n protective tariff, while
| those from Great Britain argued i'm favor of
| free trade-showed how large the wages in
| England were and how wen the living Of
| laborcrs compared with figures effectinp
the common people of this country.
One may look through the entire list of
consular reports issued under Secretary
| Blaine and he win find not a line of this
matter Our consuls are now telling Ameri-
| can farmers how to produce sugar from beets
| and cane how to grow and cure fruits pro-
| duce silk, wine and other articles of value,
and whore TO sell their surplus. None of
them have become teachers of political
economy, and doubtless the effect upon our
o,p,,,,ss,,,ss ,>r, ,o,,o,,.sa
| LOS wy 0o'''
Congress has become very careless about
| It's work. MANY or its laws are so carelcSSly
| they are on nrorccd Anc II not H. fro,,Ionti :,
happens that the amendments must be
amended on account of their obscurity and
vague character and general ambiguity.
| Several corrections were necessary in the
| Mckinley tariff law, and number of orders
| have been issued from tie treasury depart
mcnt to cover ambiguous points and Interpret
| misunderstood features of the law
Last February congress passed law au-
thorizing the president to confer brevet ran k
on officers of the army for gallant services in
| Indian campaigns. The law doesn't state on
| what principle the brevet rank shall be con-
ferred-whether captain may be brevetted,
a colonel or general or whether he must be
| brevetted for the next rank above his com
mission
When General Schofield began to make up
| a list of officers to be given recognition for
gallantry in Indian campaigns he was
confronted by lieutenants who wanted
the title of colonel and captains
| who demanded the brevet commission of
| lieutenant general He didn't know what TO
do. The minor officers attempted to put an
| interpretation Of the lawson his mouth, and
he found himself in all sorts of trouble If
| he had the right to make the brevet ran k
whatever he pleased he soon saw that he
would have to give all the highest ranll-that
they would all be generals So he has asked
congress to amend the law fixing the brevet
i =