The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-23
RUNNING TO TITLES.
Have the American People Too Many
Handles to Their Names.

Handles to Their Names.
Washington Post
la no place, perhaps, is the inclination to
affx titles to the names OF public men more
pronounced than in Washington. where the
fields OF American life have unriyaled OPP
portuni!ies for development The stock of
generals, colonels, majors or judges, who
never saw service in the field or forum, but
who are not al all unfamiliar with practice
at the bar of one sort or another, Is unlim-
tied, and sometimes leads to confusion,
amusing or annoying as the case may be-
In most States, if not in all, it is Gus
tomary for the Governor to surround him.
self with military staff ranging from gen.
eral to captain. This is custom handed
down from colonial days, hen the Governor
OF colony had his council. the members of
which III the military organizations of the
colony were commanders of the forces in
their respective counties, with the title of
colonel. AS IN llilaTism declined it was
perfectly natural for the advisers of the Gov
ernor TO inherit the military title, as dis
tinction from the mass of men who were not
| thus hgnored with close friendship with the
executive. Later, under State Governments
the Governors staff became quite feature
| IN the lie OF politics. MANY worker for the
success of the ticket has been appeased by
appointment TO a place on the Governors
stah, and has gone down TO posterity with all
| the gamor oil military title surrounding
him. Ii is not necessary for any staff officer,
| with perhaps the exception of the adjutant-
| general, 10 have particle of knowledge of
military affairs beyond adeptness in making
| salute or acknowledging one. But quite
! frequently he has not even that AT the
! Washington centennial in New York few
| years ago the streets were full of brilliantly
attired staff officers, and the men on guard
! duty, who brought their guns to present
arms whenever ranking officer hove in
! sight. must have been highly amused at the
| questioning glance given them by more
| than one OF the carpet knights as they
| walked or rode past without acknowledging
| the salute.
| AS Governors are frequently changed, say
! every four years. in fOrly-fOur States the
| possibilities in the way of the manufacture
OF colonies and generals are readily appre-
| ciated. Giving each Governor twenty staff
/ officers and aids-a modest estimate-in
twenty years there would have been nearly
! 5000 of such distinguished individuals,
| and when 10 these are added 10
| those who bear the titles because their
| fathers once had them the number is ex-
| banded much more. The constitution of the
| stan, too, allows of an Interchange of titles.
The judge acknowledgement, ranking as
colonel, for instance, may be called with
| propriety, Judge. colonel or general and so
| on through this list. Other causes, how
| ever. contribute to the list of titles. In a
| neighboring city gentleman connected
! with the editorial staff Of a newspaper had
| the distinction to quit the army at the close
| OF the war as a private. But under the
| luXuriatlng influence of newspaper work he
acquired portiy frame, developed his good
comradeshiD and gathered a collection of
anecdotes and witteisms, which always
| made him welcome addition to any party
cut for fun. In an evil hour one of his
| younger associates called him colonel and
! colonel lie has been ever SINCE