New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-28
bours Of maddcning unrest in youth and early
,,,r c,rTySBTRG B4TTLEFIELD.

rur GtTTYSBURG BATTLEfIELD.
Tho battlefield of Gettysburg must be res
cuod from the vandaS who have taken pos
.o,s;o, of il 50 say the SURVIVORS of the
W,r IF the Rebellion, and their demand finds
. bo,rtv RESPONSE in the hearts OF their patll-
~tc public-spirted countrymen. The trolley
oom,anv which has invaded it must 90: as far
os r,ssiblc the field must be restored to the
condition in which the company found it, and
thon measures must be devised which will
cfrcctually prevent the preparation OF sim
liar outrage in all time 10 come. Such is the
ronular demand which is growing in volume
and in intensity every day, and certainly 1t
vould be amazing if it were otherwise. Get
tysburc. rs ore of the great battlciiclds OF the
war for the preservation OF the Union, and As
IN, scene of the delivery of Mr. LincolnS
consummate oratcn, is in very deed and truth
consccratcd ground. because of the valoroIlS
deeds done there, and Of Abraham Lincolns
immortal. evcr-nSpirng words spoken there
Gettysburg il con'ccTtcd. 80 the American
pcoplc could Justly accuse themselves OF being
,ccrpant TO the most precious Of memories II
,hcv failed t. rescue the battlefield from the
hands of those who would put it to Il common
us.
That the trolley company will be ousted
sooner or later seems likely. 1t went to WORK
not only in bad taste, in violation of the die
tatcs of patriotism but, it would seem, in bad
faith. I'm 1889 the Legislature Of Pcnnsyl-
vania formally invited the United States to
p,lu.nasc. use and occupy the field of GcttyS-
burc. The avowcd design of Pennsylvania in
so doing ard in creating the Gettysburg Battle
field Association was 10 preserve that historic
field intact for high public purposes. The
Emitted states by the action Of Congress sig
niticd il, acccpt1ncc of the jurisdiction OF the
field. In the mean while the trolley company
was organized. First it ct possession Of some
of the Gettysburg streets, then OF the ADA
cent highways. then of a portion of the held
itself. but Jet it be noted" says CORE
spondcnt Of The Philadelphia Press " that
il took 10 steps to construct it, road until
after Congress had on tho Sd of March last
definitely enacted law giving the Secretary
Of War the power 10 occupy the hcld uhdcr
thu invitation Of PcnnSy lyania. WITHIN SIX
weeks after that enactment this company sud
denly Svoopcd down upon Gettysburg, ana
without the knowledge Of the Secretary OF
War or other officers If the United states be
Gan 10 dig and level and blast. and with
large force mpor. ri from Baltimore proceeded
actively with work along the whole line In
the circumstances. the organizers of the com
panv need no, be- surprised If their conduct l.
sharply criii>c Did they organize not for
the pmrp So Of running cars but with the hope
that in due time they would be bought off at
their own figure? Their conduct warrant, the
question.
Even if the mot charitable view be taken. the
cnt .rIjri.c /, dsorclit 10 al connected with it,
The person, engaged in it belong in the cate
cory whore figure the tailor who, on first
viewing Niagara exclaimed, "(c gods. what
a place t. sponge coat - and the contractor
who made an offer for the ccdlr> of Lebanon.
intending 10 use them for railroad ties The
War Department i evidently doing rs best
10 put an end T. the vandalism secretary
Lamont recently ordered an examination made
Of the field with a view to discovering just
how much injury has been done by the rail
way and now he has appointed a commission
t. take such steps Is the laws permit 10 pre-
serve the lines Of battle on the field This is
well. but il /, not enough. In July thousands
Of The veteran, Of Getty ,buIg from this state
will return 10 the field to dedicate a monu-
mcnt to their brethren who fought and died
there. These veterans and the other boys III
blue will not rest satisfied. We may be sure,
until the trolley people have been driven of
and he field has been restored and placed
under the care Of the general Government.