New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-17
NEUSPJPER DRUM MAJOR.

There are few things in current literature
more impressive than the manner IN when our
widely circulated Democrat, contemporary
.TLc New-YorlS World leads the Democratic
nrccesSon. There is something about IL 'ha
.ti,s tho emotions and thrills the senslbIiitleS
of the reader as nothing else can, unless IL DC
tbe stately movement and heavy tread, the AR
Of vast responsibility united with perfect sell
poiSe and absolute command OF inc Sl'"'''o"
with which the average drum MAJOR points .h'
fierce Gfer the bulgng bugler ana the ue'
pcrate drummer the p2:h - glory OF the grave
II i, 4 noticeable feature III all puDic ueli'h
STATIONS where the brass band hguies 10 any
extent that the youth Of orr country MAKE IL
q noint 10 keep near the drum major "ho"'
,hoy bold in awe Oh account OF the grandeur
of his mien. the dextcrty with which he tWlils
his stick. and the apparent case ana SELL
nosscsSion with which he controls the move
mont Of the whole line leading OF with the
step OF a dancing master ana inc courage VI
a foylorn hope where any dare TO IoIloN' ~
the ingenious youth who crowd the s!deNaihS
bo is the major general OF the VIII lie business
Not infreoucntly the spectator of mature age
recognizes in him. behind his twirling stall ana
under his bp1izenmentS the barber who shaved
him in the morning.
Our contemporary does the drum major bust
ness of the Democratic procession with great
implossivencsS not unmiXcd win agility ana
versatility. During the grand march to we
tory Of the last year many persons VINO Te'u
with Suppressed excitement the douDle-icaded
manifcstoes and itac Outbur>ts OF our con-
Temporary mistook them for general ofderS
from the cammander-in chief, when, a. a mat
ter Of fact. il was only the drum major twlrllng
his stic, for stated day wages and the enter
t,inmcnt of the sidewalks. II happened once
or twice that after the drum major had, win MS
ticrcpst expire. son and the most lapd ana eN-
citing twih OF his stick pointed the way III
one direction the procession III his rear pla>S
bands and all, turned oil down SIDE s'ceV
while he, completely cngrossed III MS own
antics marched half block alone. Now therc
i nothing that dctracts from the formidable
mes, and the s0Icmnity Of Il drum major Ike
losing hi, procession The spectacle Of a dram
major all at once discovering that there Is
nobody behind him, and thcrcup,n holding his
shake on hi, head with one hand and his sick
in the other while he breaks into doG-tf0'
around lhc corner and across lots 10 get III
again al the head al inc DInu, IL Il"' C'i'"i'''"
20 inspire confidence in drum major leadership
II makes even small boys laugh.
Since the victory the drum major business
has become moro difficult and embarrassing
than ever. The procession shows signs OF
disntcgmtion II i easy enough 10 twIil the
stick and point the way, but with the line
breaking mp and marching off into SIDE streets
wherever there i bar or freedmen sign
or the smell of yictualS. the task 81 direction
must be rather bewldeling. II j. glatlf! ing
io observe. however that oar drum major re-
talnS his >olf-po>ScSSlon and continues ID t"iii
his stick and set the step for the President
and Cabinet and NEST Of the factions OF the
party that have begun trailing oil INTO SIDE
streets The leadership of our neighbor is tull
Of entertainment. still il Will be well 70 bear
in mind that somebody else is major general
and that. though drum majors seem sometimes
10 be- directing the whole campaign they are
rarely consulted as u the movements OF the
army.