Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1894-08-24
RUNNING TO TITLES.
Americans Are Getting Too Fond
Of Handles to Their Names.
military officials Who Have Never Per-
formed Any Field Service Some
OF the 'AbsurditIes Of an
Inane PractiNa.

ffactitts
In no place perhaps is the inclination
TO afiix titles to the names of public
men more prominent than in Washing
ton, where the fields of American life
have unrivaled opportunities FOR devel-
opment. Thestock of generals, colonies,
majors or judges who never saw service
In the field or forum but who are not at
all unfamiliar with practice at the bar
OF One sort or another, is unlimited, and
sometimes leads to confusion. amusing
or annoying as the case may be In
most states, if not Ia all, it is custom
s-y for the governor TO surround him
self with military staff ranging from
general to captain This is a custom
handed down from colonial days, when
the governor of auolony had his coun-
Gil, the members of which in the militia
ry organizations of the colony were COM
manders of the forces In their respect
I'VE counties. with the title Of colonel
AS miitaryism declined it was perfectly
natural for the advisors of the governor
20 inherit the military title. as a dis
tlnctlon from the massof men who were
not thus houored with close friendship
with the executive. Later, under state
governments, the governors staff be-
came quite feature IN the life of poll
ties. Many worker for the success of
the ticket has been appeascd by appoint
rnent to place on the governors sta &.
ana has gone down to pOsterity with all
the glamor of q military title surround.
tnT hun. Ii is not necessary for anv
staff officer, with perhaps the exception
OF the adjutaut general, to have a par
tlcle OF knowledge of military affairs
beyond adeptness in making a salute OF
acknowledging one. But quite fire.
Guentlv he has not even that. At the
Washington centennial in New York n
few years ago the streets were full OF
brilliantly attirod staff officers. and the
Washington Post thinks that the men
on guard duty who brought their gums
10 present arms whenever a ranking of
Icer hove In sight must have been high
ly amused at the questioning glance
given them by more than one of the
carpet knights as they walked or rode
past wlthOu. acknowledging the salute.
AS governors are frequently changed
Say every four years, IN forty-four
states, ffe 20 Sibiities in the way OF
the manufac.ure of colonies and gen
erals are ra,Jlly appreciated. Giving
each governor twenty staff officers and
Iids-a modest eStimale--in twenty
years there would have been nearly five
thousand ~ such distinguished individ-
uals. ana when to these are added those
who bear the titles because their fathers
once had them the number is expanded
much more The constitution of the
STAFF, too. allows OF IA interchange Of
title. The judge advocate general,
ranking as colonel, for instance, may be
. calied WIN propnc.y judge, colonel or
g "a. aad' so on through this list
Other CIV IS, however, contribute to
the LET ~ les. In a neig BORING city a
F'r.. 49,. come. ted with The editorial
Feia Hs, plper had the distinction
L Hr', O.. .r-g at the close OF the war
- ...c. Daj urGer the luxuriatiug
jalr.o.a ~ newspaper work he ac-
cLircl F. vori'r traile, developed his
good c-.-1GG ,saip and gathered col
lection Of anecdotes and witticisms
which always made lin welcome ad.
dition to any party lat for fun. Ii an
evil hour one Il his younger asso-iates
called him colonel. and coLonel be has
been ever s.lee.
Not loLS ago, in 4 southern city, was
raised a monument TO confederate
leader. One q the newspapers pub
fshed quits an .ractive souvenir.
which, by request. IS sent to n Massa-
chrsetts town for presentation to a
grand army post Along with the SOU
venir went letter OF the .shale-hands-
across-the-bloody-chasm order from the
editor The presentation took place
and the local papers had quite an ae-
count Of the event, including repro
duction of the patriotic letter from
tho southern editor. who was called
Gen" So-and-so. As he had just
turned thirty years the editor enjoyed
the Joke on himself. In another city a
popular railroad official was never
called anything but general by one who
was frequently thrown with him. As
the official was quite a young man,
whose military record had never been
made, his friend was asked one day why
he gave him title and replied: why,
don't you know he is a general passen-
ger agent?" These are but few of the
absurdities outcropping from the insane
practice against which signs of protest
are becoming apparent.