New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-28
AMERICAN TITLES.
HOW MILITARY DESIGNATIONS STICK
PECULIAR NEWSPAPER PREFIXES.

say" said the Kicker" when he was in an I'M
usually critical mood don't tell me that we Ameri-
cans do not like titles. Why hang it. we dote on
titles Just how many OF the rich girls go gun
ming for titles abroad and willing to accept
broken-down specimens OF humanity for husbands
simply because they call themselves dukes
or marquises counts or what not. OhIy
! recently young Irish earl came here. lie
was absolutely wlthou; distinction. but para
graph got into Of the papers about him. and
Simply because he was carl people began 10 pour
invitations upon him for dinners and things. He
couldn't understand it, OF course he couldn't. but
/ can. He had a title. Il didn't make any differ
cnce whether he member OF the British, irish
/ any other arstocracy. He had title THAI we
haven't got and hence the invitations. Now. don't
say that Americans anxious 10
have any orders OF nobility \ good many of us
would like 10 be dukes and earS and vlscounts and
all that. but would be rdiculed so much by
those who couldn't the titles that the glamour or
them would be much dimmed But make up for
the Lack OF noble names You bet do! Any
other sort of title get hold OF Is used with
n vengeance. Consider military desgna tons for In
stance. Look the lists OF people VINO pres
ent at any public function. The number Of military
men Is astounding Where do they come from? The
has been nearly thirty years. and a vast
number Of the officers who out OF II are dead
Bat the number Of generals. colonies. majors ana
captains seems stupcndousy large still or course,
the militia OF tho states furnishes good many.
is at the head of a regiment: n conducts
drill once week 90. takes part IN "A parade a
few times year. ana perhaps spends week In
state camp he makes his living "A business or
professional man; his military associations are mere
~ an incident Of his But to all the world ne
Is the Co.oncl and he remains the colonel forever.
"Now / am not kicking about this. you under
stand. Nobody OF sense would kick about IT, |
simply cite It Illustrate how title. especially
a military Title sticks. Then look at the military
STATS Of Governors These are usually made up OF
civilians They don't know any more about drlls
and tactics and strategy than 4 South S.I Islander
docs about the Constitution ~ the nlted states
and moreover they don't learn any more while
they hold their offices. bat they get To- be known rs
colonies and majors AMI captains; ana the ttles
stick Nobody | prcsumo IS going Ia kick very
magnifying or manufacturing tt,S. man may
somehow or other be entitled To- be- called leu
tenant or captain out 1t frequently happens that
IN some ineN plicable way ne sooner or later BE-
thu ease when h. rams i5r a political ofce and in
these instances he rarely stops snort OF being a iu
nedged general. with the mf,rent!a! record 81 IRE
lmperilled forts stormei ana battles Won. ih en-
slightest excuse Take the case 81 A'ia' T. seven
son. Now. Il H. not recorded that Adia made any
great record for an-[n IN TN Tr'n va % ,nt
itary establishment out he vas an Assistant
Postmaster General In Clevelanis hrst Admins,
general firmly attached TO his name. hav" even
general. merely because ~ was IN. genera post
master % the United States under President Harri-
erals Generals. SocitOr-'ieneras and so
on sometime other get big military rank. ana
very often title persists In staying by them
But we have other titles. Some on" has s'i
that the only salvation Of the Republic VAS the fact
that there 80 many societies OF various KINDS
In the country. and thus almost everybody coull
have Office OF some kind and t.tle or som"
kind II Is a SORT OF safety valve, ! suppose. Tor
a man TO be- a grand master. or a high priest. or n
most worshipful this or that. or n grand mogul of
something or other IL docs no harm. and perhaps
good
But the title that | Kick against in earnest Is
Tor which som" Of the newspapers are lafgciy
r,Sponsihio. How the practice eyer started don't
know. unless 4 to save space. II ls the hhbt
81 making n title prefix ~ a mans occupation
This B.. becoming extremely prevalent. especially
among certain newspapers In this city. w" nav"
LAWYER smith Hanker Jones. Broker Brown. stc
have even seen Butcher Green In print. The
worst case I recall was Driver Of the 'dnalDoat
Mary Jane Timothy Black c.riial letters ana IN
4 man ls very rich. h" b. frequently dubbed
Millionaire Jones tie is a singer he is called
Tenor lie Throaistrings II" coils ropes on steam
boat and he gs.s into print "a beckhanl Nc'iin'y.
Ilc ia a iaw-lofyng crank anl he IS written MP rs
AnArchls' SmithNins. And - on. don't he,
els" earth. Ih" nnlF designations nl any MIA
We should nave in tn" country ar" official ones;
EXCEPT In Kentucky. and Of course there every
one has an inalcnahlc right t. BE- a Colonel