Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1894-08-31
RUNNING TO TITLES
americans Arc Getting Too Fond
OF Handles to THAR Namea
sfy Omeials Who Have Never Per.
formed Any Field Service - some
OF the .Absurdit.es Of an
InanO practices.

Inans Practice.
In no place perhaps is the inclinatio,
10 emx titles to the names OF public
men more prominent than in Washing
.on' where the fields of American life
nave unrivaled opportunities for devel.
opment- The stock Of generals, colonies,
majors or judges who never saw service
In the field or forum but who are not al
al unfamiliar with practice at the bar
OF one sort or another, Is unlimited, and
sometimes leads TO confusion, amusing
or annoying ss the case may be- In
most states, IL not in all, it is custom
ary for the governor to surround him
eeif with military staff ranging from
general to captain. This Is a custom
handed down from colonial days, when
the governor Of q colony had his coun-
Gil TIE members Of which in the militia
organizations of the colony were COM
manders Of the forces in their respect
ave counties, with the title Of colonel.
as mll1taryism declined it was perfectly
natural for the advisors of the governor
70 inherit the military title, as a dis
JUNCTION from the mass of men who were
not thus honored with close friendsbin
Win the executive. Later, under state
governments, the governors staff be-
came quite a feature in the life Of poll
.,cA Many a worker for the success OF
'ne ccket has been appeased by appoint
"ent 70 place on the governors stan.
cuo mas gone down to posterity with all
sne giamor OF military title surround
Ing MN. 1t Is not Necessary for any
San officer, with perhaps the exception
OF the adJutant general, to have a par
ucie OF knowledge Of military AFFAIR."
beyond adeptness in making a salute or
acknowledging one. But quite fire.
9uentiy he has not even that. At the
"asnlngton centennial in New York a
.ew years ego the streets were full of
o, primarily attired staff officers, and the
washington Post thinks that the men
on guard duty who brought their guns
70 present arms whenever a ranking Of.
ncer hove in sight must have been high
~ 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 forty-four
states the possibilities in the way Of
tue manufacture of colonies and gem
erals are readily appreciated Giving
eacn governor twenty staff officers and
Rlas-a modest estimation twenty
years there would have been nearly five
thousand OF such distinguished indiyid-
nals, and when to these are added those ,
who bear the titles because their fathers ,
'nce had them, the number is expanded 6
nucn more. The constitution OF the 8
'taf, too, allows of an interchange Of 8
titles. The judge advocate general. e
'anklng as colonel, for instance, NAV be y
'ailed with propriety judge, colonel or '
Ieneral, and SO on through this list. y
timer causes, however, contribute To q
ne list OF titles. In a neigboripg CITY y
connected with the editorial -
taff OF newspaper had the distinction |,
o quit the army at the 'ose of the war Il
s private. But under the luxuriat;no :.
nnuehce Ur newspaper work he ac- n
uired a portly frame. developed his a,
God comradeship and gathered a COL 81
'ction OF anecdotes and witticisms n
'hich always made him a welcome ad. Il
'eion to any party out for fun. In an m
vi hour one of his younger associates d,
llled him colonel. and colonel he has n.
cen ever since. -
Not long ago. in a southern CITY. waa III
used q monument to a confederate &,
ader One Of the newspapers pub u,
shed quite an attractive souvenir. ar
hich, by request. was sent to a Massa- tb
lusetts town for presentation to n b,
and army pest. Along with the SOU. M
mir went a letter Of the shake-hands- 70
ross-the- bloody-chaSm order from thu al
itor. The presentation took place
ID &he iosal papers had quite an ac-
unit OF the event. including a repro -
ction of the patriotic letter" from n
e southern editor. who was called
ien." So-and-so. AS he had lust
rned thirty years the editor enjoyed 'n
joke on himself. In another city q &c
pular railroad official was never &C
lied anything but general by one who 'o 20,
IS frequently thrown with him. Al WI
official was quite q young man. ns
lose military record had never been pr
de, his friend was asked one day why W
gave him a title and replied: "Why. ~:
ut you know he is a general passen. wi
; agent?" These are but few of the oie
'urdities outcropping from the insane
'ct'ce against which signs of protest ior