Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-22
DOWNON THE A. r.
Col. Waring, Gotham's Street
Cleaning Commissioner.
HIS INTERVIEW WITH DIR. GIBBS.

Expresses Himself Freely Regarding the
Law Requiring the Employment OF Old
Soldiers and says the Grand Army 10 n
Lot OF ~Penston Bummers' - General
sickles' Criticism OF the Colone. - The
Scheme to Settle Veterans In Georgia.
NEW YORK, April 22-Colonel George
E. Waring, the commissioner Of street
cleaning, has become involved in bitter
quarrel with Grand Army veteran, and
incidentally has brought the wrath nj the
entire organization on his head. In
conversation with DR.. John Wilson
Gibbs, formerly of the health department
and commander of the f. ID. Morgan
Grand Army post, the matter of employ
ing veterans in his department came up.
Colonel Warning became excited, and in
report of the conversation is said to have
called the G. A. r. veterans q lot of
drunken buns" DR.. Gibbs was exceed
irgly angry end threatened to call the
colonel publicly to account. Colonel
Warning says he did not call the veterans
drunken buns, but admits in card that
he did say he regarded 'the q. \. r. as
lot of pension bummcrs," which will he
Dretty nearly as bad for him SO fax us the
vets are concerned.
The Interview with DIR. G IBIS.
In his card the colonel says that Gibbs
called on him, told him. that he (Gibbsp
had had bill passed by the legislature
compelling the employment of Union
veterans, and then and there made ''ap-
plication for n 81, 200 place, and he de-
manded his appointments. ~.
Gibbs said that he was captain of
cavalry and that he took John Morgan.
The official certificate of veternnship on
which he bases his application for posi-
ton shows that he Was discharged from the
service in January. 1865, as sergeant of
| infantry and that he had entered as an
enlisted man in April, 1862" The.colonel
then said to Gibbs that such legislation
was an injury to veterans; he (the
colonel) never appointed a veteran with
out telling him he did so with regret be-
cause of the difficulty of getting rid of
him should he prove unsatisfactory.
He told Gibbs he (the coloneD was not
| n Grand Army man and would not be.
| The colonel then closes as follows: 10
avoid the necessity for recurring to this
subject, l may as well say that my state
menI tuc VI thC
Republic was deliberately made; that or
ganization has, in my judgment, sold
itself for cash to the claim agents OF
Washington. Because Of its nefarious
action the workingmen of this country
| are now paying annually 500, G0O,C01
more in pensions than they ought to be
paying"
Comments Of Gen. SickleA
General Daniel E. Sickles was seen at
his home at % Fifth avenue. He expressed
himself as follows: Colonel Warning
ought to be ashamed of himself for using
such language. 1t is n shame that such q
creature should hold office in New York.
Although he is called a colonel, his lam
guage would indicate that he has never
| been n soldier. At any rate, he does not
seem to have any of the instincts of a
brave soldier. There is not anything in
the street cleaning department or any
where else too good for the men he SLAM
ders. The policy he spIts upon is part of
the laws of the United States and Of the
state of New York He has taken an oath
to support those laws and to administer
his department in accordance with them.
Let him do SO and shut his mouth"