The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-31


The staff and the Line-Hair ON tia
Hairspring.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 31.-[Special. liz
the debates on tho floor of congress
mans early training Is sure to be indicat
sd by the nature of his remarks. A veteran
observer about the halls of legislation tell,
me he can tell whether a man was farm
er or n mechanic or merchant or what
ever he was In his youth by listening &c
his speech for little time. This is Ger
tainly true Of Jerry Simpson, the famous
Populist from Kansas. Jerry was u sailos
before tho mast in his younger days, and
he is not ashamed Of It. Sometimes ho
turns his early experiences TO good ac-
count. Ono day last week an appropria
tion for lightship on a dangerous par
Of tho Pacific coast was under discussion.
OF course the cheese pairing economists
who are always willing to save a dollar
even at the risk Of human life were on
hand to defeat the bin, and they might
have succeeded but for Jerry Simpson
The Kansas statesman rose TO reply to
member from Texas who had insisted
upon killing the appropriation and re-
minded the house that he had been a sail
or. IF the gentleman from Texas hae
stood, as / have stood many night, in q
fog and gale Of wind listening for the
sound of fog signal from lightship,
said Simpson, ''or trying to hear the toll
ing of bell, the lives of all on board de-
pending upon tho hearing of that sound,
he would realize, as fear he does not
now, the importance Of these aids 10 navi
cation. The very fact that a lightship Is
needed at this place discloses that there
are hidden rocks there which make the
spot n dangerous one. 1t is shown in tht
records that 30 ships have been lost there,
with their cargoes, and the loss of one life
is more important than all the appropria
tion that this bill carries. This particular
part of the coast Is In winter always foggy.
There are strong currents there that drive
a ship out of its course without the knowl
edge of tho navigator, and the only way
for him to tell his whereabouts Is to get a
glimpse of the land or hear the sound of a
fog whistle. 1 was a sailor for many
years, and know the Importance Of these
aids TO navigation" This speech of the
sailor Populist carried the day, and the
appropriation was passed.
Poor Kate Chase.
One of the sad incidents Of the past
week was the circulation here of a sub
scription paper for Kate Chase, tho daugh
ter of the great secretary Of the treasury
and chief justice of Lincoln's era. Mrs.
Chnse's financial troubles, before spoken OF
in these dispatches, finally eliminated In
the forced sale of her property. She owned
81 acres In the outskirts of Washington,
and the sale realized barely enough to dis
charge the mortgage, leaving tho unfortu.
nate woman not penny. II the creditors
had not been SO harsh and had been will
ing To wait for more favorable moment
for tho sale, the property should have real
lied twice the sum which 1t brought and
given Mrs. Chase q snug sum after paying
her debt. All of her personal property,
such as pictures, silver. furniture, ETC., Is
advertised for sale to satisfy othor credit.
ors, and she Is literally adrift In the world
without homo or money. Some public
men have raised a purse for her by sub
scription, and tho former queen of society
In this capital has the sympathy Of every
one in her distress.
The STAFF and the Line.
Tho old war between the staff and tho
line has broken out again. The naval re-
organization bill is tho subject OF hostili-
ties. 1t Is measure which proposes tc
drop from the rolls largo number of the
younger officers Of tho navy, to change
about the staff officers, such as surgeons
and paymastcrs, and to make room for
moro rapid promotion of the older officers,
those occupying the higher grades. The
great trouble I'm the navy at this time Is
that thcrc is such small chance for promo
tion that officers must virtually pass all
their lives in tho service and reach very
near tho ago of retirement before they can
hope TO become even rear admirals. 1t IL
pointed out by those In favor of the new
scheme that an officer must now bo 90
years old before no can attain command OF
ship 1t Is argued that at 90 man has
not passed the ago when ho is useful to
command ono of the modern fighting ma.
chimes. provided he Is habituated TO the
responsibility of command and accustomed
TO self reliance and to quick decisions
Tho fear Is that when n man OF this age
accustomed all his life to obedience and to
having somo ono clso do the thinking for
him. Is placed in position of command
hc will lack tho quickness and nerve nee
cssary to make him n success as the d.
rector Of ship In action.
Tn an Emergency.
Ono Of tho best naval authorities here
says thctc Is no product of human ingcnui.
~ more complicated than modern bat
tlcship. and that no officer should bo I'm.
trusted with tho command OF such n yes.
sci whose brain aud ncrves have not bocn
SO trained as to enable him 90 act In an
emersen-y with promptncss and decision.
TEo sctcsss OF such a ship depends almost
absnlrte.y upon one man, and IL Is consid
crei folly TO spend 81, 200, 600 or 81, COO, 000
IL tie construction Of ono Of these great
rah,I-a engines and at che sano time to
ceouon.i7e 90 tho extent OF few thousand
do..a;s ~ the training OF tho officer who
Is 20 command &c. Tho stagnation Of pro.
,,o,.oo. A., ,ho ,,,,,, a m hardship 10 tho