New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-23
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
BURNING QUESTION NOW BEFORE THE
COUNTRY.

'DRApPED" THE cAsE-row THE NoToRr-
OTIS MRS. EpPsMI1II' CAME by HER
NAME-WHAT TWENTY PICTURES
OF JUDAS IscARIOT HAD IN
COMMON-THANKFUr. FOR
PLACE TO GO TO.
Washington. March 90 (speciaD.-The burning ques-
ton as TO whether the euperlntendens Of National
cemeteries shall keep domestic animals for their
own use Is now before the country. Why such a
question should even have arisen at all 1t ia some
what dnicut 10 imagine. These superln tendents
are generally advanced in years who have
been selected by tho Secretary OF War account
OF merltorlous service. VINO have been honorably
discharged or mustered out disabled by wounds,
etc. These war-worn old veterans are compelled in
almost every instance reside al a distance OF
three or four miles from town. and the possession
OF a horse a practically Indispensable to
their comfort. They are decently provided FOR. 20
be sure but they stlil neel many articles OF daily
which they must get at the nearest market or
20 without II the superintendent can keep horse.
his shopping tour Is simple enough. II ne be not
permitted 10 keep horse. II IL easy TO see that his
shopping tour becomes arduous Men between sixty
five and years Of age. especially old soldiers
who az a rule have been physically disabled. are
rot exactly adapted 10 daily tramp OF six or eight
miles In all weathers. II be that lie may
bs mad. hard for them under such circumstances
Nevertheless II. y Batchelder. Quartermaster-t;en-
eral. l.. s. A.. last October issued the following
order
War Department Quarisrmaster-Generars ONES,
Washington. ID. c.. October 3. 1895.
fcircular)
The practice Of Keeping domestic animals and fowls
81 all kinds IN or mar National cemsteres by or
poyes iherrat Is ob"ctionHblc and WI he 1r nme
Quarterma ster- General |. ). A.
!, was 10 be expected that this absurd and tyran-
nlcil Elimination wou.l attract the attention Of
Cop~rees an! naturally iii was In due time intro
GuceI having for lis object the reputation OF Gen
cral Ratcheh-r's ediri. The bill 70 the Com
mliice on Mntiry Affairs. and a correspondence en-
sued between John = Tracy. OF Missouri. to whom
the matter seems 10 have been intrusted. and Cen
.rai patchelGsr =. Z 4. copy OF the bill Itself
among other documents and papers. was submitted
t. the Quari,rrnleicr General In course OF time
the Genera. who appears 10 have been greatly
shocked by the Interference OF Congress in matters
which be regards AZ being peculiarly his own, OIL
f-reI the committee few sentiments OK great
beauty and socmnty. one OF which Is as follows:
National cemeteries are veneratcl resting places
o, the Nations dead. whose memory we honor py
bcautlfylng their graves and preserving them from
vo,yes ufon the super'ntendents OF Rational Gene
terlrs ana they taught 70 realize That the ceie
ferlsS are not created Tor tn"I DfH'Ht VI
for their convenience the Government does no, opl-
gate Itself g furnish them with luxurles but pro-
viles all that IS necessary to their comfort.
He also venturcI the further observation that
the necessity for Congressional action on minor
subjects IA not scen"not seen by Batcheder. pre-
sumnbly-"that the superntendents are under proper
control comfortable and well disciplined IL IS
made quite clear in various other ways that CEN
eral Batchc.der does not perceive any special use
for Congress at ALL and that he highly dlsapproves
Of legislative Interference on general grounds Inc
General appears 10 share much OF Il. B. BOWERS
contempt OF the law-naking branch OF the Govern
raen,
There Is a curious and interesting discrepancy be-
tween Batchelder's assertion that the superintend-
ents are wei. disciplined" and tho pretext upon
which he justnes ridiculous and oppressive order
As regards that the General In one OF his CON-
munications TO the committee:
superintendcnts were allowed to keep private
horse and cow. bu, the privilege was abused; few
superintendents were found to be forgetiul OF me
honesty to selfish Indulgence and gain in personal
economy the expense OF the Government which
for public animals was used for private domestic
animals such as are referred to In THIS Din! ana t9at
coal and other supplies were traded Tor rorage ior
these private domestic animals
1t appears therefore, that "a few'' Of the super
intendents were not well disciplined as ne
would have the country believe and this leads 10
the conclusion-a very unfavorable one as concerns
the O'nC'a ability ana oi
e.der-that because few superintendent have
abused their opportnnities he now proposes TO pun
ish all of them by prohibition which lnhicts great
and needless hardship II this be the theory upon
which General Batcheier conccives and executes his
policy for tho Quartermast,rtieneraI department,
II occurs 70 outsider TO suggest that what the
service needs just more than anything else Is
a Quartermaster- General. Batcheldcr seems to
lack the faculty Of humane and rational govern
ment
II Is to be said however. that the committee has
reported favorably the following bill:
That from and after the passage Of this act 1t
shall be lawful for the superintendent OF any Ma
uonal cemetery 10 keep at h.s own expense, horse
terry: provided. that such animals are kept confined
and not allowed 10 enter upon or depasture the
grounds Of the cemetery.
1t Is to be hoped that the bill may pass. and the
further suggestion may be added that II General
Baichelder cannot see his way to correcting abuses
IN he service except BY depressing the guilty and
TO look about for luartermaster- General who
They party OF four-all Democrats. all
dspirited all charging up with unhesitating gener-
osity tho partys entire embarrassment to the Pres
dent. Suggestions as to the Chicago platform were
one OF them declared that il the National Con-
the same thing Il cenvs%iion adopted ss sound
dicating precisely where he stood. pronounced
against strAddle. which. he said. would butter no
Democratic parsnips this year.
And yet, the three insisted In chorus, hooking
at the fourth man. who had not yet spoken. I'VE
must TS have ,a,, some sort OF RinfroT%t N. ..
s story POO,
The salesman spread quite assortment on the
counter and began his praises OF the stock Hero
We're wrappers plain and wrappers ornamental;
wrappers with or without pockets; all sorts and
colors and conditions OF wrappers The woman
examined tho display with great care. and seemed
down came from the shelves a fresh assortment
And upon the merits and beauties OF these the
cision and some Of her remarks became little
irritating The salesman, however looked on and
continued attentive wondering what the trouble
might be- His large experience suggested that It
must be unusual
These are all you havsr the woman inquired.
al hovA oAop tbA aa1A