Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-03-26

ko reacne0 at Fort
Adams, near Newport, says the New
York Herald. The question is the ap-
parently simple one: Shall we wear
our uniforms when away from the
fort?" But officers alone, perhaps, re-
alize the difficulties in the way of its
solution. AT present the efforts to
solve it are being made by those who
favor an affirmative decision. The
younger officers see before them the
alluring vision of Newport summer,
already heralded by the recent swag-
ger functions of the Newport reading
room, that very exclusive club.
They argue that socially an army Of
ficer is the equal of any one in the
country, but Newport harbors incomes
that make the compensation which I'm
Gle Sam deems sufficient for his defend
ers seem positively silly. Consequently
the favorite sons Of Pluto can afford
to don as many suits of clothes as
there are hours in the day, and, more
to the point STILL can go to the best
of tailors for them. Mars sons, how
ever, are always at loss in civilians
clothes. They have forgotten 'Vhe
hang" Of them, or their tailors take i'd
vantage of them, or perhaps no man
once seen in a uniform can ever COM
pare with himself again out of uni
form. The slender young lieutenants
whose figures are their fortunes are
perfectly aware of the immense advan-
tage they possess over every other man
when in government blue and gold.
But it is not wholly a question of
pecuniary convenience, nor yet of van
ity which actuates the majority of
those who would make the wearing of
the uniform customary thing. Many
officers take pride in their badge of
government service. They point to the
proudest armies in the world and show
how their officers are compelled by
regulation to wear their uniforms.
| The great enthusiasm over the army
aroused by regular troops at the recent
couraged many men who would gladly
see the United States army known and
loved by the people at large.
Very few Inconvenience ever have
come to those who did not wear their
uniforms. Indeed, as one man said,
some officers made a much more ridic-
ulous figure in inappropriate or old
fashioned civilians clothes than they
ever could in full regimentals. Prac-
tice is pretty evenly divided at posts
near small towns, and one officer who
habitually wore his uniform remem-
bered once being asked by some small
boys where was de band" while hun
dreds of times 1t was friendly recog-
milton of his uniform or a sort of pride
in it that lighted the eyes which met
his.
Others who prefer their ordinary
garb to the stranger civilians clothes
testify that the uniform has actually
been a help to them. Laughingly, an
officer told of how he but recently
graduated from West Point, and con-
sequently, unaccustomed to pockets,
lost or forgot his money and was I'M
hesitatingly given credit because of
his uniform. And all Newport is full
of the adventure of another young Off
Ger. who escaped being accused of
theft by an irate woman because he
wore army blue
You wear the dress of gentleman, v
said she. Il don't believe you stole
the money"
All officers agree that while on pro-
tracted leave it is a good plan to dress
as other men, but many protest against
the absurdity of going in the govern
ment launch or ambulance to dance
at another post, or even on civilian
invitation, and being, as it were,
ashamed to wear the colors of the gov
eminent they serve.
But it makes us conspicuous" is the
plea of the opposing party, Mortified at
the mere suggestion of appearing out
side of their respective forts in mill
tary attire. These men go to church
in civilian clothes, wear them while
visiting. or, if they have to run in to
town for even half an hour, lay aside
the "blue" for such conventional garb
as it may have suited them to pur-
chase-a light suit and small black
derby, like as not. They quote the we'll
known aversion of many prominent
men to wearing uniform, and tell with
relish Gen. Grants adventure just af-
ter his graduation from West Point
1t will be remembered that immediate
ly on receipt of his uniform the general
was very anxious to don 1t.
II was impatient to get on my uni
form and see how it looked" he says
in his Memoirs "and probably
wanted my old schoolmates, particu-
larly the girls, to see me in it. The
conceit was knocked out of me by two
little circumstances that happened
soon after the arrival Of the clothes
which gave me distaste for military
uniforms that I never recovered from
Soon after the arrival Of the suit,
donned it and put off for Cincinnati
on horseback. While I was riding
along a street of that city, imagining
that every one was looking at me with
feeling akin to mine. when l first
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