Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-07-16
WASHINGTON LETTER..
admiral Walker Praises Dewey-Politi-
clans Not Wanted as Commanders.
Patriotism at the Soldiers Home.
Especial Correspondence

biItu, 10 lOiu anu stIODS Ill DlalstS
of the achievement of Commodore Dew
ey and his forces at Manila. Admiral
Walker is we'll acquainted with Com
modore Dewey and is thoroughly ia
miliar with his record in the navy. To
a group of acquaintance and Washing
ton correspondents he said the other
day: "Dewey is an unusually good
man both as fighter and strategist.
He served with distinction in the navy
during the war of the rebellion and saw
considerable harl fighting. He did up
that affair at Manila in most thor
ough, businesslike way, and is entitled
to high praise for the skillful manner
in which he Unanswered his fleet. 1t
was just like him to sail right i'll past
the Notifications and through the mines
and torpedoes with which the harbor
is supposed to have been filled and do
the work he set out to do in a thorough,
businesslike way without any fuss or
feathers. -
Politicians Not Wanted.
Several of the gentlemen present
echoed the sentiments of Admiral
Walker and the conversation became
general the leading topic being tactics
and tacticians. One old soldier who
wore shoulder straps in the civil war
called attention to the march of politi-
cal brigadiers to the White House. "We
want the tacticians not politicians, at
this stage of the game, he said.
"Why, it would simply be criminal to
put at the head of regiment some of
the men who are now making grand
sand play for swords and stars. Might
as we'll put a cowboy in the cab of a To-
connective as trust the lives of the men
in the field to an officer who knows no
more about war than a landlubber does
about handling a fleet. My idea is that
these political major generals or briga-
dier generals should form a regiment of
their own and take turns commanding
it. Then, If the war lasts long enough,
the country would find out the differ
ence between the real thing and the
spellbinder. =" And there WASH t a dis
senting word from his listeners.
Would Fight the Cussed Spaniards.
No one is more interested in the war
than the veterans at the Soldiers home.
That usually quiet place is stirred up
by excitement. Men with gray boards
and faces scanned with wrinkles, men
manned and i'll, gather in little knots
under the trees in the beautiful grounds
of their peaceful home and discuss the
situation with eagerness, intelligence
and patriotism. Many tale of their
prowess in bygone days is brought out
and furnished up for the entertainment
of their comrades and the stories of
battles long ago fought are told over
again.
"We fought our brothers them" said
one of them. ooh, if | only had my
leg back that 1 left at Winchester and
could get good chance at those cussed
Spaniards, l would die happy"
would you really like to fight
again?'' he was asked.
"Aye, that 1 would" he answered,
"that would, and there's hardly boy
here that wouldn't go in the ranks
again, if he could, to fight for Old Glo-
ry, God bless her"
Patronage Dispensers Harassed.
Members of congress, as dispensers of
patronage, have troubles of their own
all on account of the war. Applicants
for commissions not only from the gov
errors of states, but from the president,
regard senators and representatives as
their legal prey for Endorsements and
the correspondence of nearly every man
who holds seat in either house at the
capitol has increased fully third since
war was declared. The poor clerks of
course have their troubles, too, but it is
nothing beside the brain racking inge-
nuity their chiefs must exercise to pre-
vent building up throng of disappoint-
ed office seekers at home just before the
nominating conventions.
The Speakers Autograph.
Speaker Reed has many requests for
his autograph. He is, like most men in
public life, very obliging in granting
these requests, and probably hundreds
of people every month bear away cards
on which is written in full, bold
hand, "T. B. Reed" But signatures
such as the speaker attaches to war
measures and other legislative enact
ments that are to be lodged with docu-
ments to form part of the archives of
the state department are rare. When
the precious pieces of parchment on
which acts of congress are printed are
handed up to the speakers desk, he
does not dash the signature off so rapid
ly. He writes in the same bold hand,
but with more finish, and his name APP
pears AS "Thomas B. Reed
The speakers correspondents indulge
all sort of whims and fancies in spell
ing his name, but gentleman from
the southern states has found the most
ingenious way of bringing in the largest
number of letters of the alphabet. He
addresses the speaker as Mr.. "Wreade. -
Other Things Than War.
Despite the smoke of battle and the
all absorbing interest in war and war
topics, other matters are not being neg
lected at the capitol. The horse show OF
Convention hall was as popular as on
Rny previous year and as social event
was pronounced complete success. The
attendance was not limited to local
horse folk. Some of New York's mos.
noted whips were present and prominent
both as exhibitors and on the promen-
ade. Philadelphia and Baltimore were
also we'll represented.
The mothers congress was not lack
ing in attendance or interest because of
the war. There was strong contingent
of peace advocates in attendance, but
Old GLORY was too much in evidence in