The evening times., 1898-12-15
THURSDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1895.
Mr.. Hobart's Satisfaction.

1t is currently understood that every
one connected with the Administration
has not been happy over the Spanish
American war; not that the outcome is
anything but satisfactory, but for other
reasons. OF course the war has been a
source of great anxiety 10 the President
and the two Cabinet ministers most near
Iy concerned with it; and Secretaries and
Assistant Secretaries have been more or
less overworked at times. There has been
no money in the enterprise except what
could be gotten out of army contracts.
and that is somewhat precarious
though tempting road 10 wealth. But
there is one official in the inner circles
of the Administration who is feeling very
happy. and that is Vice President Hobart.
Mr. Hobart's active and apparent con-
nection was Of course but slight.
1t was carried on 1T time when Con-
gress was not in session, SO that he was
not called upon 10 preside over the Sen
ate when momentous questions were
under discussion. lie had to direct
no army movements, superintend no
tltfAE. SIKH no AEtdN4tS, 4Es4ILlt llb laws
If the President had succumbed
under the strain to which he has been
subjected Mr.. Hobart would Of course
have been The most conspicuous and duty
burdened figure in Washington. but as
ii is, one might suppose that the progress
Of the war would not affect him much
one way or another. He says. however
that it has been a source Of great finan-
cial profit TO him, for a very queer reason.
From the time he came to Washington
until early last Spring an average of
one hundred babies per month We're
named after him by fond and doting
parents, who took pains 10 notify
him Of the fact and ask for silver
cups and small checks IL is not
known whether Mr.. Hobart always
responded cordially and munifceutly to
these letters. but as the salary Of The
Vice President is only $, geo per year, and
christening cups and small checks for
twelve hundred babies would consume a
considerable part Of it, il is safe TO say
that some OF the infants may have been
overlooked. Since war broke out all this
has changed. People who want to at
tach their sons TO some great and honor
ed name now christen them Dewey, Schley.
Hobson, or Roosevelt, and these heroes
viii now be besieged with letters and re-
quests for gifts. And Mr.. Hobart Is glad
To most sensible people this plan of
naming a youngster after some great
man, whose achievement may not only
be far beyond but totally different from
anything that the boy will be able TO do,
appears positive cruelty. Suppose a
boy to be named Napoleon, for instance;
what, in these peaceful days, could he
ever do to live up TO the name of that
ruthless conqueror? Suppose that he were
named Abraham Lincoln; the chances
are that he will have most intense dis
like for the character of that great man
before he is ten years old. 1t is a WELL
known fact that comparatively few of the
boys who were named after heroes ever
attain 10 even mediocre heroism them
selves. Admiral Schley is notable ex-
ception but he is only one out of hun
dreds OF men who were dubbed Winfield
Scott in their helpless infancy, and
there were 50 many Of these namesakes
that it would have been strange If some
one of them had not made his mark
When the great man is of ones own blood
the case is different, though even then
the name of a great ancestor is quite as
apt to hamper TO help boy. But
when boy is named Dewey, or Lincoln,
or Grant, simply because his parents
hope to get a brief and transitOry notice
from the illustrious man whose name
is thus Used, the bad taste of the per
formance ought to be emphatically con-
demned.