The record-union., 1899-05-23
HOW TO HONOR DEWEY.

cuSSeU now IN the press. Oellel diiy
speaking, the words of the "Oregonian"
cover the whole ground. ''They should
be such as can be rendered within the
lines of good taste and broad patriot
ism.'' But there is precisely the stick
ing point. What is good taste in such
a case as this?
Those with the means to spend and
the ability to manage an affair of the
kind hold that great banquet, at which
not less than $50 a plate should be
the charge, would be the thing of
greatest mark and strictly within the
lines of good taste. But there are 9TH
ers who hold that such ostentation,
extravaganza and the exclusiveness
measured by money would Ill
become the home welcoming Of
a hero such as Dewey, a mod
est man, not liking display, and
by no means banquet man" The
great mass of the people want Dewey
to be- simply received with popular ac-
claim. professions, salutes and the like
and with IAN illumination of the cities
he visits, and that he should visit all
the. .chiefsones. In fact, the popular idea
In realization would wear Dewey out,
and wholly deprive the Admiral of the
rest hes so much desires. Indeed, he
has announced that he proposes to at
once Tetire to his home in Vermont,
and H.just rest
The nnaStinr7 hot her +Io o;c;,, 7f
a great fund to purchase a costly man
sion in Washington for the Admiral
and to endow the place with money
sufficient to insure its support, has al
ready been freely discussed in these
columns. We have found it neither
in good taste nor so very broadly patri-
otto, since patriotism is not nearly re-
lated to ostentatious display, nor to the
showering of gifts, material and other.
wise, upon chosen sons Patriotism
one may manifest without money
thought consideration.
In England great heroes are honored
by addition to rank, and being made
in many cases members of the nobility
But here we can do nothing of that
kind, for Dewey, who stands foremost in
our naval history, and who has won
more honors from the people than any
naval officer since the days of Far
ragut. He must be content with the
chief rank. sword and medal and
the Thanks of Congress-" No
greater official honors can be
conferred upon him. The sug-
gestion that a monument should
be erected as the result of popular SUBJ
scription is one of the prominent meth
DDS proposed for doing honor to Dewey.
But after all. the monument that fol-
lows ones life is ever so much nobler
than the shaft upreared for him in life.
England did vote Wellington a
splendid grant Of money, but that was
because his income was not sufficient
for the state he was required to keen.
Ihere viii be no such calls upon Dew
ey's purse. He will have his head
quarters in Washington, and as Ad-
miral of the American navy he must
maintain something in the way of an
establishment But it is thought that
ne can do all necessary honors called
for by man of his age on the COM
Portable salary of $4,000.
1t fsftrue that several American Gem
erals have received presents through
popular subscription, residences. horses
carriages, Jewels, libraries, etc. But
that was at the close of the most
stupendous war of the centuries, one
which tried the mettle of free institu-
tions and threatened the disruption of
the Republic. Dewey was brave. wise.
daring, splendid, but on his battles did
not hang the fate of the nation. There
seems to be no good reason, besides,
for giving him a costly residence. when
he has no wife or daughter to preside
over It.
Our own idea about honoring Dewey
is not to do so by lavish expenditure
of money for banquets, nor by purchase
of a quarter million dollar house he has
no use for; but that it will be within
the bounds of good taste and broad
patriotism to welcome him by the
breath of the people, with decorated
streets and plaudits of his fellow
countrymen, and by such public re-
ceptions here and there as he can ac
cept without injury to his health. Then
in his name let US raise a monunaen4
to his honor, bravery and wisdom, and
crown him with patriotic immortality
by gathering funds to provide return
! ing soldiers and sailors with perma-
nent, wen-paying employment; with
comforts they have so long been de-
prived of; with care and nursing as
long as needed, tenderer than any pos
sible in camp or field hospital; with
support, if incapacitated, for life.
Let that fund be the result of popu-
lar subscription gathered and disbursed
in the name of Dewey; let it be known
as the Dewey honor fund, or by any
other title, the mention of which will
constitute benediction upon the Ad-
miral of the American navy Wherever.
however, and for whoever used. let it
go forth in the name, in honor of and