The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-23


navy, and bearing George Dewey's name,
would be the most fitting sort Of testimon-
ial and one in which the generous-hearted
Admiral would take the keenest delight.
Another suggestion is that the money
should be devoted to the founding of a
home for the orphan children of Uncle
Sans seanen and marines. Still another
carries the idea of the establishment of a
scholarship at some institution Of learn
ing, under such conditions that a certain
number Of the children Of sailors shall
have free education and maintenance
there continually.
AE these proposals have a practical side
which the Admiral would heartily apprec-
late, and they are free from some other
features which would make the testimon-
ial on the lines now proposed extremely
distastefuL to him. One of the first mani
festations in connection with the present
movement was a clash between the local
Teal-estate interests as to the cite of the
Admirars proposed new home. The next
was a rather pitiful discussion whether the
money should be raised solely by voluntary
contributions or partly by passing the
hat" and dragging in the government
classes from whom small subscriptions are
expected on occasions when spontaniety is
of the very. essence Of good grace. One of
the Oldest family friends of Admiral Dew
ey thus voiced to the correspondent his
own sentiments and those of a large group
of others intimately acquainted with the
naval circle here:
THE promoters of the movement to give
Admiral Dewey a house had better beware
lest they do him an unintentionaI injury
After Admiral Worden had met with his
little Monitor the giant Merrimack and
beaten her. receiving in the fight wounds
from which ne was daily sufferer ever
afterward, there was much the same ex-
preston of feeling among the people
which centres about Dewey now. Presi-
dent Lincoln stood by his sick-bed and
thanked him for Saving the country
Edward Everett raised a fund with which
a modest house was bought with view to
providing for the hero in his old age and
assuring his family of home after his
death. Worden lived in this house tiIG he
died and used to comfort himself in his
last days with a Thought, to which he gave
repeated utterance among his friends,
that the government would see to it that
his wife should enjoy their home for the
few years she would naturally survive
him. After his death the Senate passed a
bill giving Mrs. Worden 800 a month pen
siOn-a small allowance as compared with
the provision for the families of officers no
more deserving than Worden;; but when
this bill went over to the House, Repre-
sentative Ray of New York, chairman of
the invalid pensions committee, declared
that it should be cut in two, as $50 a
month ould be enough. Mrs. Worden's
friends and old admirers of the Admiral.
including some Senators of note, appealed
to him in vain. He simply repeated:
Fifty dollars is enough. Private soldiers
widows do not get $50 a month, and am
for the people and the private solder
every time. BESIDES look at that house;
she is already provided with home The
$50 idea prevailed. SO the AGED widow was
obliged to abandon her home and go to
boarding, for a house takes money to keep
VI.
Let Dewey's admirers beware OF bur
dening him with a white elephant in the
way of a fine house. If he could be con-
suited. he would probably say, I do not
want house. I have no family to shar.
it with me Ny son in New York is doing
we'll and is in5ensr5ant Of me nrsfa-
to live quietly in apartments. as used to,
instead % in,,5tine tb, b1,,,7ane oe n,,,,s,l
/ keeping, for my heath IS not such as to
warrant my undertaking much of that
sort Of activity. Il had house I might
/ be compelled to live in IT as matter Of
courtesy. though my preference would be
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oaeN INTO her nome. j appreciate me