The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-23

lie cOndltlOnally, and when Uncle Joe
taunted him with putting in the condi-
tions. Colonel Pete, fairly sizzling with
wrath, withdrew the conditions, there.
by giving the lie direct to the venerable
Sucker. To one hilariously disposed
this exhibition Of Republican intelli.
gence, this exposition of Republican
manners, was better than circus.
A Contest of Billingsgate.
Now, be 1t remembered that this was
scene between Republican statesmen.
and the Democrats had precisely the
interest In it, and no more, which the
old woman had in the fight between
bruin and her liege lord, when with
perfect impartiality, she encouraged
both by first shouting, eco it, hus.
band" and then. "Go 1t, bearv' First
and last Republican Pharisees have
had much to say about the sweetness
and purity Of Republicans and much
about 1.-The plantation manners of Dem.
ocrats."
wad some power the giftie gle US
10 see ourselves as ithers sec Us!
II some New England transcenden.
talist Will write an essay on Sweet
ness, Purity and Good Manners" rs II.
iustrated by this billingsgate contest
OF Uncle Joe and Colonel Pete. I will
cheerfully agree to incorporate It in
these letters for the delectation of nv
hundreds Of thousands of readers. As
matters stand think Colonel Hepburn
got q little the best Of Uncle Joe, but
the latter. like Major Joe Bagstock, is
sly, sir. devilish sly; tough, sir, devil.
ish tough" and he will bide his time.
Inc quarrelsome spirit seems to have
entered into all Republicans.
Down in Tennessee. where they have
only Republicans enough to elect two
congressman, two factions, one headed
Dy Pension Commissioner Colonel n.
Clay Evans and the other by Congress
men Brownlow and 'Gibson, are wag-
Ing against each other n war of exter.
mination. On with the dance!
Even the ex-soldiers are becoming
disgruntled as to the way thi. gs are
being run by this administration. as is
shown by the following letter, which
explains itself:
WASHINGTON. April 90.
Dear Sir-There Is proposition in congress to
give 10 the present adutant general OF the United
states army-against whom, OF course, we have
nothing personal-thc rank OF major general. The
Union Veterans union, which have the honor 10
command. respectfully, but most earnestly. nro
tests against this.
In every possible manner attempts are being
made by individuals and branches Of the public
service 70 get something more out OF the colossal
revenues which are being collected and for which
the people are being heavily taxed. The ex.
penditures Tor the war department are already
swollen to an enormous extent. Most urgent
pleas by patriotic citizens in and out OF congress
are being made for retrenchment in the public
expenditures. II there be q plethora from the inn.
mense revenues, let taxation be lowered instead
OF giving the peoples money away; but, under
extraVagance, even these revenues do not seem to
sunice, and in consequence thereof and perhaps
OF wretchcd little war in which we are engaged
and which costs more than the entire pension roll
every obstruction is said to be put in the way of
the applicant for pension in order to save ()
money. II this he true, it may be remarked that
such does not embrace the proper idea OF re.
trenchment. Retrenchment does not consist in
avoidance OF payment Of just debts any more than
IT consists in presenting the public money to
shoulder strapped or other individuals and un.
necessarily increasing salaries.
In addition to the fact that 1t appears inyidious
to increase the rank Of the adiutant general with
out increasing the rank OF the heads OF the other
staff officers OF the war department and to the
fact that increasing the rank OF the adutant gen.
eral is reflection upon the efficiency OF the ad.
jutant generals office Of the civil war, when we
had an army OF more than 1000, 900 men and the
rank OF the adjutant general was that of brigader
general. 1t would seem to be untimely and par
ticularly wrong to give him increased rank and
thus increase the cost of his Office. while and mere
~ because we involved in increased even il
unavoidable, expense. This, especially when the
duties and responsibilities Of the adjutant gen.
erals Office at present as nothing compared
with the duties and responsibilities of the ad.
jutant generals office during civil war, when
above said, the rank of the adiutant general
was that of brigadier general Very respectfully,
II. C. DYRENroRrH
Commander In Chief, u. V. L.
Case Of Dog Eat Dog.
Colonel John w. Gates has recently
given the country a startling object
lesson in operating trusts and in tieec-
ing the lambs Of Wall street. He mOv-
ed on Gotham. shut down several wire
mills in order to influence value Of
stocks. ruthlessly threw out of employ
ment thousands Of innocent. industri-
Gus labOrers and cleaned up million
or two. Now the Wall street gang are
talking Of indicting him as a common
cheat and swindler With the result
Of the controversy between Gates and
the Wall street outfit l am in no way
interested. 1t was clear case Of dog
eat dog. and the more they eat each
other the better the world will be off,
no doubt. So let the merry war 80 on.
But my guess. is that it will not go on.
Perhaps Colonel Gates ought to be in
the pen. am not expressing any
opinion on that point. Perhaps the
Wall street gamblers whom he skinned
ought also to be wearing the stripes
Of convict. And perhaps IL they in
dict Gates he will follow suit and do
the same thing to them. Stranger
far stranger-thlngs have happened.
They are as deep in the mud as Gates
Ia I'm thp mire Ho hp0t thCm ot fhei.