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

perfect impartialty, she encouraged
both by first shouting, eco it, hus-
band.w and then, $50 it, bearr' First
and last Republican Pharisees have
had much to say about the sweetness
and purity Of Republicans and much
about "the plantation manners of Dem
ocrats."
wad some power the giftie gle us
To see ourselves as ithers see us!
If some New England transcenden-
talist will write an essay on Sweet
ness, Purity and Good Manners" rs IL
lustrated by this billingsgate contest
Of Uncle Joe and Colonel Pete, I will
cheerfully agree to incorporate it in
these letters for the delectation of my
hundreds of thousands Of readers. AS
matters stand think Colonel Hepburn
got little the best of Uncle Joe, but
the latter, like Major Joe Bagstock, is
'sly, sir, deyilish sly; tough, sir, devil
ish tough" and he will bide his time.
The 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
by Pension Commissioner Colonel H.
Clay Evans and the other by Congress
men Brownlow and Gibson, are wag-
ing against each other war Of exter-
mination. On with the dance!
Even the ex-soldiers are becoming
disgruntled as to the way things are
being run by this administration, as is
shown by the following letter, which
explains itself:
WASHINGTON, April %.
Dear Sir-There is proposition in congress to
give to the present adutant general Of the United
States ar7ny-against whom, OF course, We have
nothing personal-thc rank of major general The
Union Veterans union, which have the honor to
command, respectfully, but most earnestly, pro-
tests against this
In every possible manner attempts are being
made by individuals and branches of the public
service tc get something more out OF the colossal
revenues which are being collected and for which
the people being heavily taxed. The ex-
penditures for the department already
swollen to an enormous extent. Most urgent
pleas by patriotic citizens in and out OF congress
are being made for yetrenchment IN the public
expenditures. If there be plethora from the i'm
mense revenues. let taxation be lowered instead
OF giving the peoples money away; but, under
extravaganza, even these revenues do not seem to
Suffice and in consequence thereof and perhaps
o, wretched little war in which We are engaged
and which costs moro 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. If this be true, it may be remarked that
such does not embrace the proper idea OF re-
trenchment. RetrenchmcDt does not consist IN
avoidance OF payrnent OF just debts any more taan
it consists in presenting the public money to
shoulder strapped or other individuals and un-
necessarily increasing salaries.
In addition to the fact that it appears invidious
to increase the rank CT the adutant general with
out increasing the rank OF the heads of the other
staff officers Of the department and to the
fact that increasing the rank OF the a0jutant gen
eral is reflection Upon the efficiency OF the ad-
iutant generals Office Of the civil war, when we
had an army OF more than 100000 men and the
rank of the adjutan. general was that OF brlSac!cr
general, il would seem 10 be uatime!y and par
ticularlv wrong to give him increased raak ana
thus increase the cost OF his Office. while and mere
L. because we are involved in increased, even II
unavoidable, expense This especially when the
duties and responsibilities Of the aGjutant gen
erals Office are ut present nothing compared
with the duties and responsibilities OF the ad-
iutant generals Office during our civil war, when
as above said. the rank OF the adjuiant general
was that OF brigadier general. Very respectfully,
r. G.. DyRESFoITH.
Commander In Chief, l. V. l.
a Case of Dog Eat Dog.
Colonel John w. Gates has recently
given the country 4 startling object
lesson in operating trusts and in heec-
ing the lambs Of Wall street. He NOV
ed on Gotham. shut down several wire
mills in order to influence value OF
stocks. ruthlessly threw out of employ
ment thousands of innocent. ;ndustrl-
Gus laborers and cleaned up 4 million
or two. Now the Wall street gang are
talking Of indicting him as 4 common
cheat and swindler. With the result
of the controversy between Gates ana
the Wall street outfit l am IN no way
interested. 1t was clear case OF doS
eat doc, and the more they eat each
other the better the world will be OH,
no doubt. So let the merry war so on.
But my guess. is that it will not so on.
Perhaps Colonel Gates ought TO De III
the pen. l am not expressing any
opinion on that point. Perhaps the
Wall street gamblers whom he skinned
ought also to be wearing the stripes
Of a convict. And perhaps il they in
dict Gates he will follow suit ana 90
the same thing to them. Stranger
far stranger-things have happened.
They are as deep in the mud as Gates
is in the mire. He beat them At t3elr
own game.
But there is q much more serious
Question connected with the matter
than the circus between Gates and his
Wall street victims. and that is tEat
Gates or any other man shall be per-
mitted. for gambling purposes. to smut
down mills and throw out of chi 10y
ment thousands of honest, industrious
men who are anxious to earn their
own bread and the bread Of their wives
and little children in the sweat OF tier
faces. That concerns The public wei
fare. Gates could have cut no such
brutal caper had be not been the head
Of tie steel Wire trust. which IS no