New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-18

SPECIMEN OF THE ROLLING STOCK
freshness is not a thing Of beauty; stin less so
when II has been worn a few weeks and hangs
yellow and lalky. But when, further. il has
seen month Of campaigning up country it is
difficult 10 describe its appearance. The blue
clothes might be threadbare, but they could
always be brushed UP and sponged 70 a sem
blaace Of spruceness. while khaki in contact with
damp and mud develops colors in a way almost
prigrnatic. Put II in the washtub (the river in
the Philippines. and behold the surprise when it
reappears, clean perhaps but Of some peculiar
tint which has heretofore been undiscovered by
either dyers o. artists.
The men who are swimming across paddy
fields and wanowing through u1udhoIes in their
efforts 70 get al the insurgents Go not much care
what shade OF clothes they wear. and # doesn't
make any real difference so long as they are
near enough the base Of supplies 10 get more
when these have succumbed TO hard usage But
II Manila Il is not unreasonable 10 wish that our
-en were trimmer looking set Dress parades
have their manifest advantages and their moral
effects but DO not even ask for that: we ask
for better undress. At present khaki is so
generally worn by both soldiers and civilians
that II is often impossible 10 tell from the
ether Nearly all the Quartermaster employees
wear blue shirts and khaki trousers and many
OF the soldiers wear khaki suits without the
brass buttons and 10 device on their campaign
hats. which are also generally worn by the popu-
lsce- AS there are many stevedores employed in
the United States service who dress in this way
The reputation Of the men often suffers more
than II should by their drunkenness or disorderly
conduct.
ROUGH LOOKING LOT
The Army officers in the Philippines may be
divided into two classes and designated the city
nice" and the country mice the difference IN
appearance is 50 great The men who have been
cut IN the field all the tine have lost nearly all
their CLONES. and have been obliged TO fare in
every way Ike the privates in the ranks They
have been reduced 70 rough flannel shirt and
hardly z sign save a bar OF two stuck on the
collar &c designate their rank All the officers in
The hsl6 Do not look like vagabonds. but they do
look as L they were roughlng IL and there have
been times when they were reduced 70 such low
rs-ions that the thought Of clothes was far away
indeed. Now, when these country nice get
away from the lines and come down to Manila
for day OF Two they present a contrast 10 the
officers who have been assigned 10 duty here,
who can wear white clothes and get Them laun-
dered The officer from the lines wears a pistol
his side, and his campaign hat is battered
and weather stained. His CATERS. or riding
boots are mud sPlashed, and he wears a cotton
handkerchief about his neck. But there are no
dress uniforms IN Manila: most OF those were
left al home. and they would be uncomfortable
in this climate The white suits Of drill. either
patterned after the Army blouse or after the
KHAKI. with pockets and pleats are the height
q eieganc=, and the largest ball that we have
had n Manila brought forth nothing more hand
some. When evening suits are worn by civilians
they made q thin serge, but plain white
suits more often d. duty at the few social func-
tons which occur in Manila at present
BETTER POSTAL SERVICE.
Now that the Msnila-Dagupan railroad is
running its entire length or schedule time. the
postal service up the line has improved accord
ing.y. 4 few weeks ago it took three or four
days for letter 10 De delivered on the upper
pa-t % the road: now there is a fully equipped
postzl car which Is 10 make daily trips The car
IS Htred I'd on the same principle as the large
cars AZ home, with boxes. racks, tables, places
Tor the bags. etc The placing Of this car on
the rails so soon speaks well fo- the energy Of
those IN charge Of the postal service out here
Il Is hoped that the medical department viii
follow the lead and provide some hospital cars
with z better equipment than pile OF straw a
box Of medicines and a Red Cross flag. What
ever excuse there mas been hitherto for trans
porting sick soldiers 10 Manila IN this way mere
seems no longer 70 exist any. and the present
system is distressing
While on the subject Of reforms. it is appro-
pirate 20 SPEAK " the new public library when
Is being established by the efforts Of public
spirited women II Is 10 be memorial 10 Lieu
lenant-ColoneI Mlley, who died IN Manila a Few
months ago while discharging important duties
Tor the Government. There Is nothing which IS
more needed or longec for BY the white part OF
the population OF Manila II viii not only be
The best kind or a boon, morally and lnteIlectu-
ally % The soldiers. but VII - appreciated IN
Esnssly BIZ Al those civilians who for cause
OF another have cast ia their fortunes with the
new possessions. In the course OF time II VIII
De gppreciated BY the natives. too
PERHAPS II IS not realized by the people al
home that Manila has good sized civilian
population OF Americans Many OF these are
doing clerical work IN the various Government
departments Most Of the quartermasters ana
cornmissartes who are here brought their clerks
with them Often officers sons I'll such places.
and many men have come here Independently 10
seek work as zteuogTaphers IN the Government
employ. In addition 70 these. large contingent
% the first volunteers have NAMED mere IN
one capacity or another In their ranks were a
number OF professional men, such doctors,
dentists and lawyers, that Manila is wen
supplied with all three, well as with min
,1g and civil engineers, and real estate brokers