The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-03-26

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David r. gets the reins in her hands as
'.fus' lady,
Secretary Shaw is credited with upset
ting good many established customs.
and now he is after the proverbs that
have been lamps to our feet for these
many centuries. One OF these is that
time is money" Secretary Shaw thinks
not. The gold watch that he got the
other day from some man whose con-
science did prick him for doing the
Treasury Mt some time. was not turned
over to Treasurer Roberts, but to the
Director of the Mint. This was one time.
anyhow, when Time was not money.
|
Dignity of office sometimes goes clear
through the bone and clinches on the
other side Likewise idolatry of service.
The clerks in the Navy Department have
| 0utgrOwn the quarters assigned them IN
the big ''War. State and Navy Building
and so somebody who supposed he had
the authority decided Ia lift two of the
divisions. that of Yards and Docks, and
| the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, out
of the big building, and send them just
across the street into the Mills Build
ing, which has been rented for the pur-
pose of providing room for the over
crowded clerks. 1t is magnificent new
building, just being completed, and it
was to be supposed that the change would
be hailed with delight. But. no. indeed.
| Such howl as went up. sure. never was
heard before. The clerks and chiefs de-
clared that it would be beneath their dig
nifty to separate them from the rest of the
| Navy" and they wouldn't go. And they
didn't The people who thought they
| had things fixed. had to unfix them. and
| let the Navy" herd in its old quarters
1t is up to the War Department to sIueal
now. for it is to be housed in the Mills
Building in part; at least
The War Department has decided to
publish a roster of all the troops of the
war of the rebellion. This roster will in
| clude, as far as possible, all the names of
| those who fought on both sides. both rebel
| and Union. SO many frauds are practised
| on the people of the country by men who
pretend to have fought on one side or the
other that it is deemed advisable to have
such roster made for the protection of
the public, and of philanthropic societies.
Secretary Root has made a start toward
this roster by calling upon the Governors
of States to send him all the available
data at hand of the troops of his particu-
lar State, and everybody who has any
ton is asked to furnish it to the War De-
partment.
In the circular letter which he has sent
out Secretary Root says: ''There is a
very general desire on the part of the sur
viving participants of the great struggle
| in which the country was engaged from
1861 to 1865, and on the part of the de-
scendants of those who have passed away,
for publication that shall be accessible to
the general public and shall show the
names of those who. either as officers or
enlisted men. bore arms for the Union or
for the Confederacy during the great
war.
''This Department recommended at the
last session of Congress the enactment of
law authorizing the compilation and
preparation of such a roster for publica-
ton. That recommendation was followed
by the enactment of provision of law
which is embodied in the legislative, execu-
proved February %, 1903, and which is as
follows:
That under the direction of the Secre-
tary of War the Chief of the Record and
Pension Office shall compile, from such
official records as are in the possession of
the United States, and from such other
the various States and other official
sources, a complete roster of the officers
and enlisted men of the Union and Confed-
crate armies
'Tbe Department is prepared to enter
at once upon the work of making the COM
pilation thus authorized, and to push it
to completion as rapidly as possible.
There will be little or no difficulty in
making the Union part of the roster COM
plete, but there will be great difficulty
with regard to the Confederate part be-
cause of the incompieteness of the coliec-
ton of Confederate records in the posses
sion of this Department. 1t is of the first
Importance, therefore, that no effort shall
be spared to secure the temporary loan to
the War Department, for the purpose of
copying, of any and all authentic
Confederate records that can be found
anywhere. Many of these records are in
the possession of the various States and
it is hoped will be made readily accessible,
but there are others that are widely scat
tered among historical and memorial asso-
ciations and private citizens. The problem
of how to find and procure the loan of
these scattered records is a difficult one,
but it is one that must be solved in order
that the Confederate soldier shall receive
the full credit that is due him in the roster
that is TO be compiled
The publication will be enormous in
size, including no less than 80 volumes as
large as the Rebellion Records. The
Northern names will be published with the
Southern, because it is desired to have all
OF these data i'll one compilation instead
of being scattered through various State
books.
While there are many errors and de-
fa., 49,. C II,