The Cairo bulletin., 1905-02-03
A HAPPY DEPARTURE.

( The people Of Tennessee are about
70 make a radical but exceedingly
happy departure from the custom of
presenting silver service to the va.
rious men Of war by the citizens of a
state whpae name the battleship
bears. They propose 10 raise $25.-
900 for the new battleship Tennes-
&c, part of which will be used to pur.
chase a silver service and the other
part 10 be used in purchasing for
the men behind the guns library.
The eugg es.ion was maIe to the
Memphis CommerciatAppeal by a
Mr.. 1. G. Prouy, a retired man-of-
warsman, who doubtless has often
felt what comfort and pleasure could
be added to the sailors life wi h this
convenience
II occurs to us that this is a most
happy thought and there is no doubt
that a wellhllcd library for all he
men H18 hive 20 much leisure on
tine aieh aels N which to employ
tAff a1'e with goed booksLthan
silNer serfice that would he used pcs
sihy by only a, few men.
Commenting on the matter. the
Memphis CcmmercialAprnal says:
Hfhe aaggestsan seems to haye me-
wifh Gems. ierable approval for nor
fey paners have sinca made favor
able comments.
Inyesfi gaticn discl0ses that here
Is no set rule governing the number
Of pieces of silver services presented
to warships. Nor is there any recug
uized standard of value fixed 10 gifts
Of An kind 7 is uud ooi Tint the
service given the Iowa cost some go
600, that presented the Kentucky a
irifie over $4,000, while the Pennsyl-
vania viii receive a service costing
SCI 900.
tennessee starts out 10 raise S25..
900 1t may prove difficult to collect
so large a sum merely for the pur.
po Of presenting silver service to
the officers OF tile Tennessee. but If
Mr. Proux's suggestion is adopted in
part and the committee having the
subscription in hand will announce
that goodly portion of the sum will
be used for the benefit OF poor Jack,
the money will be raised with readi.
ness and ease.
For $4,000 a silver service of the
most expensive design and contain
Ing pieces sufficient to serve 100 peo-
pie can be secured. Such a sum
should include both elegance and
beauty sufficient to please the most
fastidious. With the remaining $l0.-
the library for the enlisted men might
be installed, Jack would be more
than satisfied with this division of
the subscription and the results would
more han compensate for the alb
senee of extra ornamentation in the
officers entertainments.
The country. following he lead of
Admirals Dewey and Schley. has had
much to say about the man behind
the gun. but It all ends when 1t Is
said. There are no deeds backing
up the fine words. and Jack. If he
was not such a good fellow. might Gu
ter complaint, condemning the ma
TONS hypocrisy.
1T is acknowledged that he is en-
titled 10 consideration. Everybody /
says be should be remembered. YET 1
nobody has given material rccogni. 4
tioa TO this sentiment. Tennessee has
the chance to establish the sincerity /
Of her regard for all classes aboard (
ships. SAe may now repudiate any
and all accusations of hypocrisy in
this matter, and by sharing her gifts /
to the crui1er between the officers 1
and the men she win secure the re.
spect of the former, the gratitude of /
the latter and the applause of the ma
ton.