Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-05-26

CHISELrNg stone WITH A Co1rpRrsSFr
AIR DRILL
with seven. Kentucky has six and 9th
or states and territories. mostly Dob tn.
south. each smaue- number. Tl.
most notable OF these government bu.
rial grounds is at Arlington VA.
No nation Las ever cared for its de
Tenders as BIAS America. Republics
may Dee un-ratefui but nouarclIc, are
more so. The nations OF the old world
rear costly monuments to generals.
udm,rals and what mot. but the common
soldier is neglected. to Die as Dee fcll CO.,
10 bc piled with others in uu uumark-
ed trench. But democracy marks the
resting place of tLe private as well as
that OF The captain. The leader is NOS
less regarded tlnu Emo tlc lands gov.
crned by klu-s and missionaries. buf
the average mla i- more regarded
How could ibis democratic tendency Doe
more beautifully typ.ucd than ln our
treatment 90 our dead soldIcrst Nor
j. the care confined to northern mem
alone. There are iu the uci-hborho1I
or 10000 Confederate dead iu these
various cemeteries. ANA BE- is safe 90
say that their graves are as tcuderly
cherished as are those OF the Union
Side.
Much OF the credit FOR lnaugurating
our national cemetery policy is due 20
an almost unknown underclcrll Goo vari-
Gus military departments who was ac.
Cidcntaliy KILLED by failing under "a
train boz Chicago in 1903. His name was
Thomas Rrou2ham Baker Through
out the war between the states bee DAB
bored lndefatirably Go have the goy.
eminent SGT aside national cemctcr.c~
for the burial of tLe soldiers. When he
presented the plan 90 an underomcIal
OF the war department DO was only Co
meet rebuff. Then be took the case
10 Secretary Cameron. only 10 face
defeat again. But he would not give
up. lie kept beSieg.ng Cameron Cd.
finally the doors were shut acains'
him. When Edwin NJ stanton wa
made secretary OF war Baker went to
him and met "a more favorable. recep
Sou. stanton approved the idea. aul
when Lincoln heard Of 10 the great
heart Of She martyr president warmed
10 the plan at once. Baker was given
O clerkship ca which he helped keep
record of the burial OF the soldiers. ANA
not few Of the perfect government
hies relating 10 the deaths and inter
ment 81 tho men who fen for the TN
Ion are due to his efforts.
Lincoln knew we'll OF Bakers uu
selfish work. and If the great man had
lived the services OF the humble clerk
would have been Acknowledged As
II was. little or nothing was known Of
Bakers work unUl his own death call
cd attention 90 the part he bad played
So assiduous had been his efforts In
behalf of establishing national Come
teries that for "a time he was regarded
as insane on the subject Lincoln was
almost the only one who understood
him, and that great friend OF tie com
mon soldier spoke frequently Of the
humble clerk and I'm the warmest
terms. II republics are truly not un-
grateful. Thomas Brougham Baker VIII
be remembered Ola this Memorial day
and on all succeeding ones.
Few realize the labor entailed on
those who make the monuments found
IA the national and other cemeteries
where lie our soldier dead or late
years the process has been much sim
plihed 10y the use OF machinery. In
stead OF the old laborious method OF
mallet and chisel compressed air is
now employed 10 drive the bit that cuts
the stone. The power Is applied
through a long rubber tube at the end
OF which the bit works. This gives
much greater speed than the old way.
nor is IL so wearing upon the workmen.
Years ago the late President McKin-
ley recommended that the graves OF
the southern soldiers be included In the
national cemeteries or at least that
the states be assisted In caring for
them. While no very great results have
come from these large hearted at