The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-08
HOPPING OFF GENERALS.
4 Resolution Calculated to Carry Dis
 may Among Warriors of the South.

ans adopted a resolution providing that hereafter no southern veteran who was not entitled to wear the title of general during the war should wear it now. That is to say, the general of to- day must also have had a commission for that rank in the Tate unpleasant ness" Forty-two years have passed since Appomattox, and yet there real ly seem to be now more officers of the confederacy of a certain grade than there were just after the battle lines had melted away, the bugles had sung perpetual truce and most of the gal lant men in gray had become plain "misters." How did this happen? 1t may be asked. The answer is at once a tribute to the humor of the confed- crate veteran and also to his loyalty to the men with whom he stood elbow to elbow for four long years and his cnf1dence in them. The regiments which started In that long conflict with full ranks had been thinned by death and disease until they were mere skeletons al the close. on-commissioned com pany officers had been, in many cases, promoted to the highest company rank. And finally when peace came the pri- yates who had stuck to their colors, who had seen the valor and devotion of each other proved on many battle fields, felt that there was not sur vivor who was not entitled to commits stoned rank. It was thoroughly nat ural. sincere feeling which in every hamlet in the south suggested the in- formal elevation from the grade of pri- vate to the rank of captain, colonel or general of some battle-scarred warrior who in time of peace showed the same admirable qualities which had distln- guished him in war. In most instances 1 this irregular promotion of the private to commissioned rank was confirmed by usage and popular approval, until the men upon whom the breyet rank was conferred could not shake it off if they tried, It is entirely to their cred it, for promotion usually implied the esteem and respect of those who knew them best. There may seem to be a touch of the Quixotic in this, but there is. In fact, genuine sentiment beneath it, with touch of the humor which comes of good-fellowship
 ' Instead of producing heartburnings and resentments, the action of the confederate veterans at Richmond will probably be welcomed with a sense of relief by many men who attained com mlssioned rank after the war. As long as an officer promoted informally from private to commissioner rank remains ! in his own territory he will be sub jected to no endorsements Those who promoted him are responsible for his elevation, and they will not dis credit their own commission, But when ! he goes away from home he Is liable to be asked for his credentials, and then there may be trouble for him, and \ his proud spirit may be chastened un- l less he makes clean breast of 1t all, The Suns dispatches have told how an honored veteran from Maryland. now colonel, and Kentucky general met In Richmond last Sunday and opened their hearts to each other. Their titles have never been impeached at home. But they deemed it sufficient glory to have fought as private soldies through out the conflict. Tlfe colonel disclaiin- 1 ed the right to any title. while the general was equally, emphatic in pro- claiming himself a private. If, their example should be followed through out the south, there will be a tremen- dous increase in the number of plain soldiers who have survived the war, It is probable that the confederate con vention desires to clear the atmosphere and Go justice to the men who carried i muskets as well as to those who led them In battle The examples of the Maryland colonel and of the Kentucky general are worthy of emulation by all who desire to preserve the truth of confederate history,
 The executive departments in Wash ington are responsible for an increase in the number of civil officials with mili- tary titles. There are frequent refer ences in dispatches to General" So> and-So of the postotfice department. or General" So-and-So of the attorney generals department. They would be properly described as assistant post master-general or assistant attorney general. The tendency of some of the great secret or fraternal organizations which have semi-military nomencla- tur is to add to the hosts of titled per sons. When Corporal Tanner of Pennsylvania was elected commander in-chief of the Grand Army of the Re- public he was promptly promoted by I the public, over his protest to the rank of general. It may be that there is nt harm in informal promotions of civil ians to high military rank. Many good men who would under no circumstances cornive at deception are proud te
 wear these titles. In most cases the honor is thrust upon them by theh friends and comrades. In other cases the public regards 1t as a hereditary right In the case of the confederate
 veterans at Richmond the adoption of resolutions providing that no man should bear the title of general after the war unless he bore it during the
 war is significant. It suggests desire to revise the rolls and to make the list of generals conform to the facts oi history and the records of the service
 There will probably be a broad smile in Dixie, from the Potomac to the Ric 1 .l d :