Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-11-30
FAREWELL TO ARMY MULE?
Praise for the Intelligence and In
dustry of the Animal.

From the Boston Herald.
| 1t used to be said that George Wash.
ington was the father of his country
and the mule. For George. it is said, was
the first distinguished American to rec
ognize the varied and many virtues OF
| the mule: his pre-eminent fitness for
permanent American citizenship! And
George was quite as good farmer as he
was soldier and statesman. And that
cannot truly be said Of many of the mos;
distinguished warriors and statesmen the
world over. If patriotism should ever &c
out of fashion We seriously fear that
some or our most prominent political
figures would scarcely earn their salt on
farm: So George saw the latent posi-
billt1es of the mule, and the future has
, justified his prophetic insight for the
mule has played in the material develop
ment OF this country, almost as prominent
even II less picturesque part as the tar
III. He has been of no especial value
to the practical politician. being. unlike
the tar1h. of a modest and retiring dis
position. but In the simplicity of his
daily life. the faithfulness of his daily
labor his perfect contentment with low
wages and his persistent abstinence from
abor organizations and vexatious strikes,
together with his advocacy of celibacy,
he has been an invaluable factor in the
solution of our industrial problems
in his eulogy of the mule: He has al
most every virtue. and yet, SO inhar-
moniouS are character and reputation
that II you call man an ass he does not
regard 1t as compliment And this
shows the worlds habitual Justice The
mule rarely inherits his mothers per-
sonal beauty. distinction of manner or
aristocratic air, but in the matter of
plain, homemade and useful virtues he
is greatly her superior. He Outranks her
ho a6l rnfp tN;1
Unless she had an irresistible political
pull he would better stand a civil serv-
ice examination. He is quite as affec-
tionate. and while he has less personal
self-respect. Treat him with proper con-
sideration and he will be as tractable as
southern delegate; abuse him and he
will kick like an English suffragette He
Will be as silently patient as Queen Girl
selda under the burden of labor, scant
nutriment, even a specific amount of
physical abuse, but many an Ethiopian
man and brother can testify to the
quickness with which he resents any I'M
due familiarity that invades his personal
great national party "builded better than
1t knew" when 1t selected him as its
totem" Let us trust that in case of
victory it will initiate his virtues and
avoid his temperamental limitations
But now the fiat has gone forth that he
is to be banished from the United States
Army in favor Of the ugly. souiless mo-
tor wagon. He was the only patriot who
helped put down the rebellion and save
the country who has not demanded politi-
cal preferment or personal pension. The
| historic army mule! Night after night
he went to his lonely pillow bearing a
heavier burden of profanity than the bib
iicai scapegoat ever carried into the will
derness. The land ia covered with eques-
trian statues, but no SaintGaudens has
been inspired to lift upon marble pedes-
tai in public park or library the sculp-
tured figure of the patient. plodding. pa
thetic patriot, who without promise or
hope of reward, like the western con-
gresham, "seen his duty and he done it,