The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-03-10

tsin during the march by the allied
armies to the relief of the legations OF
Picking. The major was a brave man
and met his death in battle Over his
grave was standing the finest monu-
ment in all Arlington. Lawton was
major-general. of magnificent service
in the war between the states, in In
dian campaigns. in the war with Spain
and in operations in the Philippines.
His grave had nothing to mark it en-
cept the little government stone
called the attention of the Wash
ington correspondent of an Indianapo-
lis, newspaper to the condition of
things. Lawton was an Indiana man.
The correspondent wrote a story to
which response was instant. Tie state
of Indiana voted large sum OF money
for monument to its soldier son. 1t
was decided, however, to erect it in
the city of Indianapolis.
Congress Acts at Last.
For eleven years attempts have been
made to get congress fittingly to rec
ognize the services of Lawton. The
senate has just done its duty in the
matter and in few days tho house
will follow suit. While at present there
is no stone except the little govern
ment tablet to mark Lawton's grave,
there is a portrait in bronze of the
soldier not far distant. 1t appears in
the panel which has been let into the
stone which marks the resting place
of Maj. Gen. George Crook, the Indian
fighter On this panel there are por-
traits in bronze of the officers who
were present at the capture of Geroni-
mo, the Apache. Lawton was one Of
them.
In the spring of 1886 Lawton, who
was then captain of cavalry, was Sc
lected ito lead picked body of troops
into Mexico in pursuit of the murder
Gus Geronimo. For three months,
with saltless mule meat and sometimes
little of that, for rations, he marched
his command 1896 miles through
parched and barren deserts until the
Apache and his band were captured.
In the Spanish war Lawton com
manded the second division of the
Fifth army corps before Santiago, and
he was in the thick of the fighting pre-
ceding the capture of San Juan Hill.
1t is said that history eventually will
know him as the Hero of Ell Caney."
1t has been definitely decided that
Rear Admiral Charles Edgar Clark.
who commanded the Oregon in its trip
around the Horn and in the fight on
Santiago, shall be on the bridge of his
old ship when it leads the procession
of war vessels through the Panama
canal next January. Admiral Clark is
expected in Washington again to con-
fer finally with the naval authorities
upon matters in preparation for the
great event.
May Enlarge Commerce Board.
1t is believed in Washington that
soon congress will largely increase the
membership of the interstate COM
merce commission and that the duties
of the enlarged body will be so ar
ranged that members will sit stimuli
taneously in different cities of the
country in order that proceedings
may be expedited. The commission
is being overworked. Its members
are at their tasks all day and not In
frequently far into the night.
Senators and representative seem
ingly are awakening to sense of the
need of relieving individual members
of the present commission Of part
of their duties by increasing the
boards membership and spreading the
work out territorially.
Business men of different parts of
the United States have been put to
inconvenience and to loss because of
the slowness with which decisions in
cases important to them are given by
the commission. When a body of men
is engaged in works of such magni-
tude as trying to determine whether
freight rates shall be increased and
trying to determine the physical valu.
alton of the railroads of the country,
it is little to be wondered perhaps
that it must of necessity delay rem.
dering rulings in matters admittedly
minor to those mentioned, but never
theless of high Importance to the bust.
ness men directly interested.
1t is known definitely that members
of the interstate commerce commits
sion work late into the night; that
| their secretaries and some members
| of the office force break union rules
in an over-working attempt to keep
| pace with the mass of business which
has come before the commission fol
| consideration. Instead of decreasing
! the work is increasing all the time
Its rapid development has attracted
attention in congress, and from the
very nature of things 1t must be thai
soon some legislation for the RELIEF
of the condition will be enacted.
It has been suggested that tn.
membership of the commission should
be enlarged. and that it should main
tain branch Offices In large cities O
the country, the cities chosen to b,
the focal business points for the sec
ton for which. in sense. they ar.
| the capitals.
4 It is known in Washington thai
some of the railroads of the countr,
are delaying work along certain lines
presumably legitimate and which
would benefit. shippers and consumers
the delay being due solely to the Ina
bility of the interstate commerce com
mission to take up the cases and L
! give them prompt decision.