New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-02
GENERAL M'LEVEE AND THE GC4RI


A great many persons have been asking since
the first Of January whether or not anything was
going to be done about that report which the In
spector- General of the National Guard made to
the Adjutant- General at the close of the year.
and the unofficial publication of which caused the
abrupt dismissal of an excellent officer a few
hours before the expiration Of his term. As we
are very glad TO learn, this question Is being PR
vatey put TO Senators and Assemblymen by
members of the Guard. and the demand for an
answer Is growing stronger. General McAlpin :
successor in the Adjutant-Gcnerars office is I'M
derstOod to have taken the position that General
McLeweeS damaging report was never officially
fled by which ii is meant that the omission of
signature or some such technical delinquency
makes it possible to regard the report as nom
existent. But though it was not filed IL was
made, surely enough. and there is a prevalent
conviction that ii well made and well
worth making And that being the case, IL Is
well worth considering. however irreGularly II
was submitted and it's substance made known.
1t Is the contents Of the report, and not any al
legged informally or breach OF discipline. in
which the people chiefly interested. They
pay an immense sum OF money every year for
the support of the Guard, in the belief that It's
reputation for efficiency is a constant element
of security, and that in any emergency it can
be depended on TO do its whole duty. General
McI.ewees report and subsequent declarations
have created much more than n suspicion that
during the last two years process of deteriora
ton has been going on pretty rapidly, and that
thorough oyerhauling and bracing-up are needed
TO restore the military standard and moral tone
Of the organization.
1t Is known to all members Of the Guard and
to many others that General McI.ewee was put
in an uncomfortable position at the beginning
of his term as Inspector-General and kept there
till the end; and the reason Is well understood.
He was a soldier, who had no use for orna-
mental flummery. The sporting Of tnsel
not in his opinion the chief end Of the service.
1t was the serious work which interested him,
and he naturally encountered at the outset the
opposition Of those who had different views and
purposes. 1t Is significant fact that nobody
has denied the truth Of the charges contained
in his final report. All the protests relate to
the technical offence which he Is accused Of com
hitting and the discovery that the report,
though published. was never "filed,' has appar
emily caused considerable relief But though
theoretically not in the AdjutantGeneral's office
the report Is practically there, and there is no
reason why It should not be made a subject Of
inquiry. We suppose If the Legislature wanted
to see It that il would have to be produced In
response to resolution, and probably the Com
mittee on Military Affairs OF either house would
overlook the omission Of a signature.
Such an investigation. not only Of General Nc
Lewee's charges, but OF the entire military es-
tablishment is clearly in order Let the whole
truth about this affair be told so that the rpor-
ganizaton Of the Guard which the best men in
it are advocating may, II undertaken, be based
on ample knowledge Of actual conditions. The
suppression Of an official report multiplying the
work Of the Inspector-Generals Department for
year. Is n serious matter to the people Of New
York. If it is theoretically invalid because of
a technical defect, the Legislature can easily
make It valid to all intents and purposes