The times., 1898-12-21
rh. presideut and the ARMY.

The President and the Army.
A favorable report on the bill introduced
by Chairman Hull seems to be the pr
pose OF the House Military Committee, in
spite of the adverse opinions of General
Miles and all army officers who are not
Immediately dependent on Ager and Cor
bin, or who do not look to political infiu-
ence for promotion. There is no reason
to hope that the most Objectionable fea-
tures-which confirm the authority of the
adjutant general and enable the civilians
of the War Office to suspend the activity
of the commanding general, as pointed
out by General Schofield-will be amend
ed. The members of the committee are
not acting in the dark. They have had
a clear statement of some of the inevita-
BILE effects of the measure they favor. be-
sides Information as TO the general prac-
tice ins European armies, which is con-
trary to that which the bill will estab-
lish. These men simply prefer that
the politicians should be considered.
rather than that the welfare OF the army
should be guarded. 1t is fortunate for
their bill that it is likely to be reported
and perhaps acted on before congress
sional committee investigates the conduct
of the Spanish war and makes its re-
port. Such an inquiry must reveal the
consequences of misused power in such
way as to make the enactment of the
Hull measure impossible.
The President has been extremely ju-
dicious in the promotion of the policy of
expansion. By belated but striking en-
thusiasm in behalf of that policy and an
unexpected generosity toward Southern
sentiment. he has managed to escape the
natural penalty of tolerating Algerism.
1t has been a narrow escape, however,
and it is not impossible for blunder 10
cause no little trouble to the Administra-
tion. AS an essential part of expansion
the army must be enlarged and reorgan-
lied. Different authorities have placed
the number of men required at from sew
enty-five to a hundred thousand. Without
this army increase and a liberal response
by Congress to the demands for its sup
port, colonial administration would be diff
ficult- 1t is best and wisest for the Presi-
dent to arouse no unnecessary oppos on.
If he should favor an army bill that has
the approval of army otiicers-a bill tat
makes the interests of the politicians sub
ordinate to those of the army-there could
be no solid fight against it by the Demo-
cratic minority. By standing by Secre-
tary Alger and Adjutant General Corb.n
and promoting their selfish ambition. he
not only insures the organized opp 5sit;on
of the minority, but revives the indigna-
tion with which his liberation OF these
incompetents was received. That the
Democratic minority is not TO be de-
spised when it is right and has the people
back of it, President Mckinley learned
when it compelled his reluctant feet to
take the last step toward war. Now, as
then. it may attach to its cause enough
rebellious Republicans to derange the
schemes of the Administration.
1t is in the Presidents power to have
the best features of General Mi.es's ad-
mirable plan embodied in the bill to be
favorably reported II he is wise and de-
sires to avoid unnecessary friction he
VIII call off Alger and Corb.n and suggest
to his friends in the House the adoption
of the Miles ideas of army reorgani.a-
tion as far as they affect the powers of
the commanding general and the exc.u-
sion of civilians from the staff. If he has
a hard fight that will certainly be of no
benefit to him, 1t will be his own fault