The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-10
MILES, PICNIC.
Army and Navy Register Ridi-
cules the Campaign
Of General Miles in Porto
Rico.
A VAST ARMY is SENT
Where There is to Be No Fight
ing
Merely Because Politicians
Want 1t to Be Sent.
A VAST ARMY is SENT

New York, Aug. 1O.-Under the head
of "A Campaign for Politics" the Army
and Navy Register prints the following
editorial:
rs the war to close in the scandal of
politics? There is promise of it. The
authorities of this administration who
are responsible for sending eighteen
regiments to Porto Rico make no pre-
tense that the services of these troops
are needed. The order is a tribute to
the politicians who have successfully
lnterfered with so much that should
have been sacred from the spokesman
and party trickster. The plans OF cam
palgnS should not have been prOfaned
by the touch of the heelers. One would
think, were this government ever to be
operated upon the broad lines of patri-
otism, the occasion would assuredly be
when this country was at war with
foreign power. 1t might naturally be
inferred that then politics would be for
gotten and politicians ignored.
with the end of the war upon US,
and the work of the army and navy
practically accomplished, it is not amiss
to say, in all candOr, that both politics
and politicians have had their in
huences. The quality of the one and the
presence of the other have controlled
the destinies of this nation, and have
governed campaigns. The appointments
made to staff positions in the army
have in numerous instances been flag
rant and brazen examples of the in
fiuenca of politics; orders issued to Off
GERS have been aCtuated by the letters
and visits of influential people; camps
have been chosen or abandoned with
more consideration for the political
effect than any sanitary conditions;
troops have been designated for service
at the front not always because they
We're efficient or well equipped, but be-
cause they could get the assignment,
and because the senators of their states
wanted it,
The effect has been harmful; it has
been detrimental to discipline and more
a breach of it than anything accom-
pished by Individual officers and men
who have suffered the humiliation of
public reprimand. The latest order
which assigns to one division a sufficient
number of regiments to make two sucn
commands invites criticism, and Will
probably get it. The only creditable
feature about the circumstance is that
no one attempts to conceal the reason
for sending eighteen regiments to Porto
Rico at a. time when there is abundant
promise of peace and when the Ameri-
can force in that territory is over
WheImingly superior to that of the en-
envy. 1t is something more than farcl-
cal to send these regiments to Porto
Rico, and it is an insult to the brave
and gallant men who compose them TO
acknowledge that the command is made
up and is assigned to duty in deference
to the demands of state politicians
1T converts the volunteers into
thing for the politicians; it makes them
the tool OF designing ana cOuSC46uC61GSS
men. The troops have every reason TO
resent it, and we are glad to see the
idea does not find favor in all quar-
tiers. Troops called out to defend this
country and sustain its honor should
not be disgraced by parading them in
a political picnic. If they feel the war
has brought nothing to them and they
have not sufficiently shared in It's glor-
les it is no fault of theirs. They are
entitled to the gratitude of this nation
quite as much as the troops which sue
ceeded in getting to the front II IS
most inadequate compensation for tneIr
lost opportunities that they should be
dragged across to Porto Rico under the
ridiculous guise of invaders when they
themselves know that they are oter1ng
a military tribute to the politicians at
home, and their march under depart
mental orders is no more an operation
of war than crumbs thrown with osten-
tation from the once heavily Iaden
table constitute hospitality, and TINS
sunp1ementaI campaign might be 9TH
erwise likened to the smile.
1T is interesting and significant that
Vermont has interpOsed objection TO
this cheap scheme. Senator Proctor
who knows something of army methods.
sent this dispatch to the governor of his
state:
- am convinced that the Vermont
regiment will soon be ordered TO Porto
Rico. They will probably sail from New
York or Newport News
.srTbe reply sent to Secretary Alger, was (
Should md Endorsement in every one of
the eighteen states the troops Of which
form General WadeS division
- I respectfully protest against senqlhg
the Vermont troops to Porto Rico unless unless
their services are actually needed there: /
Those Of us who babe our sons godspeed
when they enlisted in the countFiXs s +bst-
might make even to life itself. and they |
are now of the same, mind But When tn, the
be at home with their families, and in /
their wonted places of business; An ex- /
ion rn
over cannot add to their honor nor to the |
honor of Vermont. ~