The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-08-29
IN OLD PBoVERB OUT OF JOINT

From times immem the idea
has been cultivated that old men for
conspl and young men for war is the
proper arrangement for human
activity. Whatever may have been
past experience, the recent war with
Spain leaves the venerable maxium
in a topsy-turvy condition. Men on
the far side of the prime of life have
directed the battles as well as formed
the plans, and with remarkable sue
cess. Perhaps some, like Shafter at
Santiago, were a little i'm petuous,
but that merely strengthens the case
against the proverb. Most of the
leaders are nearing the age of retire
ment. Dewey is 81, and entered the
naval academy forty-four years ago.
1t is something of a commentary on
fame that his name is particularly
hard to find in the biographical
works. Six months ago the the com
piler had not made his acquaintance.
He is not in the Century 'Dictionary
of Names" published in 1894. Dewey
proved equally good for war and
consul, in fact lncomparably better
than any young man could have
been. He is vetern of the civil
war, and in that grim school learned
all about running batteries, disre
gardlng mines and opening fire be-
fore breakfast. Dewey at 81 is
young enough to carry through any
task that could be set for the United
States navy, belligerent or diplomatic.
There is Gen. Joseph Wheeler, who
on the 10th of next month will reach
the age of 62. His presence at the
front at the battles around Santiago
was an important circumstance. He
was sick but refused to go to the
rear. A younger man might not
have been i'll, but his advice would
not have had the same value, and if
sick he would not have known how
to husband his impaired strength.
Shafter also was lndisposed, but
managed to pull through. Lawton
and Merritt are veterans Gen.
Miles, commanding the army. who
is past so, frlsked around Santiago
in a gum coat, where he was in the
heaviest showers he ever saw. Later
he perintended the campaign in
Porto Rico, which, though called
picnic, nevertheless, involved the
landing of an army on foreign soil
and capturing 4 populous island.
Sampson, is 50 and Schley nearly SO.
Fitzhugh Lee, the senior of this list.
will be 63 In November. He has
jocularly remarked to the war depart
ment that he has "ceased firing as a
reminder that he would prefer not to
snuff the battle from afar.
On the Spanish side Admiral Ger
vera, haired veteran, is de-
cldedly the hero. In dutiful
obedience to orders which he knew
were fatal he led his feet into battle.
and lost it after doing all that brave
man could under the plans prepared
for him. He went through the tenn
pest of shot and shell and narrowly
escaped drowning. He showed
heroic stuff by his manly treatment
of Hobson. But Hobson is, young
man, 1t is interposed. So he is, and
as gallant one as ever lived. But
his feat, planned by older heads, was
not effective. The channel was not
closed as designed. The noble self
sacrifice of the deed is what entities
it to universal honor. Old men, at
least men near the sixty mark, are
the safe warriors if any lesson touch
ing this point is to be extracted from
the conflict of 1898. But, of course,
the tremendous experience of the
civil war is an element in the case.
And on that word experience the