The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-12
GENERALS AND THE PRESIDENCY.

Miles. Egan. Coghlan. Dewey and the
rest of the army and navy officers who
have recently been the prey of the
ubiquitous and omnivorous interviewer.
are not the first men of the fighting
profession who were as handy with the
tongue as with the sword. nor have
they done the mischief that some
American officials were guilty OF. Jas
Wilkinson. who was the commanding
general OF the army for several years
after the death OF Wayne. in 1896. was
one OF the most persistent marplots Of
his time, says a writer IN Leslie's Week
ly. He was i'm the Conway cabal DIR
ing the Revolution. which attempted 20
depose Washington and put the incom-
petent Gates In his place. As a taiker
and a writer he was active in the Sc
ceSSionist schemes in Kentucky in the
days Immediately before the framing
OF the federal constitution OF 1877. and
was In the pay OF Spain for many years
while wearing the uniform Of a United
States officer. Wilkinson, however. was
the only army officer, exclusive of Ar
mold. whose tongue and pen We're active
i'm discreditable way.
General SCOTS indiscreet outgivings
during and Immediately after the Mex
lean War destroyed all his chances of
getting the Whig nomination i'm lS4S
which went 10 the more eircumspect
General Taylor Hs little speeches i'm
1852. when he did get the nomination.
especially his blarney about the erich
Old Irish brOgue.. and the sweet Ger
man accent" were turned into rdipule
by his opponents despite tho luster Of
his military service i'm several wars.
beginning with 1912 and ending with
that against Mexico I'm lS46-AS. and one
-Picrce-whose military career was
insignificant swept the country. carry
ing all except four states. Commodore
stockton and Colonel Fremont who also
figured I'm the Mexican War cnnSpicu-
ously and honOrably borh Of whom were
in politics af.erward, had their chances
FOR political preferment injured BY
unwse speeches.
General sherman said he would not
accept the presidency II he received
the nomination Of every party in the
country. and obtained unanimous vote
OF the electoral college. He remarked
also that even If he should try TO get
the presidency, h's tongue would defeat
him. for he would. as he averred. be
sure to say many things which would
he turned against him .criuC the cam
vass Everybody remembers Gen.
eral HancOCk's naive assertion that the
farff was not ~ much consequence
anyhow: that IL was a mere local is
sue" which could be dealt with satis-
factorily by the people i'm their Com
gressioral districts w-,hout burdening
a presidential candidate u talk or think
about IL. General Hancpcks political
enemies used this assertion with tell
ing effect agains, it's author for in
those days the tariff as an issue was
decidedly active and expansive. Prob
ably not ono of our present soldiers or
sailUrs-NIiles. Dewey. CCRhlan or any
other Ona-soeks the presidential can
didacv. II any OF them should be nom
mated however, there - Il chance that
some of the politicians on their side
would take the same precaution to
ahilct him with what Nr. Bryan iu iS9S
called the military lockiaw." as Thur
low weed dd n the campaign - iSiS
with ~ harry Taylor. or as Matthew s.
QUAY did on that memorable O~c1s'nn
a Few wears ag1. when y aimouishel
the gtihatnatOriil candidate ~ his par
IS in his stat" as follows: Dear EpI-
yer. don. talk.'