The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-30
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1899.
TWELVE PAGES.
The Years Men.

~ VENTS prove that the war we
had with Spain and the annex
to it in the Philippine cam
paigning do not add many illustrious
names to the roll of this country's ia
nous captains. The one achievement
of the year, in war annals, has been to
establish Admiral Dewey's enduring
title to conspicuous rank.
Last year, on Memorial day, Dewey's
brilliant victory at Manila was a month
old. Prior thereto he had, been as good
as stranger to the American people
a commodore we'll spoken of. He was a
new hero; he had acquitted himself so
magnificently that His countrymen
We're anxious lest something might oc-
cur to tarnish his shining record. There
is no longer any fear on that score BY
conduct which in every instance has
been a model in its way, Dewey has
taken his permanent place in the ad-
miration and the affections of his coun-
trymen. His exalted place in the ma
TONS galaxy of heroes is fixed: he is
the man of this generations; the most
conspicuous product of the closing quar-
ter century of American achievement
A year ago our war was not far ad-
vanced. The news on the morning of
Memorial day was that, in fact Ger
vera was in Santiago harbor, bottled
up, with Schley's fleet serving the use
full purpose of the cork. The triumph
for our navy in the subsequent destruc-
nj 1i,11,
a magnificent event; the public with
holds not its admiration. Yet the fact
remains that a disagreeable heritage
from that famous engagement is a
stubborn pen-and-ink war not edify-
ing, not pleasing to the people, over the
relative merits of Schley and Sampson
whose respective hackers show more
enmity toward the rival American
than any or all of them display toward
Cervera, the Spaniard of the situation
OF course, the war, although too brief
for much record making, furnishes
proud testimonials for many of the Off
GERS and men who had a share in its
hardships. They won the country's en-
during gratitude; but we are speak
ing now of conspicuously prominent
names. Withal, the country has found
1t quite impossible to get ardently en-
thusiastic over Shafter; on the con-
trary. Hobson's act was wildly ad-
mired; forthwith he kissed himself into
public disfavor AS for the Philippine
enthusiastically its records are yet
to be written. For the commanders
there, no measure of recognition Justly
due will be withheld; Funston is thus
far the most admired man in the Phil
ippine group. AS for the volunteers, it
is the universal admission that they
have Jared hardest who have endured
the dangers of Philippine campaigning;
and our own commonwealth has been
conspicuously honored in the service the
Montana soldiers have rendered.
The changes of the year have been
comparatively few. The war found
General Miles at the head of the army,
and he is there to-day. Undoubtedly
his hold on the public has meanwhile
been strengthened, and that happens,
not so much because of conduct on the
field, however worthy that was. II is
due rather TO the fact that General
Miles dared to defy Alger the secretary
of war, whose criminal maladministra-
ton of his department is the browning
scandal of the era in which we live.