The evening times., 1899-02-08
EAGAN's SENTENCE.
Press Comments on the Presidents
AcfiNn.


New York Tribune" I'm this particu-
lar case tenderness is unfortunate. General
Eagan's action was unspeakable. His pre-
yious utterances such as his abusive letter
to Mr.. Robert B. Roosevelt, were so coarse
that all excuse about great provocation
and temporary responsibility are mad
missible. Sudden passion cannot be plead
ed to excuse carefully written and deiib-
erately circulated indecency and foul in
suit TO his highest military superior. Len
iency in dealing with it cannot help re-
acting on the army, making the men OF
the finer feelings little less proud of their
uniforms, making men of coarse fibre much
more insubordinate and lawless. It's effect,
too, in the country is likely TO be unfor-
tunate. General Eagan stands to the pop
ular mind as the champion of 'embalmed'
beef. The efforts so far made to secure
thorough investigation of the quality OF
meat sent to our soldiers have been siren
uously, bitterly, and successfully resisted.
The Major General Commanding the Army
is threatened with military discipline for
persisting in fofciug )the contractors to an
accounting for the supplies. which, as the
reports to him Of the regular army officers
in the field seemed to- show, were unwho.e-
some and injurious 10 the troops. Men&c-
ing General Miles for coming 10 the de-
fence of the common soldier, even If done
irregularly, while committing the sentence
of General Eagani for being outrageously
abusive and indecent in advocacy of the
perfection OF the beef which the soldiers
rejected, will be construed by the enemies
of the Administration as championng the
cause OF the contractors in preference to
the interests of the nations defenders
New York Herald: President Nc
kinley has played directly into the
hands of Algerism, and Eaganism, which
is derivation of the other word.
He has set the verdict of the court martial
aside. He announces that General Eagan' S
sentence shall be suspension, on full pay,
until his retirement in l905-six years OF
idleness at the peoples expense for grossly
insulting the Commanding General of the
Army and the champion of the common
soldier.
Such communication of sentence is as Sc
we're blow as the reorganiZed army 10 be
could possibly receive, Ii reveals a weak
ness, a dependency on political complica-
tions, which is like white flag hung out
by the commander in chief of as badly a
misused military establishment as there
is in the world
New York Journal" THE President
has commuted General Eagan's sentence
TO suspension for six years, which de-
I priyes him of any. further service on the
active list. There is no desire to persecute
Eagap. and this act of mercy would not
! be severely criticised if il stood alone. But
what does the President mean by the miti-
eating circumstances which ewre developed
during the trial of the case? Is that an
/ inlimation that General Miles charges
were unfounded? II so, the President
! would do well to read yesterdays dis
! patches from Havana. telling how tons of
I the Commissary Departments embalmed
! beef. which even the starving Cubans
| could not eat, were dumped into the sea-
| New York World" In sense Eagan
| was being made a scspegoat for Alger and
! Corbin and their great and good friend MIR.
| Mckinley. His sin was an oyer-zeaious
! and tactless defence of them.
| "A truly good man will not suffer another
| 10 be punished-too seyerely-for his own
! shortcomings And William Mckinley is
a truly good man. Those heavenly twins
with rhe mry skrts-Duty and Destiny
! have counseled him Alright.
| "Eagan is not 10 be punished for black
! suardism. He is to be rebuked for over
zeal