The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-05
General Funston Writes an In
teresting Letter.
Hasn't Figured Out Yet Wheth.
er He Is
OR NOTORIOUS
Is Not Able to Stir Up Any Of
fee Enthusiasm.
Some of the Beauties of Hold
ing Office Objected To.

lola, Aug. SIN a letter dated at San
Fernando, Luzon, June 29, General Fred
Funston writes to the editor of the
Register as follows:
After a long delay the mail has
reached US again, and among the 800
to find two from you. I have received
congratulatory letters from nearly
every state in the union on my recent
antics and consequent promotion, but
the. whole pile of them don't begin to
be for me what the letters from half a
dozen old and tried friends are.
Somehow at this distance can not
get the proper perspective of the whole
business, and have not yet been able
TO ngure out whether I am famous or
merely notorious, whether 1 am Paul
Revere or Dick Turpin. On the whole
It has been quite a gratifying exper-
fence for me, but my feet are still on
the earth, and my hat is still IA
very much approve of your edi-
torIal, Let the Boy Alone" 1t fits the
case exactly. 1 am not able to stir up
any enthusiasm over the idea of going
after office. From the money standpoint
there IS absolutely nothing in it because
L can make and save more in other
ways So far as having a voice in pub
lie affalrs is concerned, having my say
and vote on questions of governmental
policy, and helping good and capable
men into public position, I should like
1t. But when it comes to settling a dis
pute as to who shall be postmaster at
Gr1ggsby's Station, or who shall repre-
sent Uncle Sam at the court of
the Ahkound Of Swat, Lord deliver
THE Twentieth Kansas a few days
ago went to Manila to remain until it
embarks for home, which certainly
ought not to be later than the first half
of August. 1t undoubtedly will see no
more hSht1ng. It's casualty list has been
three officers and thirty enlisted men
killed, ten officers and 102 enlisted men
wounded
My brigade now consists of two fine
regular regiments, the Ninth and
twelfth United States infantry, each
loo strong. OF course don't know
when 1 shall be mustered out, but
think quite soon- My understanding is
that there being no vacancy among fhe
brigadiers I was appointed under the
six months clause of the act of March
2, 1899. If so I cannot serve longer
than September 2. However, 1 may be
mistaken in this
Abiding to the criticism made by
some of the Kansas papers upon his
recommendation of Netca1f for colonel
to succeed himself General Funston
says:
when the news of my promotion
came was in Manila wounded and tel
egraphed Lieutenant Walker adjutant
of the regiment at San Fernando, to
privately see every officer OF the regi-
ment and ascertain his choice for col
onel, limiting the election to the three
field officers, Little, Whitman and Met
SeeAA- A1C4 z W GIG 20 O14lCSES aL san F'SF-
nando and q of them voted for Met
calf, Little getting one vote There
were Il officers at Manila either wound
ed or sick, but as their vote could not
possibly change the result, it was not
taken. I afterwards learned by private
conversation that ten of them would
have voted for Metcalf. think the 9TH
er two would have gone for Little OF
the q who voted for Metcalf at least a
dozen were Democrats or Populists.'
In the course Of his letter General
Funston pays his respects in his usual
emphatic fashion to the space writer's
who invented the silly story of the at
tempt of his wife to go with him on
board the transport, disguised at a SOL
der, and the Ned Buntline rornances
about his life with Black Dog, the In
dian chief, and his adventures as a
cowboy