The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-28
OLD JOE WHEELER
Is One Who Is Chemically
Spelling fora Fight.
GREAT LEADER IN BATTLE
But Not Always Practical as
a Legislator.

Washington, June N.-Gen. Joseph
Wheeler, who delivered the Memorial Day
GRAFTON In Boston before the Edward w.
KinsIey Post, Is getting TO be hard man
to understand He seems to have a mania
for war. If by any chance hostilities
should suddenly cease in the Philippines,
and our international horizon should be-
come entirely cloudless, Gen. Wheeler
would need to call in physicians to admin
lister sedatives and clergymen to admins
ter consolation 1t will be recalled that at
Montauk last year he expressed his belief
that war with Spain would break out
again; that the truce then pending was
only a recess which would be followed by
severer hOstilities. When that prediction
proved groundlesS, he began TO look with
Lingering and longing eyes toward the Phil
ippines. When the President wa. in town,
he was an almost daily visitor at the
White House. AS far as could be learned,
the object of these visits was to impor-
tune the President to send him to the
Philippine Islands for active service.
'Tsleeler does not to be on waiting orders
as a Brigsdier-General. He would rather
serve in congress than do that, and it is
his frequently announced determination
to lay down his military commission and
devote himself TO the tame duties of a
Representative unless he can have this
active service in the Philippines.
Gen. Whesbers case is worthy Of psy-
Geological study. When a young man he
made q remarkable record as Confeder-
ate cavalry leader. displaying rare skill
and resourcefullness. The recollection Of
those stirring days. IN spite Of their hard
ships, has stood out in his mind ever since.
He has verify thirsted for the excitement
OF battle. The outbreak OF the Cuban war
kindled this slumbering passion into
fame, further famed by his appointment
as a Major-General. At his age, the war
passion once aroused will not subside.
He can never again be happy unless at
lacking MS country's enemies. From this
point of view, the Presidents hesitancy
about reappointing him. when the army
was reorganized after the Spanish war,
and his present hesitancy about sending
him to the Philippines. are hard to under
stand.
Gen. Wheeler's original appointment,
with that of Fitzhugh Lee of Virginia,
appealed strongly TO the sentmentality OF
the country; It seemed as If the bloody
chasm of sectional feeling had at last
been bridged. The very circumstance
made extraordinary heroes OF Wheeler and
Ia FTyb,s ,-as uoov. foa,rd out rs, NJ
Bailey of Texas, who tried 70 have Gen.
Wheeler turned out Of congress. Bailey
has been roundfy abused for his traitor
Gus" conduct, and has been obliged to de-
fend himself ever since OF course, there
WIS no reason why Wheeler should not
at the same time be q general in the army
and a member of congress except the |
plain mandate of the constitution OF the |
United States; and the judiciary commit |
tee OF the House decided with practical !
unanimity that Mr.. Bailey's contention
was sound. But the House itself, with
strong patriotic" feeling, refused to con-
slider the committees report On the same
day, Speaker Reer neglected to recognize
Gen. Wheeler when he addressed the
chair in an endeavor to secure the floor.
It is to be hoped that this matter will re-
ceive further attention in the next House
1t is very good point to have settled
Gen. Wheeler is one of the most genial
and chivalrous OF men. His acts of
thougdtfulness and genuine kindness are
on everybody's tongue. He Is, moreover,
a brave soldier. and a striking example Of
1.-The strenuous life" OF which much Of
late has been heard. But any one who
glances over the bills introduced in any
term Of congress by Mr.. Wheeler as a
representative from Alabama. will find the
greatest collection of chimerical proposals
he has ever encountered. Gen. Wheeler's
mind seems to run to the unusual. He is
very fertile IN original ideas, and voluble
IN their expression. AL in ALL he IS one of
the most interesting characters now on
the public stage. Away from Washington.
he is not always understood.