The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-09

hibit 4 subordinate from communicating
with the omnapderin-ehief except
through the military channels. But
General Wheeler Is allowed 10 DO what
would not b. permitted from ANY other
officer. and his communications 70 the
President. although dealing with the sit
uaricn in the Philippines. have been con-
sidered personal instead Of official.
General Wheeler appears u have a
grievance against the regular army Off
GERS. He thinks there Is 4 conspiracy
among them 10 prevent HIN from active
participation in the Philippine campaign.
and thereby depriving him OF the glory
and qualification which is the reward
OF the successful soldier. tie i kcpt
in camp. idle and useless, while officers
Of lesser rank from the regular army
are chasing Aguinaldo through the for
ests and gorges and fighting the Filipino
guerrillas amon the j~ungleS and sugar
haciendas. Ii cost the General five
months of persistent pressure At the
White House and War Department tn
get an order 10 the Philippines. and now
that he has got there General Otis Will
give him nothing to do, and the Senate
rial campaign in Alabama has already
opened. Generals Young, Lawtun. Mac
Arthur and others Of the regular army
have been assigned TO active work. while
Wheeler has had 10 loaf in his tent, 50
to speak. Being a man OF intense a~
tivity, thiS has been very irkSolne. and
General Wheeler has appealed TO his
friends. and even 10 the President, to
use their influence 50 hat Otis Will give
him 4 livelicr job.
There is. without doubt. a distinct
prejudice against General Wheeler in tn.
regular army. He is regarded as a
political general. He insists upon re-
tanning his seat in Congress and his com
mission in the army at the same time.
which is not considered proper in a tru
soldier. and there is a feeling also that
the little general is in the army for pOliti-
cal reasons. The regular officers feel
about him very much as the members
of a medical association would feel about
a doctor who having retired from the
profession and spent the greater part OF
his life in other business should endeavor
to secure the patronage of their most
profitable patients.
1T is said that General Whoelcr's la
test messages to the President. which
are sent through a colleague in Con-
gress, were severely critical in the COM
nfents upon the management of the
campaign in the Philippines. and reflect
81 hAINANiN tliOI liz ujt vi
General Otis. If that were true Of any
other officer he might be subject TO
court-martial, but, as l have suggested,
General Wheeler is allowed liberties that
are not enjoyed by other officers. 1t is
said also that General Wheeler appealed
directly to the President for advice az
to his future plans. He said tha if his
services were not needed in the Philip
pines he would return to Washington
and resume his seat in Congress, where
he might be more useful to the Presi-
dent IN promoting his expansion policy:
but il he remained in. the Philippines
he wanted active service, and not garri-
son duty. ! understand that the Presi-
dent has allowed this letter to remain
unanswered, but has indirectly endeay-
ored to crafty General Wheeler's am
hilton to chase the Filipinos, leaving his
assignment, however, entirely to the
Judgment OF General Otis. The latter,
however, has intimated a preference for
General Wheeler's return to Congress. and
is reported to have said that his PRES
ence at Manila was a continual embar-
raSsment to t~hpsarny." j
This is no more than was generally
expected. Our only regret is that Gen
cral Wheeler committed himself to the
policy Of s'crinlinal aggression The. only
:digniied cause for him now to pursue
is to resign and return to his seat in
the House and quit endorsing this rotten
administrations foreign policy.
There was never any chance to let
win honor, and Wheeler is receiving
now the same studied neglect.