The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-28
Exasperating.

4 " lessons of their war with
Spain? The question is per-
tlnent in view of the report from
Washington tSat the army reorgani-
zation bill, drafted with great care
by the secretary of war. after thor
ough study of army needs, will not
pass on account of opposition which
has developed in the house.
Two reasons are assigned for this
opposition. One Is that the officers Of
the staff, the men now permanently
seated in pleasant places in and
around headquarters, enjoying not
only the privilege Of running the inner
workings Of the army machine while
others do the actual fighting and
marching and drilling and hard work,
but also that of being received ex Of
fcio into the select circles of Wash
ington society, the most charming en-
vironment which can be imagined,
have thrown their tentacles around a
| sufficient number Of congressman in
fuential in shaping army legislation
| to protect them against the necessity
| ing in the line, as proposed in Elihu
Roots straightforward and clear-cut
| bill. This is equivalent to saying that
the needs of the army, the very vital
| necessities as revealed in the recent
| test Of war, weigh less heavily in the
scales Of congress than do the button
holng and intrigue of the bureau
cratic wire-pullers.
The second reason is less discour-
| aging. 1t Is that q number Of leaders
| in the house of representatives, wish
| ing to prepare the way for adjourn
ment on June 6, as already announced
| by resolution, are inclined to postpone
until next winter consideration of the
army bill and of all ether bills not
absolutely urgent by reason of the
| governments necessities. There is ex-
cuse for this attitude in the fact that
the nearncss OF the national nominat-
ing conventions takes the mind of con-
Gress away from actual work and does
snot permit the kind of thinking which
lis essential to wise law-making.
isFThe country can endure the thought
of sending the army bill over until
next winter If 1t Is understood that
the bill will then be taken up earn
estly and considered on its merits.
| What it cannot endure in patience is
the idea that the defects so wildly
displayed in our military system in the
forepart Of the Spanish-AmeriCan war
! are not to be rernedied because of the
1 bias of a small proportion of the Of
flcers of our army and their personal
friends in congress. This Is insuffer-
ably exasperating to the average
American who believes that the man
hood in the ranks of our army is fit
to have around it the best organlza-
tion in the world instead of the worst.
The Woman's Army and Navy league,
an organization composed of the wives
and daughters of naval and army Off
GERS, has issued an appeal to the coun-
try for contributions for an American
library at Manila for the benefit of
American soldiers, sailors and civilians
Contributions Of money, books, maga-
replace and to enlarge the small col
lection Of literature for English speak
ing people which now exists in Manila,
but which, from constant use, is In a
dilapidated condition. These, If sent to
Mrs. Ludington, care of General NJ. T.
Ludington, war department, Washing
ton, ID. c., will be duly acknowledged
and forwarded; and the donors will
have the satisfaction of knowing that
they have helped to smooth the hard
lot of the American soldier in this far
off land of difficulties and trials
Briton, Boer, Indian fellah and various
other distressed foreigners have re-
Gently had experience with American
generosity; let some attention now be
paid to that too frequently ignored
hero and sufferer, the regular army
man"
Senator Morgan's solution of such
legal problems as are involved in the
Neely case is to give to the Supreme
court OF the District Of Columbia juris'
diction over all persons not within a
state who shall commit a crime against
the United States concerning which the
federal statutes do not fix o specific
jurisdiction. A bill framed by him with
this purpose In view is now pending
before the judiciary committee OF tht