The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-29
GENERAL FUNST0N'S REWARD.
Question of What 1t Shall BE Per
picking the President.

What recognition is to be accorded Gen
eTaI Funston for his brilliant feat in the
capture Of Aguinaldo is a question which
is causing the President no small amount
of perplexity- II is conceded that public
sentiment, if not a sense Of justice on
the part of the Government. VIII de
mand that the General be properly re
Warded for his successful achievement
Attention is called to the fat, however,
that under the new Army law the PTeSi-
dent has no power to appoint a volunteer
officer OF the line To any grade IN the
regular service between the ranks Of first
lieutenant and hrigadier general This
would preclude the President from be
slowing any suitable commission upon
Funston other than that of brigadier gen
era1-
There are, or viii be, shortly, two va
cancieS in the grade and in army circles
it has been considered that selections for
promotions had been practically decided
upon Consequently there viii be some
disappointment If Furston is raised to
the grade of briSadier general IN the reg
Ular service In army circles there IS 4
disposition to beIittle the achievement Of
Funston. This was especially true be
fore the cableeram was received from
General Macarthur highly commencing
the coup, giving the full credit to Fun
ston and recommending that he be made
a brigadier general
Army officers are inclined to treat the
exploit as one Of no especial Importance
ard TO argue that the capture Of AguiR-
! aldo comes too late to he of any material
value They assert that had be been cap
tUred earlier it might have beeen worthy
Of some special recognition II is also
pointed out that no cablegram of con-
graduation was sent by the War Depart
ment TO General Macarthur commenting
| the taking of the chief of the insurgents
The reason for this GOODNESS on the part
of the army, it is said, is apparent IN
the fact that Funston is but thirty-fiye
years old. and to be made brigadier
general at that age means that in all
! probability he would be commanding
| general of the army long before he
| reaches the age limit for -etlre u4ent.
| The friends of Funston are however,
! already active in his behalf There are
now several members Of the Kansas Con
| gresionaI delegation here who are look
t ing out for the interests Of the general.
| The activity on their part is, however,
/ they say, entirely unsolicited SO far as
| Funston is concerned. He has never. they
| contend. asked for any promotion or reg
/ IGNITION or endeavored 10 enlist political
/ support for his advancement Although
| Republican he was commissioned colonel
of a Kansas regiment 10y Populist Gov
/ ernor. and when he received his promo
! ton in the volunteer service it was b.
reason OF merit and not through his
! own solicitation. His friends insist that
/ he has never IN any way asked for favors
and they are therefore all the more eager
| 10 aid him.
| While army officers seem to be disin-
cIined TO praise Funston it is confidently
I expected that the President VIII make
/ him a brigadier general. Friends Of Fun
/ ston are warm in their praise OF General
( Macarthur Tor his expressions toward the
: Kansas soldier. They contrast his cable
! gram with that sent by Sampson after
/ the battle Of Santiago Sampson took the
| credit for the victory for himself while
/ General Macarthur gave Funston his fun
/ due
/ The Cabinet spent some time today in
! discussing In an informal way the proper
method of rewarding Funston. While no
! action was taken it was the unanimous
/ opinion that If anything is done for the
| Kansan il must be his appointment as
/ brigadier general IN the regular army