The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-18
HOUSTON, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1902.
y PAGES TODAY.
THE PRESIDENTS REVIEW IN THE GENERAL
JACOB n. SMITH CASE.

The review OF the case of General Jacob H. smith
by President Roosevelt and Secretary Root presents
four salient points for considerations First that the
charges of Philippine atrocities true; second that
the punishment meted out to General Smith is made
auae third that both president and the secretary
of war resort what known in the slang of the day
as grand stand plays; fourth that the secretary of
wars review contains fiat falsehood the proof OF which
can be established by public document signed with
his hand and seal
1t IS 10 be remembered that the administration or
gans and orators charged the democrats with at
lacking the army when the charges of Philippine cruel
ties we're made chief among which this charge
against General smith upon which the president has
Just found him guilty. If the democrats attacked the
army the president has here done the same thing.
The punishment is inadequate. If Smith is guilty
OF giving the kill and burn" order-and the president
finds him guiltya reprimand and retirement from the
active list not real punishment 1t leaves him in the
full enjoyment of pay and the Of the retired list
on which he must have shortly been placed anyhow
account of the age limit.
with but few exceptions the officers and soldiers
OF the army" writes the president have shown won
derful kindness orhearance in dealing with their
foes" That's grand stand play to try to save the
credit of the administration with the people. because
everybody knows that it not until the democrats
reused public opinion and made the country ring with
the stories of Philippine ourages that the admin
istraton began TO take steps to check these ourages
The fiat falsehood is in stating that General Smiths
order not used by Major Waller a defense In his
trial. General Smith court-martaled by the direc-
tion OF the secretary of in dispatch to General
Chanee given to the public In which the Of the
martial Is stated to be the testimony of the kill
and burn" order given In Major Walters trial.
Dragging in tho sacred of Washington is not
to speak 1t profanely HAT basphemy The order Wash
ington gave to General Sullivan in 1879 In the
pagn against the six nations Is totally different
order from the kill and burn order of General Smith
IN attempting to draw parallel does the secretary
with the presidents approval mean to say that
Washington should have been reprmanded for cruelty
removed from the active list of the army for the
good of the service?" When election time comes the
American people will not forget that the admnisra
ton, in addition to Its other misdeeds has DETAINED
Washington and linked his great naro with that OF
XIII and Burn" Jake Smith.
In any view OF the case, the presidents emphatic
declaration that there have been outrageous cruees
in the Philippines should put end TO the silly cry OF
the republican apologsts that rebuke OF proved in
of vicious conduct is criticism of the army
The president the commander In chief of the army
the conduct of Waller who acted under the
orders of Smith, IAN act which sulled the American
name" No harsher language has been used by any
opponent or critic of the Philippine policy.