The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-25
ATTACKING THE ARMY.

The following editorial is from the Boston Herald
Independent in politics and one of the leading
papers of the United States 1t is to be
its candor and its truthfulness of statement, and
careful reading of the article suggested those who
have been mounting about alleged attacks on the
army The Herald says;
The action of President Roosevelt and Of Score
t6ry under his direction in the censure and the
retirement from office of General Jacob II. Smith
should have important agency in dsposing of the
clamor OF attacks upon the army which has been re
sorted to by certain political partsans of late These
partsans are of the party of the president and now
that functionary has taken stand which makes 1t i'm
possible to continue such line of reproach without
sailing him. If any has attacked the army he has
done It, We do not to charge him with any such
doings In point of fact has attacked the army
What has been done has been the action of
certain officers in the army. In this President
Roosevelt has joined, and has made himself con
spicuous. Those members of congress who in engag
ing in the discussion of Philippine affairs denounced
the oppression and the crueties practiced upon the
Philippine people in army quarters, confined their
to few officers who had been guilty of this
wrong President Roosevelt has done the same
thing. His course is when fairly analysed different
from theirs. He says the whole army is to be con-
demned for the objectionable proceedings of portion
of its officers So said they They never went further
than this, Inscriptions partisans undertook to con
vert their charges against few into arraignment
under them by his action; for his course is strict
ly analogous theirs except that while they have only
talked he has acted.
This whole proceeding to the time that the pres.
dent took hand 10 set the matter right before the ma
ton pure piece of demagogsm. Certain military
officers, conspicuous among whom were General Smith
of the army and Major Waller of the marines. were
guilty of actions that could defended They bore
their condemnation upon their face. No one of right
feelings informed of these actions without an In
stlncve sense of indignant horror 1t may be that GER
tain members of congress sought make party capital
out OF what they had done. This was natural and in.
eyitable 1t was something not to be avoided while
human nature in politics is what 1t is Our political
battles not be fought the highest plane Per.
haps this demagogism which have condemned was
an Offset to it that might have been expected We
leave this side for the in the discussion The
question that concerned to consider Isl Has the
army been attacked? and further is the army TO be
exempt from criticism in any OF the who compose
I'll to be the position that some OF those who
have participated in this discussion have taken
president Roosevelt if he has done nothing more
in his recent action to merit the approval of the ma
ton shonld receive 1t for his assertion that the
action Of officers in the is not above criticism
and, indeed that II may merit severe condemnation
We were in danger under the lead of demagogues of
ebscuring this fact from the public vision They were