The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-27
JDSI NATURAL
FOR JAKE
General Smith a Man Who
Doesn't Mean What He Says.
NATURALLY LOUD TALKER
And Has Always Been Violent
in His Remarks.
NATURALLY LOUD TALKEF


will Withdraw the 500 Friars VINO are the
subject of dispute. 1t is free to do as il
likes. But the natural outcome of the at
fair. the expected outcome. is such with
drawal and the replacement of the Friars
in the PHILIPPINES with the priests sent
largely from America AS has hitherto
been published, the negotiations are tc
be transferred to Manila. The holy see
win send 2 delegate thither. Meanwhile
schedules of all the lands owned by the
various orders will be prepared by the
church authorities, and in the course of
some months a definite arrangement for
the purchase of these lands, or a great
part Of them. viii doubtless be made. OF
course. the United States will not buy
these lands unless the Spanish friars are
taken out of the Philippines, and it is
the business Of the Vatican to see that
the clerics are removed in good time.
That is wholly the affair OF the church,
and with it the United States does not
expect to have anything more to do. In
asmuch as the Spanish Friars have out.
lived their usefulness in the Philippines,
and inasmuch as the United States gov
eminent viii be glad to facilitate IN every
way the Iabors OF the American priests
who may be sent TO take their places,
this solution of the problem is expected
in the end to be most beneficial to the
interests Of the church in the archipelago.
1t is worthy Of note that all the efforts
which have been made to take this ques
ton into American politics have resulted
in failure. II one cared TO Go It a rather
interesting chapter Of attempted political
conspiracy, involving no dignitary of the
church, but centering about a certain
aspirant for the presidency. could be
written. This is enough 20 say that a
plan to stir up church animosities in the
United States and array the adherents
of one faith against another has fallen
fat.
Secretary Root declines to give serious
consideration TO the point which has
been raised by some shrewd lawyer to
the effect that President Roosevelt ex-
ceodel his authority in ordering General
Jacob Smith TO be placed on the retired
list The contention was that as the
iistAL lAlril Ll14 4leitt ctliANitNEu Aztl4tIdl
Smith to be reprimanded the president
had not the legal right to add to the
punishment by deprivinE General Smith OF
his commission. But Secretary Root
points out that General Smith has not
been deprived Of his commission. He has
simply been transferred from the active
list TO the retired list. transfer which
the president has the undoubted power
to make ia any case where an officer has
passed the age of O. years.
Secretary Root says General Smith was
not retired as part of his punishment,
but because of an inhrmity developed by
recent events. that inhrmity being too
violent use of the English Language The
department view is that General Smiths
indiscretion with his tongue had brought
to an end his usefulness in The American
army. More than that. it had brought
disgrace upon the army and upon the
United States. The president carried out
The sentence Of the court martial. and
'admonished" General Smith, and in ad-
dition thereto. as a separate action, it Is
claimed, he exercised his power to place
that officer on the retired list. General
Smith has not been deprived OF his com
mission. He is still in the military ser
vice of the United States.
General Smith VIII arrive at San Fran
cisco in about two weeks. 1t is not be.
ueved he viii resist the order Of thu
president to the extent Of taking tho
matter into the courts on the ground thai
the president has violated law by ex-
ceeding the penalty.
Nevertheless there is 4 widespread feel
ing in army circles that president Roose
Welt treated General Smith with undue
severity. and there is a disposition 70 say
that the old soldier has been sacrificed to
public clamor This weeks Army and
Navy Journal. which is the best known
organ in the army. voices this feeling IN
some rather sharp criticism Of the pres
ident
THE president justifies his action OF
curious grounds. says the Army and Ma
Wy Journal THE president comedies
that General Smith has behind him a
long career distinguished for gaIlantry
and on the whole for good conduct ana
that taken in full. his work has been
such as TO reflect credit upon the Amer,
lean army Yet these considerations
were not enough to STAY the presidents
hand from casting humiliation and re-
preach upon a brave officer for conduct
which, according 10 a court Of his fellow
officers. would be sufficiently punished
by an admonition. The secretary OF war
IS not less positive in approving the acts
Of General smith General Smith i
praised for what he did and punished for
what he said The officers acts are an
proved. but his words are condemned.
and IS a penalty he is curly retired
from the service in which De has per-
formed more than forty years OF honora-
ble and useful work In Stmar he ac-
compiished in a year what spain had
failed u DO II three centuries. He sub
dued the natives. compelled them 90 re-
spect authority, and made the island
inhabitable Ter white races. Il is diff
cult 70 reconcile this order for his comnui-
sorry retirement with the fact that his
ever. act. his Official orders and his milf
tary methods bear the unqualified aprrov-
u of 1he government
hen The Army and Navy Journal de-
ciarcs that morally Il not technically the
retirement of General smith is an in
erase 81 THE punishment adiudee &
against him by the coart- we 40 nor
see.~ says the editor. how the order IN
his ease can be reconc.iea with the 12th
criticize of var which provides that any
officer wiki authority 70 order general
court martial shah have the power 70 rsit-
islte any punishment adiuaeea by *. but
grants him 20 power 20 increase the nen
City Tne retirement of General smith
violates The spirit q tlc article quoted
EiizainotlnS the personal equation en-