The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-07-24
A STORY OF KITCHENER.
ish General Described by Kan
sas Soldier who Knew Him.

Lieut.. Col c. {. Little, of the famous
twentieth Kansas regiment, which was
commanded during the most of its
service in the Philippines by Gen. Fred
Funston, was in St Louis the other
day and told a reporter of the Globe
Democrat some interesting stories
about Gen. Kitchener, whom he knew
in Egypt. Kitchener at that time was
commander in chief of the Egyptian
army, though he only held the commits
sion of major in the English army, hav-
ing been especially assigned to this
duty.
Il had some interesting CONVERSE
tions with him." said Col. Little. land
always regarded him as a most ex-
traordinary personality. He is quick,
nervous, energetic sort of a fellow, and
hard worker. In numerous ways he
reminds me of an American As faras
l could see, he was possessed of good
many democratic notions. During nv
| interviews with him we developed quite
way of twitting each other about our
respective countries. One day, when
we were having quite long argument
about this line | told him that / was
certainly thankful that l had been
born an American.
Its all right, general said, to be
an Englishman, if you are born to some
high station, but in America we are all
born on an equal footing. know there
are lots of men who have more brains
than | have, but still it is some salts
faction to know that they did not get
any the best of me in their start in
life
He replied with considerable
warmth that England was just as
democratic as America in this respect.
But said l, how about your house
of lords?'
1.-The house of lords he answered,
why join it. Anybody can get there
if they just go about it right | have
no doubt that such was his intention
at that time and as everyone knows
he has Joined the house of lords. To
come to think of it. he reminds one
a good deal of President Roosevelt.
Both are hard workers, high-spirited
and vigorous in their measures. While
| was there Kitchener was making his
preparations to take the British army
to Khartoum. From his conversation
! could easily see that he considered
this stroke his opportunity and the
goal of his ambition. In fact he told
me once that he would not stay in
Egypt week if he did not have that
to look forward to. However. doubt
ed it at the time, for he was getting
$4,000 year as a commander of the
Egyptian army, and out of Egypt his
rank and pay was only that of a major.
$50 far as | could see there was very
little sentiment about Lord Kitchener.
He had the typical Americans notions
of the practical strongly stamped upon
his nature. For instance, | was with
him once when an Egyptian officer
came to him with tale of woe to the
effect that a brother officer had in
suited him and he asked that he be
given permission to challenge him to
duel. Kitchener would not hear to
such thing, and from what | learned
"A WI N"i'9 nv sim IJlh horse lau0neQ
the Egyptian out of the notion. He
seemed to possess the same aversion
for women then that he does now. He
lived in lonely splendor in a palace at
Cairo. | visited him several times
there. 1t was beautiful place
81 read dispatch from South Africa
recently which stated that in convers-
ing with DeWet Kitchener slapped the
Boer general on the back and told him
to cheer up or words to that effect.
That struck me as being "A very char
acteristic thing of Kitchener as / knew
him. While he was not of the hail-feI-
low-well-met type with everybody
there was much of the politician about
him when it came to carrying his point
with men under him and about him.