The Iola register., 1902-05-02
1T WAS FUNSTON DAY
Congressman Curtis of Kansas to the
Generals Aid

Washington, Apail 2S.-Represen-
tative Curtis of Kansas replied this
morning to the criticisms which have
lately been made upon General Fun
ston. AS soon as the agricultural bill
had been called up for consideration,
Mr.. Curtis, who had explained his in
tention to the Speaker, was recog-
nized. An unusual number of repre-
rentatives were in the House at the
time and nearly all members of the
Kansas delegation were in their seats.
The rules of the house forbid any
reference in that body to the action or
speeches of senators and for this rea-
son the Kansas congressman did not
reply in terms to the i'll tempered ut
terances of Senator Carmack of Ten
nessee, Mr.. Curtis said;
''I cannot let go unanswered the
criticisms that have been made in the
public press and by members of this
Congress against man who has per-
formed an act that for bravery and
daring furnished a climax TO the
record for gallantry in our war with
Spain. l refer to General Frederick
Funston, the gallant commander of
the brave Twentieth Kansas regiment,
and the man who captured the George
Washington of the gentleman on the
other side of this chamber, Aguinaldo.
If the criticisms had been confined to
the remarks made against General
Funstons in his public speeches l
would not refer TO them here, but they
have gone too farwhepl they attack the
record of the commander and the men
who formed that gallant organization
of fighters known as the Twentieth
Kansas. That regiment has been rid
iculed and cartooned from one end Of
the country to the other General
Funston took command of it and
made it famous above all other troops
in the war with Spain.
"He set a pace for bravery and
daring in the Philippines that was
too swift for any other requirement in
the army to follow. If some leaders
who have been criticising General
Funston for his part in the war had
done as much as he did for their
country, they would be candidates for
the Democratic nomination for Presi-
dent today. General Funston has
been charged with having violated the
rules of modern warfare. Who
recommended himl for promotion:
General Wheaton, one of the bravest
soediers and officers in the Philip
pines, and General Macarthur, a
hero whom all the nation has honored.
Had his record been anything bu,
good these men would not have recon-
mended his promotion and President
William Mckinley would not have
signed his commission. The people
OF Kansas are proud of Funston and
the record of the men who fought with,
himandI believe that90 per cent of the
people Of the nation are proud OF him.
Out in our state we are proud of the
army and navy and OF their victories
We are proud of the work Of the navy
in Manila bay, and we are also proud
of the navy's work in that other fgh
in which the pride of the Spanish
navy was sent to the bottom OF th'
sea. 1t may have been captain
battle, but the people of Kansas Civ
honor TO the man who was in com
mand during the fight all through
Apmiral Schley. We are proud o
the officers and men who did gloriou
service at San Juan at Las Quasima
at Cavite, and above all are we prou
Of the part played by our own boy
under the gallant leadership of Gen
eral Funston"