New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-24
FIGHT OVER GEN. WOOD.
HAMA and TELLER LEAD
T5co Factions IN the Senate Oppos-
ing Confirmation.
[ralM TIE 1nIs NE arRrAr.

Washington. Nov 23.-Another hearing be
hind closed doors was given in the case Of Cen
eraI Wood to-day, and the Military Affairs Com
mittee then adjourned till Friday. II was prac-
tically decided to appoint subcommittee 70 go
to Cuba to take testimony. There may be said
to be two factions in the Senate which are op-
posing General Woods confirmation as a major
general One is led by Senator Teller. whose ar
guments against The confirmation Of General
Wood are based on the fact that he was pro
NOTED over other officers. his seniors in point OF
service. and the contention that such promotions
have demoralizing effect on the service
The bitter fight against Wood. however. is be
ing conducted by Senator Hanna. who is firm
in his belief that Wood. when Governor OF Cuba,
did the Senator'S friend. E G. Rathbone, a grave
injustice Senator Hanna's charges against Wood
are the same as those he filed with the President
some time ago. which were made public then.
In fact. nothing new has been presented at the
recent hearings, and that is why a majority Of
the committee still favor Woods confirmation
They say that the Senate knew when it con-
flrmed Wood as a brigadier general all IT knows
now. and that to refuse to confirm him now
would be TO stultify its former action Again.
it is urged by friends of the administration that
to refuse to confirm Woods nomination might be
construed as an affront to President Roosevelt,
who only promoted Wood when he became the
senior brigadier general, and therefore IN dlrecC
line Of promotion. They say that inasnuch as
the Senate confirmed President DIcKinley's nom
nation Of Wood brigadier general. which
the promotion which jumped him over nu-
nerous senior officers. it would be most map
propriate for the Senate to change its mind and
refuse to confirm the routine nomination sent in
now It is tntimated that there are even strong
er and more personal reasons than the Rathbone
incident which impel Senator Hanna. TO oppose
Woods confirmation. but that cannot be con-
irmed.
The receipt of a telegram from Manila az the
War Department to-day reporting the result Of
military operations in Jolo under General
Leonard Wood was the occasion OF some re-
joicing among that officers friends The event
and the publicity were regarded as timely in
producing sentiment in the Senate favorable to
General Woods confirmation It was remarked,
however. that the incident did not disturb the
equanimity of General Woods critics in the
army at least those who are in Washington
They eagerly pointed out that there must have
been something very much like slaughter if
in our forces there we're fatalities, while
among the enemy there were 300 killed and
1900 wounded. since that aggregate OF wounded
is regarded as a legitimate estimate of such
casualties described the proportiOnate num-
Der in the dispatch from Colonel Simpson. II Is
declared by General Woods friends that he will
be attacked having led massacre. but they
say that is the only reply his critics can make
10 the news which comes from Jolo