The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-11-28

question Of Justice or injustice to the
officer concerned, it will be regrettable.
Whether or not General Wood ought
to be confirmed as major general de-
ponds upon whether or not he has rem
dered sufficiently conspicuous service
to the country as to warrant his having
been Jumped" over a large number of
his superior officers. This Jumping"
/ it is well to bear in mind, is already an
accomplished fact when the senate in
1o1 confirmed him In his present grade
of brigadier. His promotion to be ma
jor-general occurs in the regular course
Of the retirement or promotion of those
officers who ow rank him. In promo
ting him to be major-general the presi-
dent did not Jump" him again. When
promoted to that grade General Wood
was already senior brigadier.
But in order to enable him to reach
the latter grade General Wood has in
the space of five years, as pointed out
by General Anderson in an article in
the current Independent, been promot-
ed over five hundred and ninety-six Of
ficers of higher rank and longer expe-
rience, of whom fifteen are generals of
the line and nine have seen at least for
ty-one years of service. In the conser-
vative language Of General Anderson,
'to say that he has, either before or
since his advancement, shown greater
capacity than the fifteen generals over
whom he has been promoted, is to make
a very large assumption"
Unfortunately, however, it is not upon
this issue that the fight in the senate
against General Woods confirmation is
turning. That fight is largely the result
of an effort on the part of Major Rath-
bone, supported by his sponsor, Senator
Hanna, to get square" with General
Wood for the latter's share, while Gov
ernor General Of Cuba during a period
of our military occupation of the island,
in securing his conviction for compiled
ty in certain postal frauds. To the aid
; Of Senator Hanna and Major Rathbone
have rushed certain senators like Teller
of Colorado and other persons whose
constant effort to embarrass President
Roosevelt would alone reveal motive
for an attack upon any favorite of his
and whose adhesion to any cause is in
itself presumptive evidence that that
cause is unworthy Of support To fur
Their their designs, which, 1t Is plain,
take no account Of the good Of the ser
vice, they have charged that General
Wood did nothing in Cuba emitting him
to especial credit, either at Santiago or
later at Havana, that he was in crimi-
nal collision with gamblers and COM
Victs, that he was party. to a contemp-
tible intrigue to get rid Of General
Brooke, his superior officer in order
that he might step into HIS shoes. that
he used his official position to vent per-
sonal spite upon Major Rathbone, and
that he committed various other dis
honorable and discreditable acts that 1t
is well nigh incenceivable that he could
have committed without being found
OUT by President Roosevelt and Secre-
tary Root, neither of whom is In the
habit of encouraging or rewarding mall
feassance in Office.
The effect Of such controversy Is in
evitably to obscure the main issue in
volved. Seeing a convicted embezzler,
a political boss who has never been
credited with any undue amount of
squeamishness, and number of bitter
and VIGOROUSLY insincere enemies Of
the administration like Teller on the one
side and on the other a president who
everybody agrees Is at least honest,
and secretary Of war of exceptional
ability whose worst enemies have never
accused him Of even winking at cor
ruption, unprecedented people will inevi-
tably take sides with the latter against
the former. As between Wood and
these enemies that he has made the
choice would be Wood every time. But
that the controversy should have to be
decided on such considerations is re-
grettable because it involves ignoring
or at least subordinating the main and
what should be the sole question,
whether General Wood has rendered
sufficiently distinguished service during
his brief military career to warrant the
overslaughing of five hundred and nine
ty-six other officers in his favor.-Prov-
idence Journal.