The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-04
MR.. WELSH'S DISTRESS.
Example of the
'.TaflOrs of ToOIey street"

Milwaukee Sentinel
According to a special dispatch in the
Sentinel yesterday a person named Her.
bert Welsh has written an open letter to
President Roosevelt substantially prefer
ring the modest request that Brigadier
General Funston be court-martialed and df
found guilty of Mr.. Welsh's charges) pun
ished with death. Mr.. Welsh thinks this
procedure advisable not only as a means
of allaying distressing agitation" but
also for the sake of the accused him.
SELF As Mr.. Welsh is firmly convinced
that the trial would result in conviction
it follows that he is equally certain that
capital punishment would be of great per-
sonal benefit and advantage to General
Funston. On this point the views of the
general himself should be of some interest
AS to the precise nature and location of
the distressing agitation which Mr..
Welsh seems anxious to assuaGe through
the summary trial and execution of Gen.
But it seems that Mr.. Welsh is secretary
of an association of gentlemen of the anti
imperialist cult calling themselves the
philippine committee of investigation
members of the committee who still
distressingly agitated over the alleged
atrocities or our army in the Philippines,
and they ask the President I'm moving
terms to give them relief by having Gen.
Funston tried and shot.
While Mr.. Welsh's request will seem to
many, in view of the end proposed, steep
one, he Is, of course, quite within his rights
in addressing his letter to the President.
MIR. Roosevelt is man of great patience,
and will doubtless suffer Mr.. Welsh gladly.
AT one point, however, the letter is open
to sharp criticism, in that it contains a
gross insult to the recipient. The Presi-
dent Is told that in acquiescing i'm General
Funstons promotion he thereby knowingly
"a M ron Cnd <S<f3o t,aC
grossly and brutally violated the rules of
warfare. and who was largely responsible
for the horrors and iniquities of war
which I'VE know 1--WE, the tailors of Too
ley street, was stained by atrocities so
remarkable in their frequency, and so alb
horrent to the spirit of modern times in
their nature. that they are unparalleled In
Mr.. Welsh is doubtless I'm many of the
relations of life worthy and well-meaning
gentleman. But there would appear to be
lures of men who can thus greedily accept
and untlrlngly preach, on the strength of a
parcel OF sensational. inherently incredible,
and largely discredited wartime yarns, the
doctrine or the total depravity of their
government and the defenders of their
countrys flag. But we are not to take
this grotesque Mr.. Welsh and his con-
ferees of the Boston Tabernacle too seri-
ously. On the issue of veracity and superior
patriotism the public will side with the
men men who were on the firing line. AS to the
punishment of death" for General Fun
would be salutary measure for the coun-
try and for the general himself President
Roosevelt will probably conclude that the
army needs General Funston in its bust
ness. and that he had better be saved for
a possible emergency when a first-class
nghtlng man will be needed. A copperhead
or Two might be more readily spared, If it
Is absolutely necessary to sacrifice some
body to relieve the distressing agitation"
OF Mr.. Welsh and his sect