Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-12-16
FROM WASHINGTON
Special Correspondence of the COURIER.
Washington, Dec. Is.

fidently predicting the confirma-
ton of General Leonard Wood as
Major General, either are blind
partisans of his and can see nothing
detrimental to him and his interest,
or reveal amazing credulity or else
have a wonderful foreknowledoe
of coming events. If the Senate
should confirm this appointment it
would mortage the Army to injus-
tice for the next twenty-five years.
Without taking into considera-
ton the scandal concerning the
Jai-Ala: franchise and the exorbi-
tant prices paid in Havana for
granite to firm composed of
Woods relatives. condone the at
tacks made by him upon Generals
Brooke and Dudley, overlook en-
tirely his connection with che ex-
convict "Bellairs," and still the
main question remains untouched.
BY his appointment TO the regular
army General Wood alredy has
been promoted over the heads of
hundreds of deserving officers.
Practically without field exper-
fence, he Is senior To such fighting
men as Randall. Kobbe, Bell, Bald
win, Whit, Lee. Carter, Bliss and
Sanger. 1t is now proposed to
advance him further at the expense
of Gems Greedy. Breckenridge.
Wade, Ludington, Ainsworth.
Bates, Weston and Summer. If
he is so promoted he would be the
head of the Army from 1909 20
1924. and would shut out of that
honor every man named, and in
addition those eminent military
scientists, Gems. Gillespie, Davis.
Crozier and O'Rielly.
General Wood may be a good
pill pedler. He showed some adj
ministrative ability in Cuba. But
as field commander his exper-
fence is limited TO few DAYS i'm a
subordinate capacity i'm Cuba and
to his recent campaign" against
the Moros. who were flushed"
defencelss TO his guns like birds at
battue, apparently that he might
make a bag" to impress the Sen
ate. IL he should be confirmed
what possible excuse could a SEN
ator voting AYE" make for so do
ingl
The recent visit of Senator Han
ma to the White House at the in
vitation of the President, and the
two hours conference between the
two, has caused much comment
here concerning the relations ex-
listing between the two, and the
possibility of a break in the former
apparently cordial feeling. | am
in position to say to the readers
of this correspondence that there
will be no break in those relations
on account of the opposition of
Hanna To the confirmation of Gen.
Leonard Wood or for any other
reason now apparent. The Presi-
dent is now in the mood to stand
anything from Hanna if it is not
openly humiliating. Mr.. Roose-
welt Just now is engaged in the de-
lectable occupation of eating hum
bile pie. He wants Hanna and he
needs Hanna, and he is going to
keep him if soft words and concil-
iatory actions will prevail. Roose-
vglt does not look on Hanna's
campaign against Wood as any
thing directed toward the White
House, and rather admires Hanna
for standing by his friend Rath-
bone. The President thinks Perry
Heath should should retire from
the Secretaryship of the RepubH-
can National Committee, and he
thinks Hanna should ask Heath to
retire. for he well knows that
Heath is not going to retire unless
he is asked to do so by Hanna.
If Hanna does not ask Heath to
retire, and he is not going to do so,
then the President will again eat
humble pie and make no cutlery.
Hanna will win again, just as
said he would in this letter last
week. The President i'm not try
ing TO fight with Hanna because he
knows he cannot afford to fight
with Hanna, Hanna could not
pick fuss with Theodore Roose-
welt if he tried ever so hard. The
editorial in the Cincinnati CONNER
cial-Tribune, one of the strongest
republican organs i'm the State of
Ohio, and one of Hanna's personal
Nruopu ,yl.ob oc,><ox~I -. . -.