Evening star., 1904-01-05
TO CONFIRM GEN. WOOD
CHARGES ANSWERED IN SENATE
COMMITTEES REPORT.
It is Found That Not One is Sustained
He is the Ranking Brigadier Gem
eral and is Entitled to Promotion.

nation Of Gen. Leonard WOOD to be major
general contains more than one hundred
printed pages, and deals with all the evil
dence introduced in the exhaustive investi-
cation conducted by the Senate committee
on military affairs. 1t also covers 1877 army
nominations held up pending action on Gen.
Woods nomination. In his report Senator
Foraker quotes the charges which were
filed by Mr.. Estes g. Rathbone against Gen.
Wood, and says that every witness before
the committee was allowed to testify as to
any fact of which he might have knowl-
edge but that with all this latitude the
witnesses had been unable to support the
charges made, while in most instances the
fact had been brought out that the wit
nesses were holding real or fanced griev-
ances against Gen. Wood which made them
biased in their views to an extent apparent
to the members of the committee.
Orders in the Rathbone Case.
Each charge is taken up by Senator For
aker in it's turn. The orders Gen. Wood is
said to have issued to the courts in the
Rathbone case. 1t is argued, were wholly
within the province and duty Of Gen. Wood
as governor general In the postal cases
It Is declared that the testimony showed
Gen. Wood to be following the instructions
issued by the Secretary Of War; The re-
port declares that no evidence was offered
10 the committee to show that Mr.. Rath-
bone was not given a fair trial in Cuba.
In regard to the gifts which Gen. Wood
accepted from the Jai Alai Company. the
report says that 'in the mere fact that
Gen. Wood accepted gifts from the Jai Alai
Company there is nothing to be criticised -
and adds that Gen. Woods acceutance was
with the full knowledge of Secretary Root
Ihe question of the admission Of the silver
service TO cuba free Of duty is summed up
IN one paragraph taken from the Testimony
o, Gen Iasker H. Bliss, as follows: TT
was admitted free of duty, but I take all
responsibility for that upon myself
never heard word from Gen. Wood on the
subject '
The Runcie Article.
Reference is made In the brief to the
conflict of testimony in regard to the
Runcie article, and the word of Lieut.
Runcie is placed against that Of Raw Stan
nard Baker, the maga Zine writer and Gen.
wood, both of whom have declared that
e ehe arlcie was not talked of at a dinner at
oamtlago. anu as reported by Lieut.. Runcie..
Inc charges made by Mr.. Rathbone that
Gen. Wood had been unduiy Intimate with
an ex-convict, Capt. Bellairs, are pro
nounced by Senator Foraker to be SEEM
lngly only spiteful and malicious decIara
SinS' upns' t., made without excuse Of any
hind. IN a spirit of revenge and wanton
vihncation. Senator Foraker says that
many persons high in social and army
,,a nao trusted Bellafrs. and that it was
ha.ural Gen. Wood should do the same.
1estmony or Secretary Root is quoted a
length to refute the charge that Gen Wood
nad improperly, If not corruptly. rranted
ston." = i' eoiices-
A. E. Frye's Charges.
Charses made by A. o. Frye, former
superintendent of schools In Cuba, form an
interesting part Of the report, and Senator
foraKer gives as reason for the differ
ences between Frye and General Wood that
the former had employed teachers wholly
incompetent and in many cases women who
were Leading immoral lives. AS to reduc-
tions of teachers salaries Senator Foraker
says that the testimony of Mr. FRYE
showed on the face that he is emotional,
excitable and unreliable as a witness, and
that the 1nferences he had drawn from the
actions of General Wood, were absurd and
ridiculous.
The Santiago accounts OF 1898 are COW
cred In the general statement that the ac-
counts had been declared correct TO the
last dollar by the evidence given by Secre-
tary Root and by accounting officers.
1t is declared that the charges made by
General Brooke that General Wood was
guilty OF tnsubordination were proven to be
without foundation, and It is added s'that
General Wood was fully sustained by the
War Department and the President as to
all points Of difference between him and
General Brooke
Gen. Woods Rapid Rise.
OF the rapid rise Of General Wood SEN
ator Foraker says:
When General Wood was made briga-
der general in the regular army by appoint
ment Of President Mckinley and the unani-
nous vote Of the Senate he was advanced
over many officers Of longer service and
higher rank. But there was no objection,
because 1t was then we'll understood that
his promotion by President Mckinley was
because, In the Judgment of the President,
General Wood had rendered conspicuous
and meritorious services and had shown
abilities and qualifications that entitled him
to the promotion, especiall, In view of the
service he was then rendering as military
governor Of Cuba
Under the head This promotion does not
Jump any other officer, Senator Foraker
says:
There seems to be an opinion widely en-
tertained that General Wood is now by this
appointment being jumped ovel officers
senior to him in rank and of longer and
moro important service. Such is not the
case. General Summer and General Wood
were, when this nomination was made the
ranking brigadier generals of the army.
Both were at the same time nominated to.
fiil the two vacancies then occurring to be
major generals. General Summer has been
confirmed. Only one vacancy in the rank
Of major general remaans and that is the
one to which General Wood has been ap-
pointed.
The Ranking Bigadier General.
"It would seem to be enough, In view of
his good record, to justify the President in
giving him this appointment that ne is now
the ranking brigadier general and naturally
the first man to be considered in the whole
army In connection with such an appoint
ment. A mere glance at the respective rec
ords Of the fifteen brtsadier generals will
show that. while all ars apparently capa-
BILE and eficlant officers. not one of them
has better claim by reason Of his past
record and experience az commander,
than has General Wood: and, IN the opin-
Ion Of the committee, no one has, In view of
his present rank, equal slaim to him on the
ground Of merit, measured by the consid-
erations suggested"
Senator Foraker closes his report by IN
cooperating therein the military records of
the fifteen officers of the army now holding
the rank of briyadtar S.neral.
Senator Scott Is preparing a statement
which will give the reasons Of the minority
N, ,r1l,erS of the pofnrnittaA for yof}pc