The Washington times., 1905-11-19
Morals in the Army.

The resignation of Lieut.. Granville
of the several correspondents in the
Taggart divorce case, is reported in
the newspapers as likely to forestall
any action the War Department
might have been inclined TO take
against him. This assumption,
though, must be a mistaken one.
AS a matter of fact. which was
suffered to become public property
at the department a month ago, it
was decided then to do nothing in
the case of Major Taggart, General
Miner or Lieutenant Forteseue,
unless further charges were made
by one of these officers against an
other, or one of them asked for
court-martial for himself In other
words, the impression conveyed was
that the department was weary Of
the process OF washing the army's
dirty linen and would not continue
the process unless it was forced to
do so.
This announcement was spread
generally over the country. through
the medium of the newspapers. and
failed, for some reason, TO become
the enormous popular success that
had been anticipated Indeed. the
public manifested several symptoms
of unbecoming wrath There were
indications that it had been con-
cluded, from the evidence and opin-
ion Of the court in the Taggart case,
that there was at least one person
who should not hold a commission
in the United States army. 1t was
either Taggart. on the one hand, or
Miner or Fortescue, or both Of them,
on the other.
II Will be concluded, perhaps-and,
perhaps, not unwisely-that the per-
ception of this public attitude had
something to do with the resignation
of Lieutenant Fortescue and the
alacrity with which the department
announces it will be accepted.
Isn't the department making a
mistake IN this matter? OF course,
the cleaning of dirty linen in the
public eye is offensive. but IL is bet
ter the linen be washed in public
than not at all Especially is this
the case when it belongs to offieers
Of the United States army and their
wives,
The opinion has gone abroad that
Major TaggarE, in this whole mat
ter, has been greatly outraged. 1t
may be a mistaken opinion, but
there are grounds for it,. The evil
dence in its favor is not lessened
by any method of railroading the
whole matter into oblivion, which
seems to meet departmental approval.
Nor are suspicious dplled or deaden-
ed by the suave deliverance, frequent
ly heard, that morals in the army
are not worse than they are out
side
Some time ago The Times suggest
ed that if there were way by which
the objects OF justice could be reach
ed without further airing OF the Tag
CART case, It should be followed. That
way has not opened On the con-
trary, every recent development
points TO the necessity of sweeping
investigation by an army court
martial
The charges made against General
Miner were infinitely more serious
than those against Lieutenant For
tescue. The higher officer was said
to have used his military authority
to imprison Major Taggart and thus
facilitate his meetings with Mrs. Tag
CART. Under such circumstances
designations scarcely serve. II the
charge is true, General Miner should
be severely punished; If It is untrue,
he Is entitled 70 a full and entire
vindication. But the army and the
public, in any event, will demand
the removal of this blot upon the
army's shield.