Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-01
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW

1t is much to the credit Of the Assoc
ciated Press this in the manner OF
handling the oderiferous Taggart de
vorce case. Reputable newspapers
obliged to publish the news. have only
occasionally had to use the blue PEN
Gil in this report Notwithstanding all
this, the public has seen at least one
pen picture of army social life, that
causes much comment. We read tes-
timony under OATH that this officer OF
the regular army frequently slapped
his wife in the face. and on one occa-
sion Knocked her down. We are told
that this officer on one occasion found
his wife and another lady OF the
army, drinking champagne with two
young officers two o'clock in the morn
ing, all more or less Intoxicated. That
at one time this officers wife was
brought home at O'clock in the morn
ing helplessly drunk, this by ,another
officer OF the army. 1t Is also a sworn
statement that an officer in the army
on one occasion. with the knowledge
of his family, entered the room of
Filipino servant girl and locked the
door after him. 1t has also been stat
ed that the commanding officer once
locked UP an officer of lower grade for
several weeks on the ground Of insani-
ty, meanwhile said commanding offic-
er being on friendly terms with the
crazy officers wife. Undoubtedly
in all this mass Of discriminating
evidence some lies have been told
and some perjury committed. But
these two facts stand out. This Tag
CART and wife continued to live to-
gether. continued ito love. honor and
obey one another" Again, in the face
Of all this semi public state of affairs
other officers Of the army, and other
wives of said officers continued to as
sociate with this Taggart and his WIFE,
The tendency Of all critics is to do
so as it were. In IA wholesale man
ner. It is easy to say, after reading
the Taggart case, that the whole army
social life is in terrible condition
But this is far from the truth Never
theless this particular case, and others
If they exist, needs the immediate and
full attention of the officials of the
War department. Undoubtedly strong
influence will be, used Ito hush the
matter up" But somewhere in our
official make up of the army lies
! power to investigate THIS socldl lea
ture of our army life. Some one has
the power ito clean the Augean stables
The decent officers of the U. S. reg
ular army and their wives cannot af-
ford to cover with the mantle of 81
lence" these indications of a terribly
rotten condition of affairs.
Every little while one reads in the
newspapers little touching story OF
some kind. good man. generally "a
knight of the grip relieving some
tired mother, travelling with two or
three children, by taking the cherub
In his lap allowing it to play with his
hundred dollar gold watch. while he
sings 1t to sleep, turning over the then
quiet child to the worn out mother,
just before he reaches his destination.
No doubt such things have happened.
But here's another feature of the bad
child business, that Is never forgotten.
and unfortunately too true. Children
away from home, In the cars, in the
depots, and in the hotels. advertise
plainly their bringing up" The old