Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-10

NE IS GENERAL FUNSTON.
lie Was Johnny on the Spot" When
Prompt Action Was Necessary
Doomed for President.
sneeIal Correspondence.

y
Washington. D. c., May EVERY
war developes a hero. and most Of the
scrlmmages IN which tho American
army has been engaged In the past A.
~ years have developed heroes. Go
into meeting OF Grand Army post
or camp of Spanish War veterans,
and YOU Will hear the names Of score
or more heroes Of as many different
battles or sklrmishes. And whenever
the regulars" have been called into
SETON IN All emergency, there has ap.
peared IN the newspaper reports one
name more prominently than those Of
bis fellows.
II was to be expected, therefore that
the san Francisco earthquake and the
consequent call for the aid OF the reg
ulars' would bring out another hero"
This time 1t was General Fred Funston
who jumped a few hundred regulars
and secured star on his shoulder
strap because he was a gallant volun-
teer I'm the Philippines. Funston was
Johnny on the Spot" To use a. slang
phrase, when the earthquake and the
subsequent fire laid waste the falrest
city Of the Pacific slope. Funston was
right on the ground, and he did his
duty rs an American and n soldier,
and he has probably expressed himself
IN forceful language over the action
Of the people OF lola, Kansas, IN SPRING
ing his name as presidential possl-
bity. lie saw his duty and he did II
noby.
OTHERS DESERVE MENTION.
But Funston is not tho only man who
did his work well. In spite of the fact
that there IL a disposition TO give him
all the credit There are three Off
GERS right here In Washington who
have not been granted 1.-THE OF the
praise 10 which they are entitled With
out these three, Funstons efforts for
the relief Of the destitute people of the
Pacific city-would have been futile In
the extreme.
These officers. and their names should
be printed In capitals. are Brlgadier
General James Franklin Bell, chief Of
stan. Brigadier General Charles II,
Humphrey, quartermaste r- general, and
Brigadier General Henry q. sharpe,
comniissary general These officers
we're 'on. deck" within an hour after
the details Of the calamity became
known, and they have scarcely enjoyed
full nights sleep since.
Brgadler General Humphrey IL used
10 emergencies. Before he obtained
his star he was chief quartermaster IN
China. the Philippines aud Cuba. At
the outbreak OF the war with spain he
was put ia charge or the enormous
work OF moving an unprepared army
10 foreign territory. AZ Port Tampa
he found an army of men
tn Mo- n nj N COL
mites Of freight cars loaded with
all sorts Of miscellaneous supplies
for heire care aud sustenance, but not
manifest or way bill was available
10 show the contents Of those cars. He
found out--with corps OF axemen--.
and his method OF cutting red tape saw
ed The lives Of thousands of American
soldiers.
WORKED DAY AND NIGHT.
During the past two weeks General
humphrey has slept scarcely five hours
IN ". lie has been at his desk day and
night ara ne has succeeded IN carrying
10 the stricken people of the Pacific
slope food, clothing and shelter at al
most Incredible speed His associates
and subordinates look upon him as a
wonder He Is tireless and resourceful.
hed tape does not trouble him when an
emergency confronts, He does the right
'hing without regard 10 consequences,
ana IN the san Francisco case he has
had the earnest and cordial support,
not only OF his immediate associate
Gems. Bell and Sharpe, but OF the entre
general staff and the secretary of war.
Born soldier as he IL, Brig Gen.
Charles F. Humphrey Is certainly the
rlght man IN the right place, and. he
in he .tsrkt ,.la Il m.
ldent Roosevelt made him brigador-
general and head OF the quartermaster's
department. of the United States army.
POLITICS IN SEEDS.
There s too much politics IN a pack
age OF seeds for the average congress-
man. That statement applies with es-
peclal force to the members from the
south, because the southern members,
almost TO man, voted to restore the
appropriation for the purchase ana
distribution" Of seeds when the seed
Item was reached In the agricultural
appropriation bill on Tuesday last. Tho
discussion which was precipitated by
me action Of the committee on agricul-
tlre IN cutting the free seed item out
Of the bill was vigorous and lively. It
was the first time In 20 years that there
mas ever been any real Issue connect
ga With this particular appropriation
OIL and while the committee was de-
ieated oil the floor the debate Is but
me opening of a campaign which will
Do carried on until at last Congress will
awaken to the necesstv of eliminating
this small graft" item.
That Congress has done valuable
work for the betterment OF agricultur,
IN providing for the purchase and dis
~ Nf,r 1taI tho ~