The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-26

piled all requirements. and he has come
out of the test bigger than ever.
But the Kansas generals work is not
yet done The war department will
have the expenditure of pa millions of
dollars appropriated by a generous con-
gress for the aid of the stricken cities
Of California and it is to be a great task
to supervise this expenditure. Though
General Greedy is now the senior officer.
on Funston will fall the load of respon-
sibility. Under him he will have capa-
bic officers, representing the quarter
master and cOmmissary departments of
the army. but his will be the directing
hand and the executive mead
It was just tF'unstOn's luck" so the
army men and the little Kansan's
friends say, to be at the seat of dan
ger. Nearly every big thing he has
done in his career seems to have been
luck" if there is such thing. In
Cuba he won fame though no fortune,
topography Of the island and the real
insurrectOry situation than almost any
other man, Cuban, Spaniard, or Amer
lean. This gave him his commission as
a colonel Of a Kansas regiment for the
war with Spain. His luck" again man
Tested itself when he and his Eighth
Twentieth headed for san Francisco
rather than Chickamauga, much, then,
to the disgust of the Twentieth. There
was more luck when Funston and
Metcalf made tn II regiment the best
drilled and best-discipiined of any on
the Pacific coast, and then again when
it went to the Philippine Islands.
Once arrived in the Orient, there was
more good fortune, when the Nebraska
outpost was attacked that night in
February, 1899, and Kansas led the eff
fort to queu the Instruction. Out of
| the hard campaign that followed, Fun
stCn and his regiment of Kansans came
with quite a bit more glory than any
other organization.
But fortune did not forsake Funston
even then. He took Aguinaldo, and
removed from the insurrection its
backbone. For this he was called a
boss scout by the same army men
in Washington and elsewhere who now
commend him so warmly; and Senator
Long, then a representative from the
Seventh Kansas district, had a good
deal Of trouble in securing for him a
commission as brigadier general in tn e
regular esta blishment. And now comes
more of his good luck
It seems a coincidence that Henry c.
Corbin, lieutenant general of the army,
and its highest officer. was just about
assuming such duties when Funston,
last week. was winning such encomiums
by his ability in handling the San Fran
cisco situation.
For it will be remembered that Cor
bin was in Washington Just about five
years ago, when Senator Long was try
ing to make Funston a brigadier gen
! 6Tal IN the regular army. NOIDl1 was
then adjutant general-the best per-
haps. the army ever had. He was tn e
political officer. and the real head of
the army. To him Senator Long went
with his plea for permanent recognition
/ of General Funston. COrbin was not
inclined to be favorable. He talked
somewhat slightingly of Funston S
| achievements. and referred to the boss
scout" business. But Senator Long
presented the case to President McKin-
I Law Funston got his iEEiOn-
General Corbin remained a short
I time thereafter as adjutant general
/ Then came the army anization,
and the formation of the gen eraI staff,
the work of the then secretary of war,
4 the present secretary of state, the able
Elihu Root. With the advent of the
/ general staff was the departure of the
! adiutant general. The Office was
/ eral, however. and he was given com
/ mand first at Governors Island, near
I New York city. and later went to the
J Philippine Islands. He served with
distinction and his usual executive
ability there. and has but recently re-
4 turned. where he has been in command
( of division at st Louis Upon the
! retirern ent of General Bates just lately
/ Corbin has come into possession of the
! grade Of lieutenant general. which viii
expir with his retirement early in the
/ coming fail. Also he is the first lieu
( tenant general not to be, and ex-ofdcio
( chief Of staff, that position now being
! filed by General Franklin Bell. almost
! a Kansan himself.
So just as the young Kansas officer
/ whose commission in the regular estab-
lishment he so strongly opposed, was
/ winning renOWn by his good work al
4 San Francisco. General Corbin was re
! turning himself to Washington. and
| holding the highest position in the
arrny-the same F'upston win hold, in
good time.