Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-04-25

DS$0l$ N and uneQuiVOCally the long am
laH N.p$NH partly suppressed protest Of th
,rrRtSEFEsE regular army men against what ar
- ~SsszJNgW called emotional promotions" @
course it would be suicidal for this officers nam
to become known, because his criticism is rebuk
not only to the system Of unmerited advancement
which has done 80 much to demOralize the army
but it is stinging Indictment OF the President him
SELL who lie charged with having made "mOre sen
sational appointments and promotions than any Q
his predecessors"
The interview points out that our military estah
lshment at the present time is Totally inadequate TO
any large emergency, such as war with Japan
The officer says that in our little scrimmage witt
Spain it was s'Gods providence" that saved us, AM
that if the Spaniards had only realized their OppOE
tunity they could have "bagged the entire expedi
tiOn' sent against them He says further:
1.-The episode OF 1898-the Spanish American wa
so called to justify the loss OF thousands OF men
from pure incompetentcy gave birth to the promo
ton mania both in the army and navy, and it ha
ever since been rampant, especially in the army.
t.Admrals and generals were created in the mos
NapOleonic manner, and what had any OF them don
to merit such recognitionf From the tragedy OF
Caney, our late lieutenant general, commanding tn
army chief, OF staff came into the stellar cUnstea
tiOn.
's5an Juan Hill gave us our President and hi
protege-General Wood. What we're thesef Grea
Dattlesf Great victOriee3 Read for yourselves tn
brave men Of the regular army who saw their duty
did it we'll, thoroughly, expected nothing, elaine
nothing, got nothing, and the survivors are noN
drilling training disciplining men, that more pape
heroes may be created"
The interview goes on to cite examples OF alIege
unmerlted promotions, naming men who we're ad
vHnced at great bounds ONt those whose years 9
service entitled them to higher grades. One dis
tnguished example is enough to illustrate tn
charge:
sFrederick d. Grant, the distinguished son Of th
late o. s. Grant. Entered the service from Militar!
Academy 1871. Served until 1885, resigned. 4
brilliant success in civil life. As soon as his ser
vices could be spared was induced to accept, Feb
ruary 18, 1901, y commission as brigadier general
January, 1906 major general. His classmates
most Of whom stood higher than he, are NOV
lieutenant cOIOnels and cOl0nels and have serves
continuously Promoted over every officer belO'
the grade Of brigadier general in the army.
The comment upOn the foregoing is that it was :"
political and emotional promotion" Presiden
Roosevelt has publicly announced that the use Q
political Influence In trying to secure advancement
in the service would not only meet with his dieap
prOval, but that it would react against the appll
cant, yet the President 10 charged with being th
worst offender in this direction. General heODart
Wood is given as the highest expression Of 'emo
tiOnal" advancement.
-w-
The man who has learned to say Please witt
grace and eincerity ie more than hall gentleman
even IL be possess no other refnements. The bO!
who is taught to say Thank yOuo will never 60 *
Jail These TWO expressions are priceless treasures
too often thrown aside by Needless men aud wOmeI
as 60 much word clutter to be eliminated from com
mon speech. ssPleasev 10 easy to say and il oil
the machinery Of our weary world more than all th'
dry erUditiOn Of acquired scholarship. 1t 0penl
the doors Of confidence and sOfens antagOnism. II
social and business life it will compel respOne,
where money and Influence fail. II e the hall mari
Of breeding and dignifes the useT. "Thank yOn.'
That is easy to Say also, but how few realize III
potency. 1t ie the most courteous expression IL
the English language and q man has TO strain him
sell to say il Curtly or without meaning. "Thanl
y0u is an acknowledgment Of civil obligation tina
carries with IL . blessing to him who says it aud
benedictiCn to him who receives t. Il ornaments
manhood and womanhOOd more than fine raimen
or the glitter Of many gems. tThank yOu' triumphI
above class and caste. Il is MI accompanying, com
biniDg difference, respect and simple kindness. 4
stamps gentility and promises those amenities thai
make civilization edccese. There are benighted
people with shrunken souls and piggish prejudice:
who 20 through the world 90 sOnr and Grabbed thai
the disgust they arouse blaCkens their own path
They think they believe that common politeness II
eheminate and timorOus They are like the little
dog that must grOwl loudly to attract attention tc
it's feeble ieIocity. They are unhappy in the con
stant dread that they will be imposed upon il they
are decenty civil to others In this they are badly
mistakon 1t s sometimes necessary to be stern and
even harsh, but pOliteness should be tried fret and
nine times out Of ten it will succeed.
The kind OF sympathy which the San Franchises
a