Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1899 — WEARY OF WRANGLES [ARTICLE]

WEARY OF WRANGLES

PTMliiiit Emlwt to Step the Bickeriaa* in the Army. A Washington correspondent nwrti that the President is profoundly displeased with the scandalous wrangHngs of army officers, which have been so conspicuous in the past few months. While he is ms st anxious to act as a peacemaker, he will stop these useless bickerings in the army and put an end to the possibilities of further scandal, even if he has to order several more courts martial to accomplish his purpose. The strained relations between the general in command of the army and the War Department proper win not be eased by the punishment of Commissary General Eagan. It is the genera! belief that Miles has been deliberately seeking trouble. Considering the directness of the evidence which will support the charges and specifications, it can make little difference to Gen. Eagan who tries him. He will be convicted of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman and conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline. The sentence of the court will be dismissal from the service of the United States, and it will remain with the President to approve or mitigate the finding. It has been the President’s desire to censure Gen. Eagan for his extraordinary language, and he would have done so without a court if the precedents would have permitted. The President Tuesday announced at the cabinet meeting that he had decidel to order a court martial to try Commissary Genera! Eagan for the abusive and violent language he used respecting Gen. Miles before the war investigating commission. Prior to the cabinet session the President held a conference with the Secretary of War and Adjutant General Corbin. It was brief, but the action to follow Eagan’s utterances was decided and when the cabinet met the President announced he had reached a decision in the matter. He said he had determined there was only one course to adopt and that was to order a court martial convened to try Eagan. The decision met the Approval of the members of the cabinet. There was some discussion following the President’s announcement. in which the case was threshed over to some extent, though the President himself took little part in the discussion. The details of the action were left to the Secretary of War.