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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1906)
1 VOL. XLVI.-XO. 14,343. PORTLAND. OREGON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1D06. PRICE FIVF CENTS. HIGH OFFICIALS GONCEAL HUD Astounding Story Told at Salt Lake. . BAD FOR WYOMING SENATORS Men at Head of Land Office Shield Thieves. HEADED OFF ALL INQUIRY Men Hired by 'Wagon Lo;uls to Per. juro Themselves Tliat Vniim Pa cific and Ilio (inutile Kailioacls Might Grab Coal Land. SALT I.AKK CITY. Utah, Nov- 2S (Special.) An astound i nj story of fraud and corruption reaching to tlte very heart of the G neral Land Office and apparently permeating Its every branch was told in detail before the In terstate Commerce Commission hero to day. Witnesses who are in tho employ of the Land Office, witnesses who stood proof against the malign influences which corrupted many of their fellow employes, actinfr on orders issued di rectly by K. A. Hitchcock, Secretary of the. Interior, took thu stand and told the Commissioner of fiieir fruitless ef forts to fight tho "system" which pow erful influences had built up with a view to robbery. The tale which these witnesses tol left no doubt in the minds of hearers that there were certain corporations and certain men in high places who were alile completely to control ap pointments in the. Land Office and the official acts of this division of the Gov ernment. Hitchcock Presses Inquiry. Thus far not even tho breath of sus picion has been cast upon Fecretarj lIltchcock, who is now be'iding very effort toward a complete'' exposure of the guilty persons. The ' testimony, however, has been of such a character as to create amazement that such things could bo done tor years without the complete knowledge of the head of a department. Apparently, however, Mr. Hitchcock is doing all In his power to assist the Commission and to make amends for the corruption which has apparently existed in the General Land J trice. The name of Senator Francis K. War ren of Wyoming was freely used by the witnesses in the story of their ef forts to stop the wholesale stealing of public land. So skillfully and completely has the attorney for the Commission, J. P. Mnreliund. marshalled his evidence that nany indictments cannot fail to re- Milt from the testimony which is bo ng taken here. No Immunity for il limns. When Commi.ssioner Clark resumed his investigation today, K. M. Allison, at torney for the Itio Grande i-ystem, made the request that 11. G. Williams, gen eral manager of the Utah Fuel Company, a Gould corporation, be summoned be fore Mr. Clark as a witness. Mr. Allison slated that the chairman of the Inter state Commerce Commission in Wah inston had communicated with Mr. Wil liams' superior officer in Washington and a.sked that Mr. Williams testify before Mr. Clark. J. T. Marchand, who Ls con ducting the Government's case before Mr. Clark, flatly refused to examine Mr. Williams, stating that he did not propose to render Mr. Williams immune to future action. At the request of Mr. Marchand, Mr. Clark also excused from giving testi mony at the presejit time Frank B. Cook, a mining operator, and William D. Foster, secretary to Robert Forrester, a geologist in the employ of ono of the coal com panies under investigation. It was stated that these men would be asked to appear before the grand July. Implicates Senators and Officials. Sensational testimony was given by Michael A. Myendorff. a siiecial agent of :he Government, who began an Investiga tion of tho coal land frauds in Utah and who. before he had completed his investi gations, was transferred to Los Angeles ind then to Portland, Or. Mr. Myendorff presented an aflldavit in which ho told of 'ffort.s made by influential men to induce him to cease his investigation of the coal land frauds. .He named Senators Warren i ml Clarke, of Wyoming; Commissioner Richards, of the General Land Oftlce. and LJeorge F. Pollock. Chief of Department . Interior Department, Washington. He alleged that In Denver. Senator Warren told him he ought not to go titer the Union Pacific and incur the en Tiity of that company, lie charged that he Land Department at Washington had oppressed evidence secured by him. In wo charges which he tiled against Robert I'orrcster, geologist of the Utah Fuel Company, a Gould conoration, he alleged, 10 action was taken. The witness further alleged that George F. Pollock. Chief of Department B, Interior Department, in structed him to destroy four affidavits which he had secured against the ynlon Pacific Coal Company. I'erjury at $1 a Head. Mr. Myendorft's affidavit alleges that on one occasion 77 men were taken into of fices in the Union Depot at Denver before W. I. Gifford. agent of the Union Pacific, and eigncd their names to powers o al- torncy, relinquishments anil affidavits which were used to acquire title to coal land in Wyoming. Some of these men, Jt was asserted, signed fictitious names. The men who signed received J4 each for their trouble. The Myendorlf affidavit included affidavits made by a Denver saloon-keeper named Bartelle and Victor Le Bat, an expressman of Denver, stat ing how a wagbnload of these, men had been picked up on Seventeenth street in Denver and driven to the offices in the Union Depot. After they had signed the papers. Bartelle collected .51 from each man for his trouble In getting them together, each man retaining $3. AVarrcn Got orricial Le tters. . In his references to Senators Warren and Clarke, the affiant states that on one occasion when ho met Senator Warren in Denver, the Senator pro duced confidential letters which Myen dorff had written to the Land Commis sioner In Washington, and read ex tracts from them. Myendorff, alleged that if. was represented to him that to I i - . 4 i Senator ( . I. ( larke, of Wyoming rtir up the Wyoming coal land matter at that time would incur the enmity of Union Pacific interests and prevent the re-election of Senator Clarke. Mr. Myendorff alleged that lie was removed from Denver in 1903 as a re sult of his activities, and that pressure was brought to have the matter of the Wyoming lands turned over, to In spector N J. O'Brien, of Denver, whom the affiant described as a confidential friend of Macey, Chief Clerk of tho Department at Washington, and also a personal friend of Senator Warren. Senator Clarke also, he alleged, wanted Mr. O'Brien detailed on this work. Counsel for the Union Pacific moved that all thi3 matter contained in tho affidavits he stricken out. but the mo tion was overruled and ths affidavit" will ho included In tho report to Con gress. Could Xot Get Hermann lo Act. Colonel P. S. Sowers, a special agent of tho Land Office, was again called as a witness .and told of his inability to induce, the Land office to act in mat ters relating to co;:l land. Witness told of numerous letters written to the Iand Commissioner and of the submis sion of affidavits bearing on land frauds and suggestions that investiga tions be made, but his letters were not answered. In November, l!00, he re ported in relation to land which eventually was transferred to the Pleasant Valley Coal Company, a Gould corporation. Witness testified that ho had recommended action against Rob ert Forester, geologist for the Pleasant Valley Coal Company, but was informed by tho department that the facts did not warrant prosecution. Folldwlng this, in January, 1!HG, he testi fied, he was asked by the department lo ttender his resignation. In response lie wrote to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, calling attention to the gross ' laxness In probing the coal-land scandals in Utah, but he received no re ply. He resigned from the service, but later was reinstated, he testified, at the ; request of George A. Sutherland, then attorney, for the Pleasant Valley Coal Company and now United States Senator 1 from Utah. Clark Mocks Allison's Game. ' Mr. Clark, who had evidently been get ting Information during the recess, this afternoon explained the Williams inci dent by saying that President Knapp of the commission ' had asked Manager Jeffray, of the Rio Grande. whe;her Mr. Colton. a former manager of the Utah Fuel Company, could furnish certain in formation to the commission. Mr. Jeffray had replied, according to Mr. Clark: "Mr. Colton is no longer with the Fuel Company, but you can get any informa tion Mr. Colton had from Mr. Williams." Five witnesses testilied that they had acted as "dummy" locators to enable the Wyoming and Utah coal companies to get claims, receiving small sums for the use of their names. Adjournment was taken until Friday morning. WILL SPEND TIME RESTING Peary Insists Only Dog Sledges fan Kcnch Pole. WASHINGTON'. Nov. 2S. Dieutenant Oonimandcr Robert E. Peary returned to his home here tonight after his long ab sence on his Arctic expedition. He was ac companied by Mrs. Peary. In an interview, he reiterated his view, that, if the North Pole is ever attained, the discoverer will have to reach "there by means of dog sledges. He said that he was not expected to report to the Navy Department for a month yet and he anticipated spending considerable time in resting. Damage Proves Only Slight. SYDNEY. N. B.. Nov. 28. An examina tion into the condition of the bottom of tho Arctic steamer Roosevelt disclosed the fact that she is in much better con dition than was thought. Her bottom was found only slightly damaged. Tho planks are in good condition. Two flanges of the propeller are gone, but the steamer will not require any repairs be fore she resuinos the voyage to New York. Captain Bartlett expects to sail tomorrow iut Xaw York. CONGRESS TD ACT ON CHINESE ISSUE Bitter Debate on Ex clusion Predicted. CHINA BEADY FOR OFFENSE Denby Bill Favored by Many Congressmen. SPONSOR KNOWS SUBJECT Son of l-:.-Minisler Would Kcqnire All Privileged Chinese, to Get CerlificHles I'roiii Consuls He fore Sailing. WASHINGTON". Nov. 2S. (Special. 1 Congress will be compelled, early in the coming session, to face the ques tion of Chinese exclusion. It faced it last Winter, but despite the fact that the President urged action, the law makers turned their hacks to the sub ject and weakly put off the evil day of its consideration. It will prove a day of double evil possibly, for tho Chinese matter will be discussed with all the bitterness that discussion Is bound to provoke, at the same time tiiat the State Department is trying its best to straighten out the Japanese tangle. We are to have both the Oriental na tions watching us at once, ready, as they always are, to take offense. Denby Bill Favored. The committee on foreign affairs will take up two bills at the outset of the coming session, and unquestion ably one or the other will be reported for favorable consideration of the House. One was drawn by Represen tative Edwin Denby, of Detroit, who had the assistance of his brother, Charles Denby, chief clerk of the State Department. The Denby brothers lived for years in China, where their father wits the American Minister. ' They are in thorough touch with Chinese condi tions, and Congressional acknowledg ment is made that the measure is based on sound l -ason. The Denby measure provides that every Chinese subject who wishes to enter the United States shall present himself before a Consular oftlce of this country at the point of embarkation, and that, it it be found that he does not belong; to ono of the prohibited classes, he shall be given a certificate. This provides against fraud on the part of tho Chinese subject, both at the port of embarkation and at tho port of entrance. It is proposed under the bill to admit teachers, students, merchants, accountants, bookkeepers, bankers, members of learned profes sions, editors and travelers for curios ity or for pleasure under the require ments now enforced. Representative David J. Foster, of AN ! Vermont, had a bill which will be con sidered by the House foreign affairs committee, and which is much more to the liking of the Chinese government than is the Denby measure, though the Oriental political powers are not pleased with either bill in any marked degree. The Foster plan is not as stringent in its provisions for certifica tion at the port of embarkation. Al though the measure defines or tries to define what a laborer is, it would ad mit all persons other-than laborers. REJECTS SIMPLE SPELLING Xcw York Education Board Turns Down Maxwell's Sclienic. NEW YORK, Nov. 2S. The efforts of William II. Maxwell, Superintendent of Public Schools, lo havo simplified spelling introduced in the public schools in Greater New York, were de feated today at a meeting of the Board of Education. The vote against the recommendation of the Board of Super intendents for the adoption of a list of 3 )0 words embodying the proposed re form, which had his support, was over whelming. Thirty-two Commissioners voted 'against him and only four witii hlni in favor of simplified spelling. CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER Tho Weather. YKSTKR lA Y'S - Maximum temperature, li'J Jt-vr' minimum, WZ. TODAY l'air; rorth to ea?t luu. Foreign. Kxpl!-ion in liormuny wrecks town and killn - hundreds. I'uk- -. Belgian Parliament debates Congo qucs- lion. Vatto U ami Sweden nsk Kussia to rr-ff- Norway HiZ- c.-iirtu-iinK claims in Spitsbergen. National. Chinese cx.'lnsion to be dialed by Con Wivsk. I'aKf 1. Value of crops reported by Afrrlcult ural De partment. I'aR'j Kviilenco in coal land frauds directly Impli cates J"gh officials. Puge 1, .Dubois sees politics in Idaho forest reserves. I'mro 4. General XettJeton makes sever report on negro troops. I'agc 1. Sixty stokers on the cruise- Tennessee aro said to havo mutinied. Jape Secretary Root asks House appropriations committee for money to employ tariff ex perts. I'agc I'olitieii. Denver corporation man admits election iraud. Pago 2. Domestic. Gillette tells story o Grace Brown's death. Page i. Woman tries to extort money from Rocke feller. Page 5. "Waters-Pierce Oil Company indicted. Page 3. Cotton manufacturers prosecuted for import ing workman. Page a. Ten men killed in fire at St. I-ouis. Page 4. Charge, of bribery against Louis F. Payne repeated. Page a. Outlaw chief Is Killed in Island of Samar in fight with volunteers. Page . sports. University of Oregon football team arrives for annual contest with Multnomah club team. Page 7. Clever boxing bouts at 3rultnomah Club. Pft& 7. 0'Irter. ami Kurns have bloody f.ght to a draw. Page 0. racillo Coat. Pacific States Telephone Company to be re organized. Page rt. Goose hunters flock into Horse Heaven coun try. Page . Harry Orchard's trial postponed. Page 6 Four young skaters drowned in Idaho lake. Page tf. Pacific Northwest railroad lines lease few cars. Page 6. Portland and Vicinity. How Portland w UI day. Page lu. celebrate Thanksgiving Programmes of Portland churches tor Thanksgiving aay services, rage jo. H. C. Sslocum. of Roseburg. drops dead on Portland street. Page l. Colored citizens pass resolution condemning action of President in dismissing troops. Page 7. Orders for 18.000 freight ears and "r0 loco motives for 10o7 delivery placed by Union Pacific. X'age 14. Miss A. T. Dimiek elected president West ern division of State Teachers' Associa tion. Page 11. Testimony before Civil Service Commission favors Ben BigUu, deposed harbormaster. Page 11. IDEAL THANKSGIVING DINNER SGHMITZ RETURNS AS II PRISONER Loyal Friends Give Him Warm Welcome, THOUSANDS WAST FOR HOURS Mayor of San Francisco De nounces His Accusers. BLAMES THE NEWSPAPERS Addresses ;reat Auilicuee in Dream land PaiHoii Political I'onspi- rary His fry Many Speeches Made at Midnight Meeting. SAN" FHANCISCO. Nov. Mayor Kugeno 10. Sclimiiz. . who rut snort bis Kuropcan trip to hasten homo to face the charge of extortion and grafting on which he was indicted by tiie grand jury during his absonco. was warmly welcomed on his arrival at 12 o'clock tonight. From 7 o'clock in the evening until after mid night. 4oC0 people, among them many owmen. crowded the Dreamland pavilion to its fullest capacity and hour after hour waited with remarkable patience for tho Mayor's arrival. Over a thousand people who could not gain entrance to the pavilion stood for several hours in the street to get a glimpse of the indicted Mayor, who was returning to his city under arrest, and, formally, at least, in the custody of a Deputy Sheriff, who served a warrant on him when he crossed the state lino and reached Truckee, Cal., this afternoon. Big Crowd Dwindles Away. At the Ferry about S00 persons, headed by a. reception committee, gaoierod early in the evening to welcome tSo rei-,rning Mayor, but as hour after hour PjSd and the Mayor's train was announced as being later and later, the chilly wind --drove must of tfr.s' crowd home.- until It had dwindled to the reception committee and about 200 persona. When tho Mayor arrived he was qulekly driven to the pavilion at Post and Stelner streets. The arrangement for tho Mayor's reception was in the hands of a, com mittee of 100 vice-presidents, merchants, and business men, and prominent union labor leaders, of which Fred L. Matheis was tho chairman. A part of the comT mittee, headed by Edward Moran and P. H. McCarthy, president of the Building Trades Council, received the Mayor at the Ferry. At the pavilion, which was quickly filled when the doors were thrown open, singers were impressed from a nearby theater. Defended by Dr. Yorkc. Speeches were made my the Rev. Peter C. Yorke. lio'n. Samuel M. Shortridge and others, interspersed by music by a band to entertain and hold the crowd. Dr. Yorke, in a . speech occupying over an hour, made no defense for Schmitz, but confined himself to denouncing Rudolph Spreckels, the press of San Francisco, the grand jury and their attack on the Mayor during his absence. He made an impassioned plea for fair play and at tributed the attack on Mayor Schmitz's administration to be a carefully planned move to disrupt and crush the labor . or ganizations of this city. The Mayor arrived at the pavilion at 12:2:.. The police- fought a passageway through the crowd in the entrance, and as he entered the place the entire house arose to their feet and cheered for four minutes. ( Hundreds of them rushed to shako his hand and it was some time before silence could be secured for him to speak. His wife sat on the platform by Ills side. Both were visibly influenced by the enthusiastic reception given him. In a voice choked with emotion Mayor Schmitz spoke in jwrt as follows: "I can hardly express in words how grateful I feel in receiving such a recep tion after being so maligned by the worst j WHmu II. I'alrbank, Maftparhuttettd Conimisftiuncr tu Lew in ami Clark T'air. set of newspapers that ever cursed a city. It lias been said that I tied from my city, but here I am to face my traduccrs. This attack, which was made a few days after I left New York, did not surprise me. I heard of the combination last Friday the combination between the Bulletin and the Examiner, and that Mr. Burns had taken a vacation in Washington to come here and get something against the union labor administration of this city. "I am no political coward, nor am I a moral coward.- I am here to face my traducers and to face any charges they can bring against me. I come back with no revenge in my heart, but I come back in fighting attitude and I say to you newspapers in all earnestness, I want no quarter and I shall give no quarter. I'nion tabor Is Attacked. , "Three times I have stood as the standard-bearer of tho union labor party. I am proud of that fact. I realize that this is no attack on me, but through me against union labor, that they may disrupt and crush the labor organizations and administration of this city. "I want to say that the harm these papers are doing and have dime will take years to set right. "I thank you for your reception and for your confidence in me. If you be lieve in my honesty and integrity, sus pend your Judgment for the present. Talking of vigilance committees, we will perhaps have yet to organize one." Grand Jury Kesunies Session. SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 2S. The grand Jury resumed its sessions this afternoon and is now concluding its investigations in regard to the alleged extortion from various resorts that existed before the tire. Several new witnesses appeared be fore the jurors this afternoon and con siderable testimony was taken. SCANDAL III FAMINE FUfJO RUSSIAN" MINISTER Aft f'SKD OF ROBBING HUNGRY. Gave Contract for Food Above Mar ket Pritre Cabinet May Drive Him From Oflice. ST. PETERSBURG. Nov. 2N. The re cent exposure of gross irregularities in the mater of the disbursement of relief in tho famine-stricken provinces, com ing as it does at a time when harrow ing descriptions of tire sufferings of the starving are reaching St. Peters burg, is threatening lo result in a scandal which may Involve a member of the Cabinet, and which, it is be lieved, will have influence in the com ing elctions. The Novoe Vremya has taken the lead in the agitation, and with great indignation it hurls the reproach that the funds for relief voted by Parlia ment have been misused. Tile affair developed into a sensation of the highest order when it was re ported that he Council of Ministers, which met today, had summoned Assist ant Minister of thu Interior Gurko and demanded an explanation of how thv re lief funds were expended. M. Gurko, it is said, heatedly refused to reply and re torted that he would explain only to the Emperor. The rumor that M. Gurko had been forced to resign was denied by the Official Telegraph, but tile report is cur rent that he cannot survive and that he will bo denied his post, as the Cabinet is loath to shouldering the responsibility for his alleged malfeasance before the elections. The investigation into relief fund mat ters, conducted by the Novoe Vremya. has disclosed the fact that a contract for a large amount of wheat at a price 4 cents a bushel above the market rate was awarded under the emergency bill, over tho head of the council cf famine relief, and that an advance of J200.000 was paid to the contractor, an obscure individual named Udeval. who gave no security ' in the event of his failure to fulfill the con tract. M. Gurko has been in charge of the famine relief and Lidoval is a close personal friend of the Minister of the In terior. ' The citizens' relief committee has ad dressed an appeal to Mrs. Russell Sage to conic -to the aid of the famine sufferers. HO SOLDIERS DESERVED FATE, Nettleton Approves Roosevelt's Act. GOT FACTS AT BROWNSVILLE Cowardly Conspiracy to Ter rorize the Town. MARTYRS' HALO NOT THEIRS Former Asitaut Secretary vt Trcas ury jHci6rls Slrongly Against Dis charged Troops ftor Inquiry on Scene of Kiol. s BKOWNSVIIJ.K. Tox.. Nov. 2S. Be cause of the apparent mfs understand -Ing1 in portions of the country of tho ffots which called forth the order dis charging the throe companies of co! ored troops recently stationed here, and In view of the resultant orititl.sm of the President's eourse in the matter, the citizens' committee of Brownsville recently requested General A. B. Nettle ton of Chicago, formerly Assistant Sec retary of the Treasury, now here on business, to make, in his own way a thorough and disinterested investiga tion of tho Brownsville tragedy of August 13 and report his conclusions. General Nettleton has embodied his findings in a letter to the Secretary of War. He says in part: Absolutely unprejudiced investigation made after local excitement had Mibhid! confirms in every partlrulur the conclusion reached by the two army officers ssnt hero by the vV'nr Dc-partnu-nt. on tne strength of which the President took his action, a well aa the clear and temperate ma lenient published immediately after the tragedy by Chairman Kelley of the Brownsville cit izens committee. No Provocation Given. After summarizing facts hitherto published a to the killing of one citi zen, the maiming cf the Chief of Police, the firing of volleys into and through hotels, saloons ajul many private resi dences and tho terrorizing of the entire town, the letter continues: Well attested evidence i! that the colored troops were treated nre wtta the tame con sideration that colored noldiera of like bear ing are treated in mort garrison towns of the Nortlurn stales, that on the other hand the street conduct of some of them wn often aggressively and causelessly Insolent toward white men and women : thar t nr was no provocation for the murderous raid by the soldiers, unl-.-f s it tan he called a provocation that the drinkers amung them were provided with sepurat lars in certain pa I non h and that on two oci .asionn indi vidual Insolence was. resented by individual citizens, both of which happened to havo been Republican Federal official. There was no "riof and no "street rows," as many newspapers persist in calling the oc currence, it was siniply a most cowardly conspiracy to terrify, wound and kill un offending men. wmen nd children at the hour, nf midnight, when d tense or resist ance 'was mposfdhle :ind was not even at tempted. Uvldently nut an opposing shot was flrcd. Approves KooseeK's Course. General Ncttlcton's letter sharply raises the Question what were the white officers of the garrison doing or the night of the raid, and i !os"s thus; In view of ih fads h h i find t.irra hero, the persistent attempt on lli part of soma to make, martyrs of any portion of the dis charged men wou'.i be ipp.litnj?. if it were not grot ouue. 'I no. conspiracy of silence on the part of oil members of the battalion prcv ents ihe iovernmciu from punishing the pre viinirt conspiracy of violence and murder and justifies the separation of all alike from t.:e icrvii e 'whlh they have, dis graced, because it inevitable. I believe that no course oilier than that which th- president has put sued wan or ir- open to him unlHH all .semblance m a decent discipline in our army is to b nrdi-d .--nd unless every American community. North and South alike, i:. to be siv n cause, to dread the proximity of the gu-i it-o,i as it would tht f an encampment of armed and uniformed assailants. m itX I P TWO XEfiKO SCHOOLS Kast- SC. Louis Flrclwffs tiriilify l'.ace Prejudice. BAST nr. T..OUIS. III.. Nov. IS. A large brick building at 140 Missouri avenue, which was loaded last week by the Board of Education for .1 nesro school, was de stroyed by lire today and there is evid ence that prejudice against tho establish ment oi a .school for negroes caused the bu'.ldins to b set on fire. Late List ntput the buildins wa.-; discovered to be on tire, but prompt action sav. d it. The firemen found rags soalied with oil on the second floor hallway. The destruction the bulklins today marks the second bui'.dlns leased for a negro school that has been burned within the past two week?. The Board of Kduca tiou two weeks ago lea-sed a buildins for a nesro school and immediately It was destroyed by lire. Calls on Penrose to Lxplain. WASHINGTON. Nov. 2. The War De partment has called on Major Penrose, of tho Twenty-fifth Regiment at Koi t Reno for an explanation rf the statement alleced to hav? be"n made by him in a newspaper interview to the effect that the dismissed batallion of that regiment was the best batallion in the Vnitcd States Army. OKLAHOMA CITY. Okla.. Nov. -JS. -To an Associated Tress rorrespijndent. Major Penrose of Kort Reno tonisht said : "I am being investigated and any re port I have to make will bo sent to Washington. I have nothing to say now." Major Penrose declined either to con firm or deny the report .that he had characterized the discharged negro troops as the best battalion in the United States Army.