The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-19
MILES FOR LIEUTENANT-GENERAL

/ nesota; the other resolution BY Senator
EIllins of West Virginia Both Of these
senators are known 70 be warm admirers
Of General Miles; and although their mea-
sures necessarily omit mention Of his
name. ali three are obviously framed with
a view 20 giving him the benefit of the
honor. Mr.. Davis bill was the first to
be introduced Il came in on December
S, and provides simply that the senior
| Major general, while commanding the
army, shall have the rank and pay of a
| lieutenant general. The Davis resolution
! which followed on January I. provides
| for the revival of the grade Of lieutenant
| general, Gin order that when, in the opin-
| ion OF the president and senate, it shall
be deemed proper TO acknowledge distin-
guished services of a major general COM
manding the army during the late civil
war and in command Of expeditions
! against hostile Indians in the frontier
states and territories" the grade may be
! specially conferred-"proyided however,
that when the said grade of lieutenant
| general shall have once been filed, and
| become vacant, this joint resolution shall
thereafter expire and become of no effect"
| Mr.. Elkins' resolution is TO the same ef-
| feet as Mr.. Davis. but more carefully
drawn as to terms. Instead of the loose
| phrase ''to acknowledge distinguished ser
| vices of a major general commanding the
| army during the late civil war" etc
| which, but for the most accurate printing
| of the capitals in the right places, might
convey either OF two meanings-it reads:
ITO acknowledge distinguished services of
the Major General Commanding the Army
rendered in the volunteer army, during
the late civil war" Il also contains a
proviso that nothing in this resolution
shall increase the number of general Off
GERS of the army The purpose of this
last limitation is to forestall the complaint
which is liable to be raised by the rigid
economists that the purpose Of the meas
ure is to add a new salary and make
new and pleasant and expensive berth for
some favored officer. The increase Of
rank for the major general commanding
would, of course, carry with it the adj
dition of few thousand dollars TO the
annual budget, but il viii be an increase
only to the extent that the emoluments
Of the lieutenant general exceed those of
the major general.
The three measures have been referred
to the military affairs committee OF the
snate. and by that committee submitted !
10 the secretary Of war for his opinion. |
His answer has been returned, but at I
the war department 1t cannot be made /
public without the consent of the COM /
mittee, and the committee will keep it I
under seal, at all events till they have .
had time TO consider it. As there viii /
not be another meeting till Thursday next /
there viii be no chance for consideration
before that date at earliest.
In army circles, however, here is but
one opinion as to the views OF the secreta-
~ and the president on the whole subject
Both are believed TO be as strongly op-
posed now as they have always been 10
any further revival of the lieutenant gen
eralshiD for the present General Scho-
field aspired TO such a promotion a long
time before he received il, and the pres
dents change of front at the last moment
was reluctant and due to some special
services rendered in an exigency. Even
then it is not thought that the general
would have obtained his higher honors
had he not been on the eve Of retirement
One reason which friends Of the president
have ass5s ned as moving him 20 change
his mind was the fact that Schofsld was
the last officer likely 20 become a candl-
date who commanded an Independent ar
my during the civil war and fought a !
battle with IL. As General Niles was
sriu below the rank Of briglGier al the I
close Of the civil war, he did not enjoy
such = privilege, and this would doubtless
count against him. The ScoGeld case was
regarded as involving q painful stretch
OF the presidents sentiment regarding I
the Lieutenant Eeneralsh.p, which had !
been created for ex-PresiGeut WASHINGTON
when there was a threat OF war with ,
France in 1888. had been most scrUpu,ously 2
guarded for ninety years. and had passed
put Of existence when Sheridan was pro
noted 70 ths full rank of general
IN spite OF any oppos- zion on the part
u the administration, however. directed
against the broad policy az reFiv-1g the
extinct rank. and not personal 20 General :
Miles. that officer stands e pretty far :
nance o. becoming lieutenant general
He is a sort O. popular idol owing 20 the q
act that he IS the most llstl1 E1isheI ( :
representative OF the popular element OF :
he srny-that f. Of tire element Tot e6-
.tucatef az West Polnr-and e THE first =
-ra1uate % thar severe school, The voiun- n
-er army Of the civI va. 20 reach such &,
poz--lo- as Re TOW hos5s. c1umsntlnE
Ia entire army o. the Trl.e1 States. 9,
h admiration which Americans com !
ao-ly have. also. for h-iilaucy .n tactl- =
al wo-k has done much for his fame. \
example % - vas when. after
I5Dear6-s loaE chase OF the Nez Ferees
rlth forced narchss ard a. sorts O. har- y
owing campaign Incidents. Niles threw E
f--se-f across C-tlec Jcs-gl's pain Or I5s
ze,er's way - Ca-soz and frse5an. and ! =
a7.u-sd him ard IS Warrio-s .. q s-agls g.
-rosce. d
Coz~rees - very kes-ly alEs 20 re g.
us-c-s Er1u vl-Eo1t whlcs respond 20 a..
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