New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
narCh ViOletS.
C0lgate's
Violet Water.

bestow it upon General SchoHeld, another
prominent leader OF that great strife? This Is
an interesting question. connected with which
is an equally interesting story
GENERAL MILES AND THE PRESIDENT.
General Miles commanded the troops which put
down the Debs riots at Chicago. In managing
affairs in that trouble he displayed marked skill
and good Judgment. In his report of the services
of the troops. he used language in speaking Of
Debs which distorted by some Of Mr.. Ceve-
lands Jealous caretakers here t. mean a criti-
csm Of the President Nothing further from
the thoughts of General Miles. his friends show.
as he is essentially the soldier and would not re-
fleet upon the Comm nder in Chief OF the Army.
Nevertheless. the under strappers insisted that
Miles meant something other than that which he
said and finally the President adopted the view.
Months ago II said in these dispatches that
there was opposition to Miles succeeding Scho-
field That true. and the feelings Of the
President then went back to the report on the
Debs strike. 1t was supposed the President had
forgotten the distorted report as he finally or
dered General Miles to Washington. 1t Is now
asserted that fearing popular condemnation or
any other course he brought the present Com.
manding General here but that he did not forget
the tortured meaning OF the strike report.
General Miles was asked to-day II he had any
thing to say on this or any other feature Of the
case. He said that he had rot; that he knew Of
nothing 10 say. and that he regretted to learn
that the newspapers did In a dgnfed way he
added that his only information as to what the
Secretary of War had said 10 the Senate COM
mittee had come from a member Of that commit
tee and ;tat /. would be unbecoming In him 10
discuss the Secretary's action
is THERE CLIQUE?
But the story about the War Department clique
is of special interest When Secretary Lamont
became the head of the War Department there
were loud cries OF reform" and /; was declared
that large number Of Army officers, who had
long been carpet knights in Washington" were
to be sent to their regiments With brass band
attachment the Secretary assumed his duties,
leaving his street railroads In New-York to be
looked out for by others. Secretary Elkins whom
Mr. Lamont succeeded had one Army officer as a
military secretary. Lieutenant Dupray. He was
ordered West in pest haste. Soon afterward two
other officers. one in the War Records office. an
other on duty elsewhere. were sent to join their
regiments Secretary Lamont was praised by the
cuckoo press. He was not to keep officers way
from the troops. their legitimate duty. This was
then. To-day the Secretary OF War has three
military secretaries, Major Davis. Captain Berry
and Captain Bliss. Major Davis served for over
seven years on the staff OF General Schoheld.
While performing these duties he was made an
officer In the Subsistence Corps. He has never
performed one days service with that corps.
1t is an old story at the War Department that
the Secretary Of War keeps these three officers at
the War Department. despite the fact that under
law and custom he has at the Department the
Chief of Engineers. the Chief Of Ordnance. inc
Quartermaster-G General. the Commssary-GeneraI'
eral also the Adjutant-General. the Inspector
General and the Commanding General 1t has
been the custom Of previous Secretaries OF war
to have one military secretary, but not more.
Mr. Lamont requires three Whether these three
officers constitute clique. II is impossible to say
positively. II Is fact. however. that the regular
senior staff officers chiefs Of the War Depart
ment bureaus resent their presence M the au-
thority they assume and are given by the Secre-
tary OF War. 1t has happened not nfrequently
that important questions affecting the Army have
been turned over to these Lamont favorites. as
they are called. for review. after they had becn
passed upon by heads % star departments. all
Of whom. by-the-way. excepting tie Cuartermis-
ter-General and the Inspet .Oi- GENERAL we're dp-
pointed upon the recommendation Of Secretary
Lamont in the course OF the present Administra-
ton. Certainly not In recent years. possibly not
since the War has a Secretary OF war had so
many special advisers as Mr.. Lamont. Accord
ing TO the story, these subordinates have more
authority than the Commanding General upon
whose actions and opinions they not infrequently
sit In Judgment OF course. the reason why Mr..
Lamont requires MANY assistants Is clear. He Is
engrossed in political affairs and has little leisure
or inclination for Army questions. But II Is not
clear why he gives these subordinates authority
over the heads OF staff corps.