The Saint Paul globe., 1898-10-23
QUARREL CROPS QUIZ
GEN. MILES OPENLY SLIGHTED BY
THE PRESIDENT AT
OMAHA
MATTERS IN TIE TRUE LIGHT

Studied Effort to Keep the Com
mander-in-Chief os the Army ia
The Background and to shove
shnftcr to the FrOnt-Sccrets of
the Campaign in Cuba Are Leak
ing 0ut.
OMAHA. Neb. Oct. 22.-Peace jubilee
week was responsible for more official
war talk than Omaha had known be-
fore. 1t was not in connection with the
celebration Of peace, but was due to
the presence in the city of the leaders
of the factions that are engaged in
controversy over the conduct Of the
war.
On one side were the friends and sup
porters Of Gen. Miles and on the other
the hackers of the war department ana
Gen Shafter and incidentally the ad-
rninistration. Under the smiling cloak
OF diplomacy an effort was made to
keep the ugly differences away from
the public, but in the secrecy of the
private rooms and for the ears alone
of discreet sympathizers statements
were made that disclosed the turbulent
maelstrCm Of rancOr, jealousy and bit
terneSs.
One surprising feature of the situa-
ton was the extent of the knowledge
of the members Of the diplomatic corps.
In all the points in controversy ana
the Importance attached to 1t was
manifested by the fact that this sub
ject received more discussion than any
other in the precincts where members
of the Washington party were quar-
tered Among the statements that
were made through channels that
seemed to establish their reliability be
yOnd question was one to the erect
that Gen. Miles is not to set a square
deal before the investigation commits
sion 1t was further stated that Miles
would rot go before the commission
unless ordered to do so by the presi-
dent, and that he was Dinning his
hopes On a congressional investigation,
which. however, he Gid not believe
would be neid if the administration
could possibly prevent it.
That the waters were troubled be-
meath the surface was manifested i'm
mediatcly on the arrival Of the presi-
Dental party in the city on Tuesday
evening. The other train bearing the
Miles party and the newspaper cor
respondents was an hour late and 1t
was promptly decided not to wait their
arrival. This in itself Occasioned no
comment, but there was a noticeable
dilatiOn OF optics an hour later when.
on the announcement that a luncheon
would be served at the club after the
parade for the distinguished visitors,
the mana cement received a 'quiet in
tin alton" that the presidential party
would be quite as well satisfied if Gen.
Miles and his party were driven direct
to hotels instead OF to the CLUB to par
ticipata IL the luncheon.
WIGWAGGING OF TONGUES.
After that announcement there was
a vigorous wagging Of tongues ard it
.;,-;,, 81 OH /,
had called for the arrival of the Miles
train st and it had later been re-
arranged s. as to Errg in the general
after tEe parade was over and after
the depot was completely deserted. All
during the stay Of the WGshingtOnan5
there was no hesitancy in stating that
there was studied effort to affrOEt
Miles. Tni5 was noticed a. the stand
on Wednesday, where 10 attention was
paid ~ the calls Of the vast audience
for Miles until it became 50 pronounced
as 20 be positively embarrassing to the
members of the presidential party
President Mckinley finally turned ard
asked Gen. Miles to step TO the front
of the stand. The general did so and
1S2s introduced by President Wattles,
but that he felt the treatment that was
being accorded was apparent from
single glance at his face and from the
haste with which he retired
In the hotels severe criticisms were
passed on the studied effort on the
part of MI Mckinley to abstain in
all his speeches on the road and while
here from any reference to the Porto
Rican campaign and Gen. Miles and
his frequent and commendatory refer
enCes to Santiago and Gen. Shafter.
TIE conduct of the Santiago cam
paign was gone over in detail at nu-
merOus little chance meetings" in
ont inc ont n
not hesitate to make savage charges
of incOmpetency and disObedience Of
orders against Shafter. Probably no
incident better served to illustrate the
situation than the meeting Of
Miles and Shafter in the rOtunda of
the Millard. It was fearfully frigid in
its brevity and punctilioUs courtesy.
Gen. Miles refused to publicly discuss
the situation, but intimate friends did
not hesitate to express views which
they said he shared. They said ne
had made up his mind that he could
not afford st this time to give out other
interviews unless forced to do so by
new circumstances. They said he felt
deeply the action Of the war depart
ment in sending out orders over his
name of the contents Of which he knew
nothing, and said that this was respOn-
sible for a temporary straining Of the
relations between Gen. Miles and Gen.
Breckenridge until it was possible to
effect a meeting and explain that Gen.
Miles was not responsible for the order
to muster out Gen. Breckenridge.
NEW FEATURE DEVELOPED.
One Of the new features that devel-
oped here was the fact that the presi-
dent had sent a cablegram to Shafter
at Santiago in reply to the latter's ca
blegram that he was sick, directing
him to turn over the command to Gen.
Wheeler in case his illness continued.
1t was stated that Gen. Wheeler knew
nothing Of this until he returned to
Washington, when his first intimatiOn
that such a cablegram had been sent
was received personally from the pres
ident.
1t was also stated that after the bat
tie of San Juan hill, when the troops
had achieved their magnificent victory
Shafter called his generals around him
and announced his intention Of with
drawing from the position just gained
Gen. Wheeler hastened to enter a pro-