The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-09-01
ALGER'S STATEMENT.
THE SECRETARY PLACES MATTERS
~-.4-. IN A NEW LIGHT.

War Department Does Not Care to Enter
Into Controversy. Alger Thinks the
Miles Interview Has Been Greatly En-
larg-d.
Washington. Aug. 31.-The Miles-Ai-
ger-Corbin controversy, arising from
an alleged interview given to a corre-
spondent of the Kansas City Star by
the commanding general Of the army.
appears in a new light since Secretary
Alger made a brief statement in the
matter. The secretary refused to enter
into an extended discussion of the sub
ject, and he repeated what he has
said so many times within the last few
days. that he believed General Miles
never made half of the statements
which have been credited to him.
The secretary proceeded then to an
swer some questions which indicated
strongly that the war department is
not disposed to take UP the gauntlet
which General Miles seems to have
thrown down.
General Miles, in the opinion Of the
secretary, evidently intended to draw
the army administration into a discus
sion which would lead to an official in
quiry which, in turn, as ne confidently
believed, would clear UP some matters
which he wished to have exposed in
justice to himself.
Secretary Alger said yesterday that
the correspondent of the Kansas City
Star was evidently desirous of secur-
tno taI - t,f
an official source.
"That Is just what the correspondent
won't get," added the secretary em-
phatically. 1.-THE fact that General
Shafter was asked for an explanation
of a report that he had given the pro-
ceedings of the round robin at Santiago
to the press has no necessary applica-
tion in this case.
"At any rate" he said, Hf we do ask
General Miles whether he gave that
interview or not, we shall not publish
the fact, and the newspapers won't
know anything about it. There is an
evident desire to have a controversy
on this subject, but there can be none
and the war department will take no
part in one"
It Is common report around the war
Office that both Secretary Alger and
the adjutant general do not want
court of inquiry or court martial
growing out of the Miles interview
would result in. An officer of the war
department, whose authority is beyond
question, declared yesterday that an
important order recently prepared by
the assistant secretary of war for pro-
mitigation through the adjutant gen.
eral had never been issued.
1t was suppressed, he said, in the ad-
jutant generals office. The adjutant
general of course, has no discretion in
such matters: his function is merely
the transmission of orders prepared by
others. The next day an order directly
opposite in purport, and prepared by
some authority in the war department,
was issued by the adjutant general.
General Corbin was sharply called to
account, whereupon he declared that
he had not received the first order al
though it was personally delivered to
his Office from the Office of the assist
ant secretary.
General Corbin said yesterday:
'I have issued no orders of any i'm
portance except upon the authority
and by the direction of the secretary
Of war or the president Of the United
States. They are amply able. take
1t, to protect themselves. and so far
as I am concerned there are no ex-
plantations or apologies to make"