The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-08-03


Slowly but surely the inside history
OF the battles ard u innate capture Of
Santiago and the army II Gen. Toral
is being revealed, aud when all the
facts are known some one in high
authority will be held responsible for
! the useless sacrifice Of the lives OF the
brave men who fell in obedience to
| orders and the command of some one
incompetent TO direct the military
movements OF great armies.
The Washington correspondent Of "a
New York paper, who appears to be in
possession Of military secrets known
only 70 the exclusive few in the mill
tAry el~cles at Washington, tells some
things which, II borne out when the
cold type puts into unpoetic history
the true story Of this campaign, will
be a revelation as astonishing TO the
American people as it viii be condem-
natory OF the war minister who pro-
cted il. This correspondent calls
after ion TO the fact shat Gen. Shaiter
is Michigander, which may account
for the Partially shown in his selec-
tion to lead the army OF Invasion by
the war minister, who is himself
Michigan man.
IL shou d be borne In mind that while
the army was at Tampa preparing for
the invasion it was first given out that
Gen, Miles would lead IT, Then it was
said that some other general was TO
-9mmand IL, aud, finally, after much
military red tape, it was said that Gen.
Miles services we're needed too greatly
at Wa hingtou TO spare him to lead
the army OF invasion, and the honor
was given TO Gen. Shafter
II now appears, so this correspond
ent asserts, as a military fact, H. at the
president granted Gen. Miles personal
request to be allowed to accompany
tho army, and ~rote the order and
sent II to the secretary OF war, but il
never reached Gen Miles, and it wes
only recently that the fact became
known TO the general that the order
5y tie president was actually issued
oy i'm.
II IL be true-and the fact that the
pr sident seems TO have lately taken
the direction Of military movements
into his own hands is condrmatorv OF
the story-that the war minister actu-
ally suppressed this order to Gen.
Miles, he should have been driven into
retirement as untitled for his high
Office, and with the oiium Of having
compassed the death Of the brave and
gallant men at Santiago in order to
further the military ambition OF an
/ competent favorite.
In connection with this story is the
fact that the premature attack at san
tiago was without particle OF that
gcneralship usually exhibited by a
commander and so necessary for sue
cess. This may not have oeen, with
the light OF these facts before us, the
fault OF Gen. Shafter, IL may have
been through the urgency Of the war
minister, for was not Gen. Shafter his
friend lie WSnted the glory TO rest
upon his shoulders, and delay might
have pushed some other general TO the
front and shorn bis friend Of his
laurel'. Again. the president might
have made inquiries about the order
70 Gen. Miles that would have been
difficult to answer and explain.
An the circumstances that cluster
around the two days 6ght-indeed
from the FIRST landing OF the troops
show a complete lack Of the genius OF
military commander in both the |
preparation and the direction@of the
movements Of the Invading army Was |
II the war minister directing Gen. |
Shafter, or was Il shafters iueompe- |
tency? The story will be told some
day, when the war archives are made |
to eveal the cold truth, shorn as II /
will be Of red tape and ministerial
censorship Then, and not tin then, |
will 1t be known why ?, GOO brave aud |
dauntless men fell killed aud wounded |
at Santiago aud then, and not tin
then, will the true story OF Gen Shat |
ter's cablegram, now resting under
lock and key in the iron vault Of the
war minister, that he would have to |
fall back five miles, my lines are too
thin, but / will try 10 save artillery, " |
be known aud understood by the Amer |
lean people then, and not tin then,
viii IL be knowa why President Me. |
Kinley called halt on the war minis |
ter and took the direction Of military |
movements out OF his hands, aud is
now exercising fun and complete cen
sorship over the war movement.