The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-09-09
The Case of Gen. Miles.

II is significant that only the few
| journals that undertake to whitewash
the army scandals, try to discredit
Gen. Miles. All the other newspapers
Of the country believe that his years of
honorable service in the army-in
| which he has risen by merit alone to
| the highest place-and his effective
work in the war with Spain, entitle
him to a fair hearing and TO justice.
1t is natural for those who show no
care for the unwarranted sufferings of
private soldiers, to display none for the
rights of a successful commander when
they conflict with the interests of poll
ticians seeking to escape responsibility
for their fatal incompetency.
Gen. Miles planned the campaign in
Cuba, which. in connection with the
marvellous work of the navy, brought
the war to a speedy close. He in
trusted its execution to a subordinate,
projecting himself into the proceedings
personally only at a critical moment
VIXEN disaster threatened: and when
he had effected the surrender of the
enemy, he generously allowed his sub
ordinate to gather all the laurels in
spite of stupid protest from the lat
ter against being subject to the orders
of Gen. Miles.
II was only when he learned of the
failure of an antagonistic war office to
appreciate his generosity, through
private message to his subordinate
that was against all principles of dis
cipline; and when he learned of the
l., fl,a ne
the neglect of his orders and advice;
and when his expedition had been re-
tarded until he bad to appeal to the
President; and when the war was over
and ii could do no injury to our cause,
that he recited for publication his part
in the war and revealed the injustice
with which he had been treated by Of
ficials unused to war and military bust
ness.
Gen. Miles's obvious purpose in
this was to make himself subject
to a court of inquiry. He is not,
as he takes pains TO say, a quar-
relsome man; and he is not a
man to take delight in a controversy
through the newspapers. He had rea-
son to think that he would be held to
! account for giving publicity TO official
documents which the War Department
alone is privileged to publish. 1t has
been the hope of the country that an
| inquiry would result that would go
into the question of responsibility for
| the murderous defects of administra-
/ ton affecting the army in Cuba. This. it
was believed, would expose the persons
whose failures have had such far
reaching effects.
That hope is now dead. 1t was as
serted by many newspaper correspond
ents that when the President should
| find Secretary Alger unalterably OPP
posed to an investigation, he would
himself move in the matter. The
| Washington representative of the St.
Louis Globe-Democrat, for example.
said: President Mckinley says that all
charges of mismanagement and neg
lect will be thoroughly investigated,
and if there are guilty parties they
will be punished No one will repeat
! that promise now. for no one who is
we'll informed expects any further in
vestigation than that to be conducted
| by Secretary Alger himself in his visits
| to the various camps.
Therefore, there is no reason TO think
there will be a court OF inquiry in the
case of Gen. Miles If there are pro-
| ceedings against him further than a
command from the President to cease
the agitation, they will be of a charac-
/ ter that will prevent all mention of the
| scandals that have caused unprece-
dented public Indignation.