Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-06-23
ARE HARD TO SUIT.
PRESIDENTS ADVISORS DIsA-
GREE.
General MIics Disapprovos of . Big Camp
at acknowledgements to General
Coppinger-No Expedition to spain.


Coppinger-No Expedition to spain.
Chicago, Juae 10.-A special to the
Record from Washington says:
In multitude of counselors there
may be wisdom, but there is usually
n good deal of confusion also, and
President Mckinley has learned by eX-
perleuce. He is a man of abundant
caution, and while he may be too de-
liberate to suit many people he takes
the advice of Davy Crockett and is
sure he is right before lie goes ahead.
For that reason he summoned General
Miles from Tampa, much against the
lattcr's wishes, although the general
should consider 1t Il compliment to be
called 900 miles back to Talk with his
these dispatches last night. nothing has
been definitely determined about the
expedition to Porto Rico. The secre-
tary Of war and his subordinntes had
formed pretty plan, with all details,
but the President declined to approve
1t until he had consulted General Miles.
The latter arrived this morning In his
private car, with Its porcelain bath
tub and other luxurious appurtcnances
that have been the cause of criticism
and comment, but instead of settling
the open question in n speedy manner
/ lie threw the whole game In confusion
and upset the calculations of the rest
| of the department by the objections he
raised to their plans.
There has been good deal Of fric-
tlon between General Miles and the
secretary OF war from the beginning.
rs l have frequently stated in these
| dispatches, and there was never more
| than at present. The Alger plan in
brief Is to mobollze 10000 or 5000
troops at Fernandinn. Florida, and ship
| them to Porto Rico from that point I'M
der command of Major General Cop
| plnger.
In the first place. there has been con-
| siderable objection to Coppinger. He Is
n foreigner: he-is not u graduate OF
| West Point: he was not citizen of the
United Stntes until he became a brign-
dIer general, and even then took out
naturalization papers only for tie pur-
pose OF joining the Loyal Legion; he
is n Catholic. and 1t Is argued he
should not be sent In command Of
troops to Catholic country like Porto
| Rico. But General Coppinger hns
strong friends, who contend that the
objections raised contain the very best
reasons why lie should be selected. He
has the strong backing OF General
Miles md AdJutant General Corbin,
and, although when he was appointed
n brigadicr general four or five years
! ago. he did not stand very high profess
sionally, 1t is claimed ut the War De-
pnrtment no man In the list of depart
ment commanders has made n better
record than he. II Is almost certain
that the President will accept the rec
| concentrations OF Miles and Corbin and
let Coppinger lead the Porto Ricnn cx-
pcdltion.
General Miles. however. will not nj
low himself to be drawn into the rail-
road fight, and has made n rccommen-
dntion which. although It upsets the
| plans of the War Department. seems
to be practical and sensible. He rec
ommcnds that the troops and supplies
now at Tampa be shipped from that
| place, where temporary facilities have
been provided and the experience OF
| the Cuban expedition has taught many
valuable lessons. He sees no reason
why these facilities should be nbnn-
doncd and the troops and supplies
transferred to another point simply for
| the purpose OF loading them on trans
ports. He suggests that the troops and
supplies nt Jacksonville be started
from FcraGndinn. those ut Chickamau-
ga from Brunswick and those at
| Washington from Newport News or
Baltimore or equally convenient ports.
General Miles argues that It Is use
less expense TO take troops out of one
camp and establish them In another
unless they are to remain permanent
~ at the second place. Nothing can be
gained. for example. in taking troops
from Chicknmauga to Fernnndina and
allowing them TO remain there until
they are ready to go to sen. He urges
that they he retained Mt Chicknmauga
until the transports are ready to re-
ceive them. so that they can march
aboard from the cars rs soon rs they
arrive. Nor does he see any advantage
in sending the entire expedition from n
single place. II will save long and
extensive journey to ship the troops
now at Washington from Newport
News or Baltimore instead of taking
them to Fernnndina or Tampa. and Mt
either of the former places better IA
cilities exist for handling men, live
stock and supplies.
General Miles has been spending the
afternoon trying to convince Secretary
Algcr of the advantages of his plan.
The President and Cabinet regard 1t
very favorably and 1t will probably be
adopted.
There Is no intention OF sending
fleet across the sea. The matter has
not even been seriously considered.
Several persons have suggested mt DIFF
fercnt times that 1t would he n good
idea to lombard Cadiz or some other
of the Spanish ports. The capture of
the Canary Islands has also been ad-
vocated In various quarters, but the
president thinks our army and navy
have plen,; to do nearer home Mt pres
ent. and that they will be kept busy
On this side of the water until the
Spanish flag is removed from Ameri-
can soil and the United States Is in
possession of all the Spanish-Ameri-
can colonies.