Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-09
MILES AND ALGER.

| General Miles upon his arrival In New
York from Porto Rico is "a clincher." HI
neither afilrms nor denies the Kansa:
City Stars interviews. but he takes issue
| with Alger in the most decided way, and
nferentially courts official inquiry. We
doubt IL he will get that from the hands
| of the President, but Congress will give
| him a hearing in due time. Just now we
| guess. the President would prefer to LEI
the controversy die out, for the congress
| sional campaign is on.
The Secretary of War has not treated
Miles fairly. He has not given Miles the
credit that seems to be due him, and he
has been convicted of sending Shafter a
telegram that looks very much as IL AL
ger wished to incite Shafter to insubor-
dination.
AT the time Miles was hurried to San
tiago the condition Of our army there was
pitiable, and but for the grit and influence
of Joe Wheeler IL would soon have been
on the retreat. There can be no doubt
that with the consent of the President
Miles went TO Santiago clothed with every
power that the general commanding the
army Of the United States is possessed of,
yet Alger sent Shafter a telegram telling
him that Miles was not authorized TO in
terfere with him.
That clandestine telegram might have
but. happily, IL was not Miles let it be
known that he was in command. but he
allowed Shafter to carry on his opera
tons just as they had been planned
The Dispatch can never forget certain
incidents in the career OF General Miles,
and we are neither his apologist nor de-
fender now; but we must say we think
that Alger has treated him badly. Miles
asserts that the conduct Of the military
operation at and about Santiago was the
result Of his plans, but he intimates that
the laundering interference OF Alger
caused the loss of many lives.
That Miles feels greatly outraged by
things that Alger has said and done we
may be sure, for here he is making war
upon Alger not forgetting that Alger is
unmndful of the fact that only with Nc
Kinley's help can he OIiles) be made a
acknowledgement, as he has long wished.
So we see that Miles is taking a great
risk in antagonizing Alger: but he has
done so distinctly and emphatically.
We should not wonder II the President
called halt upon this controversy now,
but if he does Miles will be in the position
of having had the last word.
1t was the wish of the people OF New
York that Miless army should be review
ed at New York before being disbanded |
but Alger made that practically impossi-
BILE by hurrying to their homes the troops |
as soon as they were landed.
The Dispatch wishes that there could be |
q full and fair investigation of the con-
not hope for it. The country will proba-
bly, have to rely upon Congress to do that
work. In time we expect TO see the truth
brought out by Congress- whether it helps
Or hurts Alger or Miles, Sampson or
Schley, or whether it loads the RESPONSE
bility for the ill-treatment Of our sick and
upon the medical staff or any
other staff. Besides, there has been pro-
ligious waste of money in buying trans
ports and military and naval supplies, and
n payment of charges for transportation.
And inasmuch as Miles has forced an
ssue that will not down. we trust it will
naugurate an investigation that will in
orm the public as to many matters that
hey are minded to know.