Arizona republican., 1899-08-06
POSITION OF MILES
General Anxious TO Regain
Presidents Confidence.
He Will Request Roofs Assistance.
Cause of the DiScord in The war
Deparfmenf-HiS Attitude at The
Beginning of the War.

Washington, Aug. 5.-GeneraI Miles
Who has been Ignored in he c0nducf
of military affairs since he set sail for
Porto Rico, one year ago. is anxious
to be restored to a position befitting
the commanding general of the army.
and he viii request the new secretary
to assist him in establishing more har-
monious relations with the admins
tration
Secretary Root it is understood is Il
personal friend of General Miles, and
it is possible he may De aD-e to put an
end to Il state. of affairs which has
been destructive of military discipline
President Mckinley desires har-
mony in the war department, but his
advisers say it must be recognized that
the president himself is commander-in-
chief, and that with the authority IL
select officers for special duties and
commands. Had General Miles acted
in accordance with tnzii a year ago he
would have had no trouble with the
aGn2inisi ration. 1t is 10 secret that
Secretary A.ger was a friend OF Sen
eral Miles and supported him longer
than the president did but when the
general used the newspapers TO adver-
tise his difference Secretary Alger
recommended that he be relieved of
command. and. falling to induce the
president TO take thai step 10 main
tain discipline in the army, the secre-
tary ignored the commanding general
The origin of the trouble with Gen
eral Miles was the failure of the gen
eral to recognize that in Lime of war
the presidenr must be the commander
intchief of the army and assume the
responsibility for the conduct Cf the
war.
Had General Miles been content to
assume the attitude that Major Gen
eral Schofield assumed when the latter
was nominally in command of ,.he
army, namely, that of general in chief
AMI chief of staff 10 the president and
his secretary of war. there would have
been no friction. But the general held
that he was in command of the army.
and he took issue with the secretary of
war. who was simply carrying out the
commands of the PRESIDENT IL doing
that he lost the confidence of tie pres
ident. Who ceased to consult him. The
secretary of war was issuing orders |
as directed by the president, and Cen
eral Miles took issue with him, re-
frlsing TO obey orders which related TO
his own drties.
IL summing up its report on !ghe con-
duct of the war the war investigating |
commission made the remark that the |
of selection of his general in chief as
he has Of selecting his secretary of !
war. WtthOut that there can be no
guaranty that the commanding general |
will give satisfaction or that the sec
rotary of war will place in the general |
in chief the confidence which is neces-
sary to perfect harmony. Neither the |
president nor the secretary of war
should have in command of the army /
an officer who is not working in har- |
mony with him.
There was never any personal quar-
Tel between Secretary Alger and Gen
eral Miles. The whole trouble grew |
out of the difference in views held by |
the president and the general. Any |
adjustment of differences must result |
from a mutual recognition of rights
and courtesies, and lit will depend
largely on General Miles Willingness
90 accept the presidents imterpreta
ton of the duties of the commanding
general