The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-18


II IS 10 be regretted that there IS bad
blood between Gen. Alger, the Secretary
Of War, and Gen Miles. the Commanding
General Of the army. The existence Of
such a feeling gives rise to many comph-
cations and impairs the usefulness Of that
department. when the Secretary and the
Assistant Secretary are away, as IS the
case at present, the Commanding General
becomes Acting Secretary Of War and the
employees Of the department, knowing the
hostility of the Secretary TO the Com
handing General, are uncertain, in some
instances, as to what matters they should
bring to his attention. This condition of
affairs is embarrassing to both the Com
handing General and the employees.
The fact that the Commanding General
is Acting Secretary Of War affords the
newspapers which are hostile to Gen. Al
ger an opportunity to say some things
which must be very unpleasant for him
to see in print. And it must be admitted
that they are not at all times as just as
they might be. For instance, one of
them, in speaking of the feeling which
Cen Miles has for Gen. Alger says:
"Gen. Miles feels only pity for Gen. AL
ger. His anger seems to have disappear
ed He makes no comment on Ayers
relations with Col Hecker, nor on the
millions wasted in the needless transDor-
tation of troops He is perfectly silent
about Alger on these scores"
Well, we should think he would be.
Who was it that sent troops into camp
at Miami. Fla? That was the worst camp
for fever and mosquitoes established dur
ing the war with Spain. The soldiers
sickened almost as fast as they were sent
there. And why were they sent there?
That question has never been answered.
Miami is hundreds of miles below Jack
sonvile, and to get troops from there
to Cuba they would have to be taken to
Tampa or brought here TO Savannah. The
transportation of troops and supplies to
that out-of-the-way and unhealthy place
cost the government hundreds of thou
sands of dollars for the two or three thou
sand sent there.
1t was brought out before the commits
sion which investigated the conduct of the
war that troops were ordered to Miami
by Gen. Miles, against the protest of the
Secretary of War. It was his intention to
! send 10000 men there, and he would have
| done so, no doubt. if the Secretary of War
had not emphatically refused to
permit him The sickness among
the troops there became so alarm
ing that if the Secretary had
not acted promptly and vigorously
! there would have been scandal that
would have aroused the resentment of the
people as nothing connected with the
camps in this country did AS it was,
the scandal was sufficient to subject the
| Secretary to very severe criticism, because
| it was thought that he sent the troops to
Miami, and it was even limited that he
1 had some mercenary motive in doing so.
1t is not improbable that the majority of
the people still think that he selected the
Miami camp and sent troops there.
But what were Gen. Miles reasons for
sending them there? That question we
have never yet seen answered. 1t is about
time there was some answer to it, or else
his friends should cease saying that Gen
| Miles makes no comment on the mill
ions wasted by Gen. Alger in the needless
transportation of troops" 1t is doubtless
true that the war department did waste
money in the needless transportation OF
troops, but until Gen. Miles explains why
he wanted to send 10000 troops to Miami
and did actually send several Thousand
there it doesn't become him to comment
on the waste of money in needlessly trans
| porting troops for which Gen Alger was
| responsible.