The Winslow mail., 1899-08-24
M'KINLEY-ALGER-LONG
signs of a Conspiracy in the War
Management for Political
Profit.

There is no doubt that the admins
tration-meaning by that the presi-
dent the secretary of war and the Sec
retary of the navy-cntered on the
management of the war with Spain de-
termined that no army nor naval hero
should be developed who might be-
come a popular favolite and receive
a presidential nomination in 1900. The
conspiracy was directed against the
soldiers and sailors of both political
parties with a view that no commander
by sea or land, gaining victories and
acquiring the popularity with which
Americans crown their heroes, should
become a candidate for president in
opposition to Mckinley next year. This
line of policy has prevailed throughout
in those departments of the admins
tration by which the movements of
the war were directed.
At the commencement of the war Nc
Kinley and the gang of politicians by
whom his interests are served feared
General Miles more than they feared
anybody else, the Spaniards included.
AS the commanding officer of the army
if he was permitted to conduct the cam
paigns in the field he would be given the
credit of all the victories gained by our
troops. The American people inevita-
bly, reward their successful generals
with presidential nominations. Wash
ington, jackson, Taylor and Grant were
elected to the presidency because they
were military heroes. Scott and Nc
Clellan were nominated for president
on their war records. Even Hayes
who was nominated for president, but
not elected, though he held the office,
having been counted in--was supported
on the few lines of his history as one
of the mob Of brigadier generals whose
names were on the pay rolls during the
civil war; Garfield and Mckinley are
claimed to have won military renown.
Americans are martial people and
venerate their war heroes. The presi-
dent and his secretaries appreciated this
fact when the war opened and General
Miles, with a good military record, was
the officer of highest rank in the army.
That is the reason why no important
command except that of the Porto Rico
expedition, was given to General Miles.
1t is the reason why his services in
Porto Rico were cut short and belittled,
while the campaign on that island,
without serious bloodshed, was the
most successful and fruitful of the war.
1t is the reason why he was assailed
with contumely and insult when he
denounced the sales of "embalmed
beef for the rations of our troops. His
destruction as a soldier insured the ab-
sence of at least one probable COM
petitor with Mckinley for the repub-
lican presidential nomination in 1900.
Democratic soldiers were suppressed
in the same way. 1t was feared the
prominence of some democrat in sue
cessful campaign would develop dan
gerous opponent for Mckinley at the
presidential election. They appear to
have feared General Fitzhugh Lee the
most He was the best man on earth
to have been placed in military and civil
command in Cuba. But there was the
possibility of a democratic president
in the sound of his name. He was kept
in obscure commands, was hidden un-
der the higher rank of men in every
way his interiors and left to rust out
for. fear his labors in a prominent posi-
ton would clothe him with an irresist-'
able popularity before the people.
Other instances might be cited. The
war on Admiral Schley was inspired by
apprehensions that, as the victorious
commander in the greatest sea fight
since metal vessels were employed in
warfare, the people would insist on
electing him to the presidency. Dewey
would have been turned down" in the
same way had it been possible. The his
tory of the Spanish war is history Of
low-down politics on the part of the
administration, without a parallel in
the past of this or any other country
Chicago Chronicle.