The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-03
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.
General Miles and the President

General Miles and the President
Pressure is. being brought to bear on Mr..
Mckinley to discipline General Miles for
his alleged violation OF the army regula-
tions in airing his grievances in the news
papers instead OF presenting them through
the regular officials. He had no right, 1t
is claimed, to give out any statement for
publication criticising the War Depart
ment and indirectly the Administration,
without consulting with his superiors-
that is, the Secretary of War and the Presi-
dent. The army regulations, it is con-
tended, prohibit an army officer from rush
ing into print Unfortunately and COM
menting upon the management of the War
Department. General Miles, il is held, is
not exempt from this regulation and his
failure to observe it is likely to make him
some trouble. 1t has been eagerly seized
upon by Secretary Alger and his associates
as sufficient cause for a court-martial
of General Miles, or at least, the ordering
OF court of inquiry. Mr.. Alger, 1t is I'M
derstood, insists upon a court-martial to
try General Miles. 1t is apparent that the
matter has reached a crisis. Either Miles
or Alger, it is said, will have to walk the
plank. Interesting developments are anti
'ipattu. me iTtSiuenL is sdlu 10 Ue III
something of a quandary. He is known to
be heartily sick and disguised with Alger
and Algerism, but at the same time it is
asserted on the highest authority that he
is very much put out with General Miles
for the course that he has pursued. Cen
eral Miles. it is said, has openly and re-
peatedly ignored and disregarded injunc-
tions that have been communicated to him
from the White House to cease talking for
HI
taken pains to impress upon Mr.. Mckinley
that General Miles was playing to the gal
leries: that he had boundless political
ambition and was doing everything in his
power to make himself popular with the
masses. You must look out for Miles,
Mr.. Mckinley has been told He is a
candidate for President and he will not
hesitate to sacrifice you and your Admins
tration to advance himself" This kind of
talk has undoubtedly had its effect on the
President and his attitude toward General
Miles is plainly unfriendly. However, Mr.
Mckinley is not green hand in the mat
ter of political manipulation. He recog-
nizes the strength of General Miles posi-
ton before the country and hesitates to at
tack him openly until a favorable oppor-
tunity presents itself. General Miles may
be relieved of his command and suspended
from active duty. but it is no. believed that
court martial.
If the full history of General Miles
treatment from the beginning of the Amer
ican-Spanish war down to the present time
could be written it would unquestionably
furnish very interesting reading. It is re-
lated in this connection that when Cen
eral Shafter was performing his wonder
full maneuvers before Santiago and tele-
graphing the War Department that he
could not hold disposition and intended to
fall back to the coast. where he would be
under the protection of the guns of the
warships, that the President sent for Cen
eral Miles. How does it happen, General
Miles, said the President sharply, that
the American army finds itself in the
humiliatiDg positidn described by General
Shafter?" al .
For the reason. Mr.. President" Cen
eral Miles is reported to have answered,
that have been tnsulted instead of con-
suited since the beginning of this war.
An explanation, followed. Miles was told to
save Shafter'sl army if possible. and in
the mean time orders were issued TO Mr..
Alger not to interfere any more with Gen.
eral Miles. Skaters army was saved, but
the interference With Miles continued in
spite of the Presidents order to the con-
trary. II General Miles is TO be pushed
to the wall. great many unpleasant facts
independent OF the embalmed beef scandal
will probably be brought TO the surface.
General Miles, it is pointed out, has not
the makeup of a good martyr. The Ad-
mnistration is in fair way, il is said, to
discover this fact before it is very many
days older.