The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-08-05
Ben. MILES TIRED Of
BEING 4 FlGuREHEAD
Will Ask the New Secretary Of War
to Define Commanding
Generals Duties.
Law ON THE SUBJECT IS VAGUE
Almost Every Occupant of the Posi-
ton Has Had Trouble With
the Head of the Mar
Department.

$50 4--SHH NE e.EgE= aiRH4H G. EslfH s4-t5E..
Washington, Aug. 1.-Genernl Miles
will ask Secretary Root for a speedy
decision as to the relations existing
between the general commanding the
army and the secretary of war. He is
now preparing his side OF the case,
which will be submitted to the new
secretary.
For nearly n year General Miles has
hardly been a figurehead in the war
department.. Since July G, 1898, when
he went to Cuba and Puerto Rico, he
has lot set foot inside the office of
Secretary Ager hnd has not eN-
changed a word with him. The cool
ness between the two began even be-
fore that time. hi tile early days of
the war, Secretary Alger issued an orr
der directing General Miles to- pro-
coed in a tour of inspection to Chicia-
manga and other camps, at the com
pletion of which he was to return to
Washington. General Miles stalked
into tile presence of the secretary of
war, threw the order down on the desk
and said that he was in the habit of is
suing such orders himself. This was
the beginning of che friction.
The climax came when General
Miles, off in Puerto Rico, gave an in
.terview rejecting severely on Secre-
tary Alger and the management of
the war department. When he re-
turned to the United States the sec
rotary wanted him relieved, and when
this was not lone declined to hold any
further consultations with him. From
hat day to this the headquarters of
the army have been in the Office of
the secretary of war, perhaps more ac-
curately speaking, in the Office of the
adjutant general. i'll the Last twelve
months General Miles has not ad-
dressed more than eight or ten let
tiers to the secretary. Tie chasm be-
tween the two has been vide and deep.
With the Incoming OF a new secre-
tary General Miles hopes that this
condition of affairs win change. The
trouble is, of course, that there is no
law establishing the present place of
the general commanding the army.
The position was created by executive
act. There is no law to fix the duties
of the Office and the army regulations
are vague and. indefinite on the sub
ject. With the secretary Of war SUI
perior to the general commanding the
army, it always happens that when
friction arises between the two the
secretary takes the contfol of the
army in his own hands and ignores
the commanding general.
Whether Secretary Root will be
able to harmonic the now conflicting
clements in the department-for the
resignation of Secretary Alger does
not remove all of the disturbing intiu-
ences-remains to be seen. The task
is not, of course, impossible. He can
at once enter into cordial relations
with Miles, consulting him upon all
questions of Importance relating to
the army and giving him absolute au-
thority in all details relating to the
assignments of officers and other
purely military routine. Should this
be done the wheels of army ma
chinery, which have been clogged for
twelve months, will revolve again. 1t
is the opinion of.army officers who
have taken no part in the contro-
versy that this would be the proper
solution OF the trouble. All of them
agree that the present status of af-
fairs is damaging to the army and that
it cannot continue without injury to
the service.
The position of the general com.
handing the army has been a source
of trouble to almost every occupant
of the position. The exception to the
rule was General Schofield, and he
succeeded because he knew, as he told
Il congressional committee last win
ter, that he could not, in fact, com
mand the army and did not attempt
to, subordinating himself entirely to
the president and secretary of war.
With the single exception of'Grant, ac-
cording to General S%chofield, no gen
eral commanding the army has ever
exercised command nor has he exer-
cised a beneficial influence, because of
unsatisfactory relations with the pres
ident and secretary of war. Every one
remembers the case Of General Sher-
man., who in October, 1874, removed
the headquarters of the army from
Washington. to st. Louis in orderrto
resent the attitude of Secretary Bel
KNAPP toward Jim and he did not re-
turn until Belknap went Ii of of
flee. In the administration of Secre-
tary Lincoln, a sharp. correspondence
occurred between him and General
Sheridan, tlfen holding the position
which General Miles now occupies.
The attempt of General Miles to
reach an understanding with Secre-
tary Root will be watched with inter-
est in the war department, where the
hope is expressed that congress will,
in IT'S next session, enact some law
that will define the status o.. the Of
ticer who is selected from th1Anaior
]vanarnlc IN nc,Dy,o nj {b,