The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-09-06
a STRANGE SITUATION
"'"' NeIson "A. Miles Is Commander
With no Command.

peateuiy asked "What part doas r1,.,t
Gen. M iIos, commanding general of tba
Onltea states army, play in the war
oraha NO" pelng enacted In the Ph,lin.
pines anu In China ?" Tho comnlate
elimihation OF Cen. Miles from the
mliitary ana diplomatic conferences
held at the White House and IN tho
executive departments, relative ~ the the
handling OF the American forces ut NJ
home and abroad, is one of the nne~S w
planned mysteries OF the present dav
The closest inquiry at the war Gepart.
mont fails to disclose any satisfactorv
explanation of the total eclipse of the
distinguished looking commanding gen.
eral.
Before he came to Washington his
predecessors, especially Major Gen.
Schofield, were frequently summoned
to the White House to confer with the
president and cabinet on all matters
pertaining to the movement or disposi-
tion Of United States troops, either at
home or abroad. For while Gen.
Miles enjoyed similar privileges and
seemed to share the confidence Of Mr..
Cleveland and the then secretary OF
war, Col Daniel S. Lamont. Prior to
his elevation to the rank Of command
Ing general Of the army Con. Miles had
the reputation Of being one of the
grandest types OF American soldiery
known to this generation. Els record
In the civil war, together with his
achievements as an Indian fighter,
made him tho envy of many of his
military associates. When attire in
his military uniform he presents q COM
manding and admirable appearance.
Gifted with q magnificent physique,
clean cut features and o graceful and
dignitied bearing, 1t would be difficult to
conceive more striking military com
mander than Gen. Miles. In addition
to his long, active and efficient service
in the field, especially against savage
tribes in the West, the experience and
information he derived from visits to
Europe to witness the military man.
oeuvres o! international troops would
seem to fit him especially to give prac.
tical advice and cOunsul to the admin
istratlon In carrying out It's policy in
connection with the Chinese complica-
tiOns.
When Secretary Root took charge OF
the war department 1t WAS announced
semi officially that In the future Cen.
Miles would receive such consideration
as his high rank entitled him to, and
that he would be the military adviser
OF the secretary OF war. at the same
time it was settled that Con. Miles,
who has large and valuable acquain-
tance In New York city, should be the
right.hand man Of Secretary Root in
al matters pertaining to the military
branch Of the service. 1t was said In
this connection that personal jealous
les, tinctured with political, were in a
large measure responsible for the shah.
by treatment Gen Miles is alleged to
have received at the hands Of the
Cleveland administration, under Sec
aetary Lamont, and that the same con.
ditiOn OF affairs continued during the
period whom Gen. Algcr presided over
the destinies OF the war department
1t was also charged that Adjt. Gen.
COrbin WAS largely responsible for the
ignoring OF Gen. Miles because the
former entertained aspirations not cal
culated to please the commanding gen.
eral.
These subjects have been gossiped
about and threshed over in military
and social circles until they haze be.
come too stale and Improbable for fur
ther speculation. The fact remains,
however, that Gen. Miles las been
practically ignored in oil Of the impor-
tant deliberations bearing upon the
American campaign in China. There
reason for the treatment be has been
subjected to. 1t ia not reasonable to
suppose that, in view OF all the com.
plex questions involved in the Chinese
situation, the administration would re-
fuse any valuable suggestion from Gen.
Miles or any other reliable source
Those who might throw some val
liable light on the subject when inter.
rogated become suddenly silent or
evasive, and intimate that no good
can come Of the discussion Of such a
delicate subject. 1t is whispered that,
although Gen. Miles possesses an uu-
blemished record as soldier when In
the field, he is deficient in some OF the
requirements Of q successful and et1ic-
ent commanding general. 1t is alleged
that he has grievance, either real or
imaginary, against his associates who
are graduates OF the West Point MIL.
tary Academy. 1t will be remembered
that he has risen practically from the
ranks OF the volunteer branch OF the
service to the most exalted position in
the army OF his country. The griev.
alcc appears to have impaired, not
only his Judgment In military affairs,
but 1t has not improved his personality
He permits 1T to permeate not only his
personal, but his official utterances and
the result 10 that he frequently finds
himself antagoniZing the wishes and
the policy OF his official superiors with
out being able to furnish justiiiable
reasons for 80 doing.
Recently Gen. Miles has evinced an
Indifference to the peculiar position he
occupies in official circles, and is appa
rently determined to derive all the
pleasures and profits OF his high rank
W hpr h,,{ 4 l.
sibilitics which might otherwise rest
upon him. Attired In white duck
suit, wearing straw hat with an ex-
tremely broad brim, surrounded by q
gaudy hat band, patent leather CATERS
with white duck "spats," twirling q
slender cane, he suggests an elderly
out we'll conserved dandy on grand
promenade rather than the command.
Ing general OF the United States army
-------zazS <zz4a~---
-Fraoklin J. Moses, at one time
governor OF South Carolina and also q
rrmer speaker OF the House Of Repre-
nj a ri hof 90 Il