The Forrest City times., 1901-12-27
SCHLEY-S SAMPSON F|CHT.
President Roosevelt Steps to the Front and Center of
 the Stage.
WOULD THROTTLE THE WHOLE BUSINESS
The Affair Has Taken n Different Turn From What He Had Hoped The Miles Reprimand-The Ques- tiOn Now Is. What Is Miles Going to Do About Its

to Do About Its
 Washington, Dec. 24.-President central figure of the Schley-Sampson controversy: The president, those close to kim say, had hoped to keep aloof from this legacy of the Me- ly expected that the verdict of the court of inquiry would satisfy the public and there would be 'an end of the whole matter.
 Just the opposite has occurred, and to make matters worse than they ever were the Miles incident comes unexpectedly. President Roosevelt felt called upon to take decisive ac- tion, and in his usual direct way of doing things he took Gen. Niles in hand much as tutor might admin ister rebuke to pupil who had broken the rules.
 The president assumed the entire responsibility for the censure of Gen. Miles. and not only that, but he re- ceived the lieutenant general com- manding the army in one of the win- dow seats of the presidents office, and personally rebuked him for the interview he gave out in Cincinnati.
 The president was much in earnest, and he told Gen. Miles, without minc- ing words, that his printed interview commenting the course of Admiral I~x,
 the majority of the court, was gross breach of military discipline, which could not and would not be tolerated.
 Gen. Miles was humiliated by hay ing the scathing rebulle heard hy many other people. According to common report it was even more se- we're than the official letter of een- sure signed by Secretary Root, but which is understood to nave been practically dictated by the president himself
 What VIII Miles Do About It.
 The question: asked today is, what will Miles do about it?
 The letter of Secretary Root to Gen. Miles will not be read to the regiments, but it becomes a part of the civil records of the war depart ment, and as such becomes n decid. ed blot upon the military record of the iieutenant-general commandj1e the army.
 Technically speaking, Lieut.-Gen. Miles is entitled to ask for n court of inquiry on the ground that his professional reputation has been at. tackled. As a matter of fact, how. ever, such a court woul.l be ordered by the president himself. and as Roosevelt would be the reviewing of. ticer of the court, no matter what it's findings might be, the presidents per. sonal view would have to govern in the end, and he has already pro. nounced Gen. Miles guilty of gross breach of discipline.
 In fact, it is generally understood the lieutenant-genera has been given to understand that if he makes any more trouble or gives out any further interviews he will be relieved of the command of the army. His rank of heutenant-general can not be taken away from him unless he is dismissed from the army as result of a court martial, but the president can desig- nate any officer to command the army if he sees fit.
 Gen. Miles personal following is somewhat bitter. His friends call at- tentiOn to the fact that President Roosevelts name led all the rest on the celebrated round robin which criticised the conduct of the army after the surrender of Santiago. They declare that Secretary Alger de- manded the public rebuke and even the court-martial of Col. Roosevelt and that President Mckinley refused to listen to this. Tsey take the ground that as this act, even in time of war, was done in good faith and was a subordinate officer, so now the lieutenant-general Sf the army had right to put on record in the newspapers his personal approval of the personal opinion of the admiral of the navy.
 Miles friends say the Cincinnati in- terview was no more breach of dis. cipline than Dewey's minority opin- ion, and, in fact, they assert that Secretary Long, in complaining to the president. was merely hitting at Dewey over Miles shoulders. President Wants Ia Quiet Week.
 Washington. Dec. 24.-lt is Presi- dent Roosevelt's present intention to