The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-12-26
The PRESIDENT ACTS
General Miles Ce2 sured by
His Orders.
YACLlY'S RESIGNATION DEMANDED.
Commander of Army Told He Had No
Business TO Express BIm-elf on
schIey verdfct-secretsry Long
Approves Majority Report.

sensation In the Schley case following
the action Of Secretary Of the Navy
Long In approving the findings of the
court Of inquiry Is the appearance Of
President Roosevelt On the scene and
exercising bis prerogatiycs as com
mander In chief Of the army and navy.
in doing which he ordered the repri-
maDd Of Lieutenant General Miles by
Secretary Root and a demand for the
resignation Of Edgar Stanton Maclay
from his berth as special laborer In the
Brooklyn navy yard.
General Miles Is the general com
manding the army, and the censure i'm
posed by the presidents direction Is
called forth by an interview on the
Schley court and its findings. Mr.. Ma
clay is the historian Of the navy, whose
accusations Of "caitlf'' conduct against
Rear Admiral Schley caused the rum
pus which resulted in the court ~ in
qulry. and who also talked In violation
Of the regulations
General Miles was reprimanded for
saying:
I am willing 10 take the judgment of
Admiral Dewey In the matter. lie has
been commander of a feet and as such
has known Of the anxietles and RESPONSE
bilities which rest on q man under those
circumBtanceg. He was inHtrumental in
the destruction OF one Spanish feet and
knows and realizes the feelings that en-
compass an officer under such conditions.
] think Dewey has summed Up the mat
ter In a clear and concise manner. and /
faI "a sJffIf ftr Ind hy
the patriotic people Of the United States.
/ have no sympathy with the efforts
which have been made 20 destroy the hon.
or Of an officer under such circumstances.
Mr.. Maclay also gave an interview
on the findings Of the court, in which
he declared that all the statements he
had made had bsen substantiated by
the testimony presented to the court Of
inquiry.
When the interview with General
Miles was published, Secretary Root
by instruction Of the president. called
upon the general for an explanation
which was made in writing.
The formal reprlmand Is contained in
letter from Secretary Root to General
Miles, in which the secretary says:
Your explanation Of the public state
nent made by you IL not satisfactory.
You are IN error II you suppose that you
have the same right as any other citizen
TO express publicly an opinion regarding
official questions pending in the course Of
military discipline. The established and
invariable rules Of official propriety neces-
sary 10 the effective discipline OF the serv-
Ice impose limitations upon the public ex-
preHslons Of military officers, with which
your long experience should have made
you familiar.
Your duty In 10 express your opinion on
offcisl matters when called upon by your
official superiors or I'm the due course Of
your official reports and recommenda tlons
and not otherwise. The first article Of the
regulations governing the army OF the
United States provides:
deliberations or discussions among mil
itary men conveying praise or censure or
any mark Of appreciation toward others
In the military service are prohib-
ited."
The present facts are that for several
years there had been an unfortunate and
bitter controversy In the navy department
"a controversy generally deplored even by
the participants. as tending to bring the
service into disesteem at home and abroad
and 20 destroy those relations Of mutual
influence and friendship between naval
officers which the interests OF effective
service require.
In this controversy the army had not
been involved, and no bar had been raised
10 that good feeling and friendly relation
between all the officers OF the navy and
all the officers Of the army which is essen
tisl TO the successful and harmonious CO.
operation of the two services In prepara-
tion and In action. A court of inquiry had
been held on the matters In controversy.
and report had been made In which one
.t...x
some particulars from the majority, and
the report was pending before the review
ing authority.
At this point you, the lieutenant general
Of the army. saw TT TO make a public ex-
preston OF your opinion as between the
majority and the minority OF the court,
accompanied by n criticism OF the most
severe character. which could not fail 10
be applied by the generality of readers TO
the naval officers against whose view your
opinion was expressed II Is of no conse-
quence on whose side your opinion was or
what N was.
Secretary Root concluded his letter
with this sharp reproof:
You had no business In the controversy
and no right, holding the Office which you
do 10 express any opinion.
Your conduct was In violation Of the
regulation above cited and Of the rules OF
oinclal proprlety, and you are justly liza BILE
TO censure. which now express.
SECRETARY LONGS APPROVAL.
Before he made public his indorse
ment on the findings Of the court OF
inquiry Secretary Long showed 1t t.
the president, who heartily approved it
This Is Secretary Longs approval ol
the majority report:
The department has read the testimon!
In this case, the arguments OF counsel a
the trial, the courts findings OF fact, opin
ion and recommendation, the individua
memorandum of the presiding member
the statement of exceptions to the sal,
findings and opinion by the applicant
the reply to said statement by the judg
advocate OF the court and his assistan
and the brief this day submitted by coun
sci for Rear Admiral Sampson traversin
the presiding members view as TO VIII
was In command at the battle OF Santiago
And, after careful consideration, tn
findings of fact and the opinion OF tn
full court are approved.
Az to the points on which the presidln
member differs from the opinion of tn
majority of the court. the opinion of th
majority Is approved.
AS to the further expression OF h
views by the same member with regard I
the questions of command on the morI
ing OF July 3, 1893 and of the title to cred
for the ensuing victory, the conduct of II
T.. 1T. AE.Il Inn md nIx.i