Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-26
Sec. Root Censures Him Severely
Under Direction of the
President.
SEC. LONG HITS DEWEY
Had no Right to Express Opinion Re-
Earding Copmand-M Majority OF
Schley Court Upheld-Most
Singing Censure Given to
Gen. Miles.

Washington, d. c., Dec 22.-Linut Gen
Nelson A. Miles, commanding the army
received yesterday afternoon from Secrt-
tary of War Root, by direction of and IN
the name of the President, one of the most
singing rebukes ever administered to
high military officer, because OF an inter-
view he gave 4 few days ago to a western
newspaper expressing his views Oh the
findings of the Schley court of inquiry.
Confidently, Admiral Dewey, the high
est officer of the navy, received arr in
direct but somewhat severe rebukc from
Secretary Long. because of his declaration
in the memorandum he filed with the re
port of the Schley court that Admiral
Schlcy was ir command at the battle OF
Santiago.
The yelled rebuke to Admiral Dewey is
contained iii Secretary Long iudorsc-
me mt on all the papers in the S,hlcy con
troversy, in which he approve the find
irgs of the majority of the court of III
quiry. disapproves Admiral Dewey S in
dividual memorandum. and Endorses the
recommendation of the court that no
further proceedings be had in the prem
Uses, thus closing the who lc case SO far rs
the navy department is concerned and re
fusing the application of Admiral Schlcy
for a rchearing.
The action Of Secretary Long in the
Schley case. like that of Secretary Root in
the case of Lieut.. Gen. Miles. was taken
after consultation with the President and
with the latter's full approval, so that the
effect of the whole is to make it unmistat
ably clear that President Roosevelt is de.
termined the Schley controversy shall end
az cnCe so far as the army and the navy
and the executive department of the gov
eminent are concerned and as a logical
sequence to the closing e the case, So
rotary Long has directed the dismissal f
Maclay, the author of the history Of the
navy, who accused Admiral Schlcy f
CuHnrdice and thus brought on the court
Of inquiry.
The action of Secretary Long in the
Schiey case was not unexpected. and
therefore created little comment. But
sensa ton was caused by Secretary Root $
severe letter of censure TO Lieut. Gen.
Miles for obtruding his opinions on II
matter affecting the discipline of the
navy.
In war department circles it has long
been the talk that bad feeling existed be-
tween the secretary and the general of
the army, and the tone Of the latter's let
ter to-day seems to indicate that such is
the fact.lt is hardly necessary to read be-
tween the lines to discover clear traces of
personal feeling.
The belief Is expressed tonight that
Gen Miles may show his sense of indigna-
ton at the severe manner in which he has
been handled by the President and Secro-
tary Root by requesting to be retired at
once
Some officers declare that Miles owes It
to his own self-respect to take this course.
No officer in any European army. certain
ly no officer of Miles rank, they say,
would receive in silence such a reprimand
as has been administered to him, and they
are strongly of the opinion that the lieu
tenant general will apply for retirement
Without delay, although he is aware that
this course will give added satisfaction to