Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1901-12-27
gen. NILES REPR|MANDED
TALKED ON scHLEY VERDICT.
Secretary Root Calls Him Down and
Asks for an Explanation--The
General Replies in Two Letters
Not satisfactory to senator-May
Mean Another Trial.

Washington, Dec. 22.-Because Lieuten
ant General Nelson A. Miles, in an in
teryiew at Cincinnati, commented on the
findings of the Schley court OF inquiry
Secretary of War Root, by direction d
the president, severely reprimanded the
ranking officer of the army.
The words Of Lieutenant General Miles
which gave offense were contained in the
following expression:
Il am willing to take the Judgment Of
Admiral Dewey in the matter. He has
been a commander of a fleet, and as such
has known the anxieties and responsible
ties which rest upon a man under these
circumstances. lie was instrumental in
the destruction of one Spanish fleet, and
knows and realizes the feelings that en-
compass an officer under such conditions.
think Dewey has summed up the matter
in clear and concise manner, and / be
lieve his conclusions will be indorsed by
the patriotic people of the United States
have no sympathy with the efforts which
have been made to destroy the honor OF
an officer under such circumstances"
The determination on the part OF the adj
ministration absolutely to terminate fur
Their discussion of the Sampson-Schley
controversy took shape in the publication
Of some remarkable correspondence that
has passed between Secretary Root ana
Lieutenant General Miles relative to the
latters interview, published in Cincin-
natl paper, commenting upon the Scnley
case. When the interview appeared. it
attracted much attention officially but
after the lapse Of two days without any
sign OF official action, the conclusion be-
came general that the interview would be
ignored. Therefore the publication of the
fuii correspondence on this case created
sensation in army and naval circles. 1t
Is seldom that SO severe reprimand is
administered to an officer of high rank
in either service. What the result will
be can not be foretold, although it is as
stunned that General Miles will submit
without further comment.
That General Miles appreciates the
situation is shown by the deep concern
he manifested and his frequent visits to
the office of Secretary Root. 1t was nee
essary for him to write two letters to
meet the demands Of the department and
even then there was no expression Of sat
isfaetion ON the part Of the secretary for
the second explanation. However, Score,
tary Root himself regards the incident as
closed. AT least he does not purpose to
take any further action unless obliged to
do so.
Part of the Reprimand.
The reprimand is contained in the fol- |
lowing letter Of Secretary Root to Gen
eral Miles,
''War Department, Washington, Dec.
%. Sir: By direction Of the president, |
communicate to you his conclusions
upon your course in the interview to
which your attention was called by my
letter Of the 10th.
Your explanation Of the public state
ment made by you is not satisfactory
You are in error when you say that you
have the same right as any other citi-
zen to express publicly an opinion regard.
ing the questions pending in the course
Of military discipline. The established
invariahle rules Of official propriety nee
essary to the effective discipline OF the
service impose limitations upon the pule
he expression Of military officers.
"A court Of inquiry has been held on
the matters in controversy and report
had been made in which one member Of
The court had dissented in some particu-
ars from the majority, and the report
vas pending before the reviewing author
ty. At this point the lieutenant general
II the army saw fit to make public ex-
preston of his opinion as between the 9
majority and the minority of the court, t
accompanied by criticism Of most Sc
'ere character, which would not fail to
% applied by the generality of readers II
o the naval officers against whose view il
our opinion was expressed. 1t is of no n
onsequence on whose side your opinion d
vas or what 1t was. You had no bust
ess in the controversy and no right, 81
gliding the o. .ce which you did, to ex- p
ress any opinion. Your conduct was in h
collation. Of the regulation above cited n
nd the rules OF official propriety, and
gu are justly liable to censure which /
ow express Very respectfully.
ELIHU ROOT, Secretary of War. On
Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles.
headquarters of the Army. C
r. S.-Your second letter of explana- m
on, received since the above was writ. al
N, does not change the case. The ne. ga
'ssity for repeated explanation but illus ST
ates the Importance Of the rule which to
~ have violated. flu
"ElIHU ROOT, Secretary of War;
mi
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