The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-01-02
WASHINGTON.
TO m our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, Dec. 40, 1901.

Washington, Dec. 80, 1901.
Affairs at the White House have
taken a peculiar turn of late and some
OF the idiosyncrac'es which were ex.
pected of Colonel Theodore Roose-
welt when he first became President
have appeared. This was particularly
noticeable in his final disposition Of
the Schley affair. His attitude in the
matter was autocratic in the extreme.
1t cannot be denied, of course. tina,
General Miles had violated a techni-
ca'ity, but while he had, perhaps, laid
himself open to mid reproof there
was no ground or precedent for the
drastic reprimand which the Presi-
dent saw fit to administer, and many
who know Mr.. Roosevelt believe that
he permitted his annoyance over the
entire Navy Department wrangle to
lead him beyond the dictates of his
more deliberate judgment.
This belief is carried out by the
scene which occurred in the White
House the day that the reprimand was
made public. General Miles called
at the White House, presumably with
view to ward off public reprimand,
when he was met at the entrance to
the Presidents reception room by the
President himself Without regard
to the number of people present, with.
out even closing the door, the ante.
room being full of newspapermen, the
President proceeded to "scold" the
General Commanding the Army in a
manner that would have been of
questionable dignity had General
Miles been a West Point cadet, and
evidenced sad lack of appreciation
OF the dignity of his own position and
the courtesy due to the Generals
rank. A Senator who was present,
and who is warm friend of the
President, said at is great pity.
The President was simply mad, and
gave way to his feelings, but it is just
like him, as he used to be-"
Immediately upon the heels Of his
interview came serious affront to
Secretary Long. Acting probably
upon impulse the President instructed
Secretary of War Root, to make
public the letter calling upon histor.
ian Maclav for his resignation and
signed by Secretary Long. AS soon
as he returned to the War Depart
ment Secretary Root gave out type.
written copies of the letter to the
newspapermen who immediately took
them to the Secretary OF the Navy to
ask for an expression OF opinion from
him. He positively declared that no
such letter had been written and that
the copy was spurious. He imagined
that the newspapermen were laying a
trap for him. Later he learned that
the President had authorized the
publication of the letter and had to
explain that when he denied its au-
thenticity he did not know that the
President had decided to send it. Mr..
Roosevelt also explained that he had
instructed Secretary Root to make it
public and had forgotten to advise
Mr.. Long.
Another instance of the Presidents
peculiarities is the case of Secretary
Gage who has denied his resignation
continuously. The President when
asked on Monday about the Secre
tary's resignation said that he had
never seen it and yet it is known tha,
Governor Crane was offered the posi-
tion by the President, personally,
early last Friday. The President
might as we'll have said that he has
offered Mr.. Cages position to another
without asking for his resignation
What prevents Gage from sending in
his resignation now and at the same
time making it public SO, in as far as
possible, to save his dignity, 1t !:
difficult to understand.
Governor Crane declined the honor
although he was pressed to accept BY
Senator Lodge. The President ther
rendered the portfolio to Governor
Shaw of Iowa, VINO has accepted and
will probably assume the duties some
time in January. The position was
a difficult one to fill as man who has
the ability to administer the office
with credit to the administration
usually has far greater opportunities
elsewhere and only motives of patriot
ism or personal regard for the PreSl
STATE OF Ono, CITY OF To-