Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-01-03
Teddy's Second Blunder

mercurial temperament of Mr.. Roose.
welt upon his assuming the grave du-
ties OF the Presidential office, and
were slow to criticise acts that in an
other would have aroused, at times, a
very general expression OF disapproval,
they were hardly prepared for a scene
which was enacted in the White
House one day last week, that shows
the President to be wholly wanting in
respect to age, or the Difference due to
an office second alone to his own-a
public insult to the Lieutenant Cen
eral of the L. S. Army, Nelson A..
Miles. A reprimand had already been
administered, in the toughest Ian.
guage, by his direction, through Secre-
tary Root, which, care was taken
should be published broadcast over
the land. 1t seems that if the object
to be attained was enforcement of
military discipline, that already
enough had been done to prevent a
lapse of memory of any officer that
such an iron.clad article, capable OF
almost any application, existed to pre-
vent him from expression of senti-
ments he might entertain as free
born American citizen. 1t would ap-
pear, therefore, that the matter might
have we'll been considered closed.
But the President did not look at it
that way. The account says that, the
moment he recognized Gen. Miles, in
the White House reception room, q
place that might from the rules OF
hospitality have been considered ex-
empt from insult, he rushed up to him,
in the presence of a score or moro OF
witnesses, and in q loud, arrogant
voice, said: 81 will not allow you to
criticise executive and departmental
acts. l don't care who you are, / won't
stand it." And after administering this
unparalleled rebuke, he turned again
to the astounded General, and shak.
ing his fist under his nose, declared,
"I'll show YOU" Be it said to the
credit of the aged General, that he
made no resistance to this ungentle-
manly assault, but "stood red-iaced
but respectful before the condemna.
ton and rebuke OF his superior officer
and President" In this act alone he
manifested more of true courage than
was displayed by his assailant in maxi
ing the time and occasion an oppor-
tunity Tor venting his spleen.
Whether what Gen. Miles had said
in the Cincinnati interview came un-
der the article of army regulations
cited, or not, is a matter that cuts but
little figure in the White House cpl
sode. If it did, an official reprimand
had already been administered. which
IS remarkable only for its coarsensss
and reiteration of the alleged ofepse.
That was presumed TO have been suffi.
sient, both as punishment and Is a
means of restraining insubordination,
il it might be called BY go harsh a
a term.
If the President expects to re tain
the good will or respect of the Ameri-
can people he must put a stop to acts
which violate the first principles of
manhood. 1t is not a matter of mere
prejudice he now encounters but
question of personal right to fair treat
ment. and he will find that thousands
Of people who bid him God-speed when
he entered upon the discharge OF his
high duties, will unequivocally con.
denim the insult and abuse bestowed
upon Gen. Miles.
That this opinion is justified, 10
shown from the following quotations
from the Army and Navy Register and
the Army and Navy Journal, both
pretty fair authority, which have come
to hand since the above was written:
The former says:
The impression prevails that the
tone OF the Root letter is unnecessarily
severe. all out of proportion to the Of
tense. There are even those who think
the language employed is brutal, land
that the publicity given the correspond
ence was a cruel advertisement Of the
Presidents displeasure.
And here are the comments Of the
last named paper:
According to the army regulations a
reprimand such as has been admins
tered to the Lieutenant-General can
only be administered on the verdict of
q court-martlal. Even q non-commis-
stoned officer is under the protection OF
the regulations, which direct officers to
be cautious in reproving him in the pres
ence or hearing of private soldiers. Is
it not incumbent that at least equal con-
sideration should be shown to the off,
Ger commanding
It is now said that Hill, who is mas.
ter Of the merger move will reduce
railroad rates to abate opposition to
the combine he is steadily forming
whereby he may apply the screws
when the tension is just right. Hill
realizes, probably better than anybody
else, that the people are against him
and his monopolistic schemes, and he
has adopted the plan OF Cancellation