The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-04-05


and the people of the islands would be
subjected to the arbitrary control OF
military dictator.
The reference in the memorandum &c
the letter of Governor Taft to the Score
tary of War dated February z, 1902. is to
| a letter transmitting, for the purpose OF
an investigation by the military author
tiles, a report by the Civil Governor of
the province OF TayabaS, containing in
general terms and without specifications
| or names, serious charges against the
military administration in that province
| and against the conduct of the army gen
orally in it's relations to the civil gov
! eminent. This report was on the 18th OF
! February sent to General Chaffee, with
| the following direction:
| There is so much contained in this
report rejecting not only upon officers
of the army, but the general conduct OF
affairs and the administration of the mill
| tary branch of the government, that the
Secretary of War desires you to cause
a careful inquiry to be made concerning
| these statements and if they be found
true that the necessary administrative
and disciplinary measures be applied to
correct these evils and also Ito make
full report of the investigation herein
directed soon as possible"
There has not yet been time for the re-
port to be made, and the direction for the
investigation can only just now have
reached Manila. 1t is to be regretted that
the reference to the highest rank in the
army should assume the truth of charges
rejecting upon the credit of the army in
advance of the investigation which has
been ordered and without giving General
Chaffee, upon whose particular command
the charges reflect, an opportunity to be
heard.
Governor Tafts letter shows that the
civil Governor of the Philippines was I'M
willing to accept the charges true
without an investigation.
AS the Lieutenant Generals memoran-
dunn of March "a was not made until
after the introduction of a resolution in
the House OF Representatives calling for
all correspondence and papers in the mat
ter of his application to go to the Phil
ippines, the putting into these papers of
the specific reference to the letter trans
hitting the charges plainly evinces a de-
sign to procure the publication of The
charges and of the Lieutenant General
acceptance thereof as true, in advance of
the investigation of their truth, and OF
report thereon by General Chaffee In
the interest of good discipline and enec-
tive service such a course is much to
be regretted. Such charges ought not to
be published against our countryrnen
whom We have sent to labor and fight
under our flag on the other side of the
world before they can be heard in their
own defense.
ELIHU ROOT
Secretary of War.
WOOD MAY SUCCEED MILES.
WASHINGTON, March 4-GeneraI
Leonard Wood is said to be slated TO
succeed General Miles aa the head of the
army, in case Of the lattees resignation
or removal. He is to be appointed a
major general to succeed Otis who has
retired, and his friends say he viii Jump
over the heads of Macarthur and other
onlcers to the Lieutenant Generalship.
R0OSRVGlr has cai6 hat h.
action upon the statement made by Miles
before the Senate Committee and con-
sioers the incident closed. The friends
OF Miles and Macarthur will il is said.
night the confirmation of Wood to the
command of the army in the Senate in
case of his apDoj0tmepf