Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-01-03
is NOT A GENTLEMAN.
INSULT TO A MAN OF AGE AND
POSITION.

President Roosevelt So Far Forsets the Dig
nifty Of His Office as to Publicly insult
Lieutenant General Miles Of the U. S. Army
The Sensational Incident Takes Place al
the Executive Mansion in the Presence oil
Most Prominent Public Officers.
A special dispatch to the St. Paul
Pioneer Press, dated Dec. 21st, gives
these details of most disgraceful af-
fair that took place that day in the
Presidential Mansion:
To those who were witnesses of a
remarkable scene in the executive
mansion and to the few who have
been taken into the confidence OF
those who beheld it, the official repri-
mand of Gen. Miles by the Secretary
of War is dwarfed by the unofficial re-
proof and reproach which he received
from President Roosevelt in the pres
ence of the most representative and
influential public men and private
citizens in the United States.
Late in the afternoon there were
present in the inner waiting room OF
the executive Office, adjoining the
Presidents private room, some twenty
Senators, Representatives and private
citizens, waiting to see the President
by appointment, when Gen. Miles en-
tered and joined the general and ami
mated conversation. A few minutes
after the arrival of Gen. Miles, the
door from the executives private room
opened and the President came in hur.
riedly.
Immediately respectful hush fell
over the distinguished company which
waited expectant with the customary
attention for the Chief Magistrate of
the Government. Every one in the
large room was startled by the scene
which Immediately followed.
Glancing hastily around him. and
catching sight Of Gen. Miles, the Pres
ident walked up to him rapidly, and
with evidences Of excitement in his
whole demeanor. Placing himself
squarely before the aged and white:
haired Lieutenant-G General of the Army,
he waved his arms energeticslly and
then raised his finger warningly under
the nose of Gen. Miles.
II will have you know. said the
President in . loud voice, "that I will
not allow you to criticise executive
and departmental acts. don't care
who you are, I will not stand it, and
you will find that l am going to stop
this sort Of thing"
The distinguished witnesses of this
vigorous reprimand before other per.
sons were further astounded by what
followed. The President had grown
flushed, and was visibly restraining
himself from = violent outburst of
wrath only by extreme effort. Then
he turned upon Gen. Miles again.
Uplifting his arm, he shook it almost
furiously in the Generals face.
"I'll show you," he said, and turned
his back upon him.
Meanwhile, rs the assembled COM
pany had held itself with what COM
posure it could command under the
extraordinary circumstances. Gen.
Miles himself had stood, red-faced but
respectful, before the condemnation
and rebuks Of his superior officer and
President. The twenty distinguished
persons who witnessed this unprece-
dentsd personal reprimand Of . Lieu
tenant General commanding the army,
in public, and those to whom they
have confided the details of the scene
have been discussing it a. the sensa-
ton Of public life in Washington.