Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-03-28
The Presidential Bully.

to force Gen. Miles ont of command OF
the army. A few days ago, IN COM
pliance with "a request OF the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs, Gen.
Miles appeared before that body and
stated his opinion of the effect OF a
bill introduced by Senator Hawley, at
the instance OF the War Department,
to reorganize the army. The section
OF the bill under discussion before the
committee, was one that gave the
President authority to assign the sem
Tor General OF the Army to command
such portion of it AS he might direct,
or to be detailed to duty on the gene
raj staff corps, and that call duties
prescribed by law for The Commanding
General Of the army shall be per-
formed 10y the chief of the general
staii, or other organization designated
by the Secretary of War" The pro.
viso ia made that $50 long as the
present Lieutenant General of the
army continues on the active list, he
shall be the chief Of the general staff.
and upon separation from active SER
vice of the said Lieutenant General OF
the army, said Office, except as herein
provided, shall cease to exist"
Gen. Miles holds that if this proyis.
ion becomes law, it would practical
ly destroy the unity of the army, and
he quoted from opinions expressed by
Napoleon, Wellington, Washington
and Grant. to show the necessity of
having military affairs under one
head and single controlling author
ity. He gave, as an instance, the pos
sible delay that would have ensued in
massing the land forces at Santiago,
had he been compelled to direct
movements through dozen or more
Majors, as many Colonels and any
number OF Generals, constituting a
general staff. Gen. Miles declared
that under the change contemplated
by the act, the head of the army
would be uncertain and his duties un-
stable. placing direction virtually
under the Secretary of War and the
Adjutant, and the object seemed to be
to enable them to promote the inter-
ests of personal favorites.
1t appears that this expression OF
opinion, under solicitation, has again
placed Mr.. Roosevelt on high horse.
In discussing the matter with callers
at the White House, he was by no
means remiss i4 expressing the opin.
ion that the General had again violat.
ed the respect due to his superiors. !"
At the Cabinet meeting, held after.
wards. it was represented that Gen.
Miles statement was privileged mat
ter, and that had the effect of delay.
ing, at least, the precipitate action for
which the President is 20 noted. It is
stated, however, that he is anxious to
again discipline the General, and it is
freely predicted that he will ask for
his retirement.
In fact the President has no use for
anybody in authority he cannot coz
troll. The very FIRST chance that was
presented was eagerly grasped by the
President to subordinate Gen. Miles,
and no opportunity has since been
neglected to continue the task. except
as it has been modified by expressions
of public opinion. The pretext for
this abuse betrays glaring inconsist-
ency of the President. Why the
Northumberland should be repri-
manded for criticisms of the War De-
partment during peace, when Roose-
welt himself signed the Round Robin"
censuring the same Department be.
fore the hostile guns had ceased firing,
cannot be made to accord with the cold
facts of logic. ThePresident tolerates
Funston's abuse OF his betters, for the
evident reason that he is not marked
as victim for standing in the way of
the dictator's ambition. Such con.
duct. however, betrays the utter SELF
ishness and venality OF the man, who
has so long played the cowboy on the
plains that he imagines he can ride
rough-shod over everybody who seems
to stand in his way.
II is said that the President has al.
ready selected a successor for Gen.
Miles whom he seems to have no doubt
he will force into involuntary retire
ment. Gen. Wood is the man who he
thinks will be tractable under the die
tatorship established by the new army
law. if enacted.
Were it not that tho President is so
reckless that he will doubtless &C.
complish his own ruin, he would be a
dangerous man, with the power that
has been conferred by war measures
and q prestige afforded by repeated
triumphs over opponents even when
armed with the clearest motives of
right. 1t surely is powerful incentive
to sustain any project that might in
flate the vsulting ambition of one who
has shown that he is utterly devoid of
respect for age, or experience, or we'll
earned laurels in the field of battle.
We shall see.
The House committee on Naval
Affairs, last week, by q strictly parti-
san vote, except that Mr.. Mudd, Gre
publican) of Maryland, voted with the
Democrats for resolution thanking
Admiral Schley and his officers and