The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-03-26
GEN. MILES IS MAD.
he Declares that he VIII Resign if a
Certain Bill Passes.
SECRETARY OF WARS SCEEME
To Promote En1eres: or Personal
Friends Without Regard 10
Rank for Service. Miles
Charges FayGritism
Charges FayGritistn

Charges FaYGrltisHl
Gen. Nelson 4. Miles Thursday told
the senate committee on military af-
fairs that if the bill introduced by
Senator Hawley at the instance OF the
war department for the organization
Of a general staff for the army should
become law he would decline to
longer hold his commission. The
reason he gave for the statement
is that the bill is utterly SubverSire
Of the interests Of the military estab-
lishment, and be said that he would
not be a party TO such a proceeding to
the extent even of continuing TO hold
his place.
The statement was made in the
course Of a prolonged hearing by the
committee which was conducted be-
hind closed doors. and in which Gen.
Miles touched upon variety Of sub
jectS connected with the army. The
portion Of the bill to which he direct
ed his especial criticism is that con-
ta::ned in section I, reading as. fol-
lows:
MAKE GENERAL A FIGUREHEAD.
That from and after the passage
Of this act the senior general officer OF
the army shall be assigned to command
such portion OF the army as the presi-
dent may direct. or be detailed to duty
in the general staff corps. All duties
prescribed by law for the commanding
general Of the army shall be perform
ed by the chief Of general staff or
other general officer designated by the
secretary Of war. Provided, that Sc
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 the separation from
active service OF the said lieutenant
general Of the army, said office, except
as herein provided shall cease and
determine"
WOULD DESTROY UNITY OF ARMY.
Gen. Miles said that if this provision
should become a law it would have the
effect Of destroying the unity Of the
army and be read numerous authorl-
ties, including Napoleon, wellington,
Washington, Cass and Grant to show
the necessity Of having one head to
the army and of controlling authority.
His ewn experience and observation
had. he said, had the effect OF confirm
ing these views and he gave an Illus
tration OF it's beneficial effect in time
Of emergency, inStancing the begin
ming OF the war with Spain.
Il heard at midnight" he said,
THAT the Spanish fleet had been
located definitely at Santiago, and 1
FASTENED to the home Of Secretary
Long, where the news was confirmed.
Shafter was then at Tampa, and /
sat down there, in the Secretary'S
house and wrote a dispatch, directing
him to start Immediately for Santiago
with the result that the army was
soon on it's way to the point where its
presence was needed. Suppose" he
added, exhibiting the message which
he had sent to Gen. Shafter, I had
been compelled to get around to a
dozen or more majors, as many colo
nels and any number Of generals con-
shutting a general staff"
SCHEME OF THE SECRETARY.
Then he added that in all probabl-
ity the senior general OF the army
would not under the provision he had
quoted have been in position to do
anything, and he called attention to
the clause relieving him (the senior
:generaD Of command and making 1t
possible for any other officer to be ap-
pointed. He declared that under
section it would be competent to one
day promote captain to the position
of a brigadier and the next day to
make him chief of staff, thus practi-
cally placing captain at the head OF
the army. Warming up somewhat he
asserted that the bill was calculated
to accomplish no purpose except to al
low the secretary Of war and the ad-
jutant general to promote the interest
of their personal favorites.
WHY THE DELAY AT TAMPA.
Gen. Miles was questioned as to the
reasons for locating the American
army of occupation at Tampa and
holding it there SO long with the re-
sulting congestion. Replying to the
first question. he said that it was be-
cause of the order to occupy Habana.
The delay was due, he said, to the
fact that the American army was sup
plied with only 81 rounds Of ammuni-
ton which would not have been Sufl-
cient for more than half an hour OF
fighting. Considering that Haoana
was one Of the best fortified cities in
8he world, he said that to have attack
ed it would have been foolhardy in
the extreme. He declined, however:
to criticise the then secretary OF war,
Gen. AIcer, for the condition Of affairs,
saving that probably any one else in
the position would have done about
what he did. He laid the general
blame for this condition Of unprepared-
ness at the door OF congress.
KNOWS THE FAyORITEs.
In the course Of his remarks Gen.
Miles told the committee in confidence
that with the bill a law he could now
name the men who would hold the
places Of honor provided under IL but
the committee did not ask for the
names.
ROOTS ENDORSEMENT.
The printed report OF the testimony
of Secretary Root before the military
committee on this bill was made
public Thursday. In bis statement
the secretary stated that the genera
staff Of the army as it is proposed tc
organize it under this bill would be
simply an advisory board and that Its
principal duty would be that OF an
advisory board.
Asked as to the place the command
\