Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-14
Friction Between Secretary Root and Miles
Makes Change Necessary.
oBSTRUcTS PLANS FORMATIONS WELFARE
Attention Directed to Retirement Of Ord
for Miles Benefit
GENERAL BROOKE PROBABLE SUCCESSOR
senior Both In Service and ARe
20 Present Commanding General,
His Promotion Is Re-
ERrded a. Certain.

WASHINGTON. April 1s.-The issues are
fairly Joined between the lieutenant gen.
eral and the secretary Of war The
trouble which began long ago under the
cleveland administration, has finally
reached so critical a stage that the com
pulsory retirement Of General Miles at an
early date is open secret and is not
denied at the White House. In explana-
tion OF President Roosevelt's position one
OF his close friends. who unquestiousbly
speaks by authority, says
,ndn The question is not personal one be-
tween nr0i General Miles and Secretary Root.
shoulders a heavier burden than any other
member of the administration. No man
at the very time when he requires the most
Ioyal support or every subordinate VINO
WISHES h well to the army and the nation.
meeting the opposition of the commanding
general. II General Miles Is retired Il viii
dent Roosevelt feels that on the highest
ethical grounds his retention would work
grave and lasting injury to the army as a
Miles Career similar.
AS some If General Miles friends have
said that II would be unfair II should be
said in the first place that he owed his pro-
through the similarly forced retirement OF
number of his senior officers Into the
vacancy thus created: and, in the second
President Roosevelt since he has been in
office was In the case of Colonel Moves
TeaehTs TaS Ts' the DstTsd Ss. By co%Pu5Sn ,5o after
mendation OF General Miles. In other
words, the general has himself expressly
recommended and profited by the very ac-
tion which his friends now fear may be
taken at his expense.
II he should go out before General Brooke
Is retired. General RrookR bn fa
Miles senior, both in service and In age
and who did gallant and distinguished work
doubtedly be put in his place as lieutenant
general as II is known he is desirous OF
recognizing General Brookes long and
General Brooke's Record.
General Brooke during the civil war
rendered equally meritorious service with
General Miles. General Brooke was the
nrst to obtain a commission and through
out the civil war he retained his adysntaee,
After peace came General Miles w o.
GsgfEa os.IfoI bmt Brooke r;d, VII necessarily he
posIlon Dul prlef period befor( re-
Is likely TO succeed General b e and
years hence. " T' ~"
In administration circles in Washington
there has been some amusement over the
talk raised about the so-called mission to
Rome. The facts are that Governor Taft
has impressed very strongly upon the
president and the secretary Of war that
the question of getting rid OF the friars
was OF vital consequence to peace In the
Philippines and that to accomplish this
1t was necessary to deal directly with the
head OF the corporation involved, Rome
After much consideration II was decided
that Governor Taft should stop at Rome
on his way to the Philippines to con-
suit with the church authorities and see
| II 1t would not be possible to come out
right to some agreement on behalf Of the
Philippines government.
Purely Business Matter.
There would be nothing Of any kind or
shape in the matter which would suggest
| anything in the way OF diplomatic reia-
| tions. 1t would be purely a business
transaction. The United States government
is neither favorable nor hostile to any bar
ticular sect. 1t desires to treat all alike.
with exact justice. II does not wish to
| do injustice to the friars by taking away
their lands, without compensation. on the
other hand, IT recognizes that although the
Christian Filipinos are practically ali
Roman Catholics. they are nevertheless a
| unit In demanding that the friars leave
the island.
! Governor Taft better than any other
man could explain this state OF things at
Rome. 1t is believed II an honorable and
satisfactory arrangement can be reached
| the result will be most beneficial TO the
| islands and that probably No other ona