The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-24

Il is at the bottom of the
strange procedure of General
Miles has been suspected but now it is
openly charged. The Washington COR
respondent of the New York Sun al
leges that he has good authority for the
assertion that shortly prior to the Phil
adelphia convention General Miles made
an overture to President Mckinley
looking to his own nom;na ton for vice.
president on the Mckinley ticket. Not
receiving the encouragement desired
General Miles, the Sun story goes. then
turned to Colonel Roosevelt proposing
to form an anti Mckinley ticket with
Miles for president and Roosevelt for
president. That overture. likewise
was rejected.
Further assertions similar in charc-
ter are made in Washington cores
pondence Of the New York Herald,
which quotes "a prominent official"
as follows: General Miles has long
been a candidate for the presidency.
He desires to be an anti-administra-
tion and Democratic candidate. Con-
entered the White House the lieuten-
ant general has been running counter
TO the wishes Of the president. who is
his commander-in-c chief, and to the
policy of the secretary of war; and con-
stantly catering to the Democratic and
anti-administration element. General
Miles in his annual report came out
fairly and squarely against the cam
teen, against the department and
against the president. In this way he
won a great deal of applause from
church people and was commended in
all of the church newspapers. Yet. at
the time General Miles wrote his report
the canteen question had been settled.
General Miles next figured in the
Schley controversy. When the court of
inquiry rendered it's decision he gave
AN interview criticising the court and
upholding Schley. Then came the Army
board 1t was convened for the pur-
pose of selecting sites for army posts
where troops are to be quartered when
not in active service in the field. He
issued ii statement in which he dis
agreed with the majority of the board,
declaring it was against public policy
that army posts should be located near
large cities, because the troops may be
used for shooting down the working
man. No thinking man would for Il
moment take the view that United
States troops would ever be used for
overawing labor, The lieutenant gen.
cral followed this up with IA request
that he be sent to the Philippines for
the purpose of pacfying the islands.
He was going at once to terminate
military operations and resort to Ciplo-
macy This Is the Democratic position
again, and the general unquestionably
viii have Commendation from the
Democrats and the ti-Imperialists
The fact that General Miles had made
this request and that ii had been re-
fused was II department secret until it
became disclosed in some way. Ii GER
tainly was NOT disclosed through the
office of the secretary of war. This
brings us up TO the hearing before the
committee on military affairs. General
Miles had perfect right to appear be-
fore committee and say anything he
wished The public, and not the de-
partment, will pass on the proprlety
and good taste of his testimony"
We note these expressions for what
they are worth. They are made in
responsible newspapers, If they do the
general an injustice ne has means OF
redress In any event, President
Roosevelt has been wisely counseled in
his decision not TO take immediate
notice OF the latest evidence of Miles
hostility The proposition before the
country which is of paramount impor-
tance from military standpoint Is not
what Miles thinks or says but what
chance there is for the passage Of the
army reorganization bill 1t will not
pay TO cOmpllcate that issue by the
raising OF minor quarrels, General
Miles richly deserves rebuke for the
impudence of his manner before the
military affairs committee. No matter
what his opinion may be of the bill he
was considering. for the ranking army
officer to exhibit disrespect for his su-
periors in authority and to impute TO
them under cover OF parliamentary
privilege motives which he would not
dare to allege openly was am act Of
snsubordination deserving OF a court
martial. But there Is no great hurry