The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-03-28
MODIFIES HIS STATEMENT
GENERAL MILES ELIMINATES
SENSATIONAL FEATURES
Proposed Change Would Place In
Hands Of Autocrat or Military
Despot Unlimited Power.

Washington, March 25.--The state
ment of General Miles before the sen
ate committee on military affairs az
1t will appear in the official records
after revision by him, was made pub
lie tonight. The features which caus
ed something Of a sensation when pub.
lished the day the statement was
made do not appear. The following col.
loquy at the close Of the hearing ex.
plains the revision:
Mr.. Pettus-Mr. Chairman, I think
there ought to be ONE mode Of hav-
ing these notes revised.
The Chairman-That will be done.
Mr. Pettus-The report of the pro
ceedings should be submitted to Gen
eral Miles with permission to strike
out such portions as ought not to be
published.
Mr.. Proctor-That is It,.
General Miles-I don't know that
there is anything to be stricken out.
The Chairman-We have been in
the habit Of submitting to the witness
before the committee, whoever he was.
the stenographer's report OF his re-
marks for correction, Of course.
Mr.. Pettus-I wanted to go further
than that. The s~tenographer has no
doubt taken down correctly what the
general has said, but there are some
things he said that he may desire to
strike out, and l think he should be al
lowed that privilege.
The Chairman-He must be the
judge Of that.
Mr.. Pettus-He should be allowed
the liberty of striking out anything
which ought not to be published, even
If 1t is stated correctly in this report.
The stencgrapher's report was sub
mitted to General Miles and the Of
fetal report indicates that he follow
ed closely the written statement he.
had prepared and read to the commit
tee. The main facts of the generals
opposition to the war departments
staff were given at the time. Some Of
the features Of the statement not re-
ported at the time are of interest, how
ever. Concerning the inspector gen
erals department he said:
"In the bill under consideration it
is proposed to abolish entirely the
corps of instructors which has been
most instrumental in keeping the
army up to it's high character and ef-
f1ciency and in discovering defalca-
tons. ~ineflciency and maladministra-
tion, and on the other hand in eAcour-
aging and reporting m%eritorious con-
duct, efficiency and ability in all the
different commands and in the depart
ments Of the service"
Speaking of the general efficiency
Of pay, quartermasters and commits
sary departments, he said: 'The
three departments mentioned have
rendered most efficient service in the
great civil war, the wars Of the from
Tier, the Spanish-American war and
The war in the Philippines and. China.
The maladministration in the commits
sary department that occasioned SO
much suffering in 1898 was not the
'ault OF the system, but Of those re-
'ponsible for it's administration, and
since 1t was exposed I am not aware
hat a single Ease has been reported
where q soldier has not received his
laily food and his pay when due from
he commissary and pay departments
respectively, and these have been
promptly transported to him through
he efficient management Of the quar-
ermaster's department"
Further along General Miles said of
he bill: 1t is Capitalization OF
he most pronounced type, augments
he power of the staff and, in effect,
emoves it further from touch with
he fighting force of the army. The
cheme is revolutionary; casts to the
1inds the lessons Of experience and
bandons methods which successful
Y carried us through the most memoir
BILE war epochs Of our history. The
roposed plan is but an effort to adopt :,
nd foster in a republican form of
overnment a system peculiarly adapt.
d to monarchies having immense
armes It would seem to
and Russianize the small
OF the United States"
General Miles said that before the