The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-05-06
Root SURPRISES The Truth.
only a Garbled Portion CT Gen.
Miles Report Made Public
Subordinates Inspired TO At
tack Niles.

tack Miles.
Washington, May I'm spite Of the
fact that the report of General Nelson
A. Miles was made public during the
earlier part Of the week the comment
on its disclosures seems to have grown
in direct proportion to the number Of
days which have intervened since the
War Department saw fit to allow its
publication. Your correspondent call
ed at the Department to see the origi-
nal document, but was refused per-
mission, with the assertion that the
country was already familiar with
all its details through its dissemina-
tion in the press. He found however,
that after weeks of suppression, the
War Departmnt has given out only
parts of the report When it is recall
ed that General Miles was ordered
by Secretary Root and President Roose-
yelt to proceed to the Philippines and
report in writing on conditions as he
found them, the present action of
Root is indefensible, and, according
to the tenets of honesty held by a
number of prominent men who have
been questioned in the subject, con-
temptible. What else can be thought
of a Secretary who orders the highest
Army officer to perform inspection
duty. and then suppresses the report
as confdentia]?" After that, unable
to further ignore the requests for
publication which came from sources
he dared not refuse, he gives out a
garbled version prefaced by the
statement that Miles judgments were
worthless, practically giving the lie
direct to an eyewitness OF conditions
which grew out Of regime equalled
only by the cruelties in Cuba which
the Spanish War was waged to redress.
Added to this he has instructed sub
ordinate officers to attack the veracity
of the ranking general, and General
Chafee, who could not be called on by
the Secretary to add his word to the
array Of depositions issued contempor-
aneously with the Miles report in re-
futation thereof, sees it in an inter-
view to declare the findings Of his
superior officer as Of mo Importance. !"
Naturally he was prodded by the
"power behind the throne,' but these
attempts to discredit General Miles in
order to bolster malodorous regime,
renders the administrations open to
the serious charge Of fostering q spirit
of anarchy in the American army, at
the same time that the Republican
party is posing as the defender Of the
military sevice of the country against
attacks upon its discipline and integ-
rity.
smother thing not pointed out by
the daily press, but which has come
under the observation of your CORES
pondent is this: The replies of the
bureau chiefs, of Ordinance, Engi-
neers. Commissary, ETC., inspired by
Root, are actually embodied in Miles
report and given out as a part of it by
the Department, with this significant
exception; General Hughes, in whose
department occurred the worst atroci-
ties as proved by courts-martial, was
called upon to reply to that portion of
the report which bore upon his ac-
tions. 1t is notable that Hughes con-
tribution is withheld, the excuse
vouchsafed to your correspondent be
ing that it was mot gentlemanly".
Here we have the spectacle of the COM
mander of the army, so bitterly assail-
ed, according to instructions, by a
subordinate who is confessedly not an
"officer and q gentleman" that his
words are unfit to print. To those
who willing &c see the force Of these
! facts it is patent that Mr.. Root is
'shoist with his own petard.' -
In spite of attempts to goss things
over the Postofice and other scandals
"will not down. y Machen is still
being shielded and all inquiries at the
Postofice Department are met with
the assertion that nothing further will
be done until the President is made
acquainted with the findings Of the
Investigation as far as it has gone.
On asking hoa the President was to
be informed your correspondent learn
ed that Secretary of War Root will
be mixed in this matter as he seems to
have been in other unsavory affairs
which reflect but little credit upon his
incumbency. He was in close consulta-
tion with Postmaster General Payne
last Wednesday and left directly for
St. Louis where it is expected that
the Postofice affair will be the chief
topic of conference between Mr.. Roose-
velt ard his right-hand man. 1t can
be understood that conference would
have as prime object the hushing OF
Republican mismanagement at the
capital, at least during the time that
Mr.. Roosevelt is calling the Vests
attention to himself and his party.
They realize that there is some virtue
in consistency, at least.
Four executive departments and two
national governments are worried over
the dispositions of some $4,000 taken
from Charles T. Neeley, when he was
arrested in connection with the alleged
postal irregularities in Cuba. The
amount Sc, 234.ls to be exact, now
rests III the safe of Postmaster Cen
eral Payne. How it cot there is a