The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-08-14
PRESIDENTS SNuB
TO GENERAL MILES
Tore Up Letter OF Commenda-
ton Written by Secretary
of War Root.
YouNG's LITTLE s y
Appeared at Miles Office in Uniform.
Of Lieutenant General Before His
Predecessor Had Stopped 4
Down and Out.

r ~ . sSSO~00OOt Tv0V 0kOpP00 81
Down and Out.
Washington, Aug. lit has never
been doubted by those familiar with tho
facts that Secretary Root has always
mad the greatest admiration for General
Miles as a soldier and had matters been
left in Mr.. Roots hands the general
would have retired with flying colors
instead Of with an unprecedented
snub. q
Mr.. Root wanted General Miles to
have the honor Of being the last COM
handing general Of the army, as con
gress intended, and a week ago issued
an order which clearly indicated that
the m was to be discontinued.
AT the same time he prepared a fare
well letter to General Miles which vas
OF the most laudatory type. Without
referring to the u-npleasantness of re-
cent years, Mr.. Root complimented
General Miles warmly as an officer
and a great commander, praised his
patriotic deeds and commented on the
example he had set for every soldier
and the army in general.
Roosevelt Destroys Letter.
Mr.. Root took the matter to Oyster
Bay and submitted it to the president.
Mr.. Roosevelt tore up the letter and
ordered that a retirement letter Of the
coolest and most formal style be is
sued and that General Young be APP
pointed to the command Of the army
for six days, so hat General Miles
would be deprived of the honor which
congress intended him to have.
In the past it has beer the custom of
the president of the United States him
self to issue al order announcing the
retirement Of the commanding general
of the army and at the same time
calling attention to his honorable SER
vice, etc. President Cleveland issued
such an order when Lieutenant General
schofield, Miles predecessor n com
mand, retired in 1895. The same thing
was done on other similar occasions.
Everybody in Washington was dis
cussing the matter and IN all sides it
was agreed that the president had gone
out Of his way to administer a part
ing snub to General Miles. People in
Washington have known that the presi-
dent hated Miles, but it was not be-
lieved that the chief executive would
axe occasion to show 1T so plainly.
Miles friends characterize the matter
as a piece Of d~espicable
Miles himself has nothing to say about
it. He has been handled SO roughly that
nothing coming from his superiors Is a
surprise to him. He naturally feels
hurt, but has adopted the plan Of ignor-
ing the whole incident.
Young Insults Miles.
Another incident which was most
humiliating to General Miles occurred
at the wal department this morning
during the reception by the retiring
commanding general of his brother
officers, who desired to bid him goodby.
General Miles himself wore an undress
uniform, as usual in his office, but when
the reception began at 10:30 and the
army officers came into his office Gen.
eral Young vas at their head, arrayed
In the complete regalia of a lieutenant
general, although he did not become
a lieutenant general until noon today.
Young was accompanied by Adjutant
General Corbin, who is the chief lieu
tenant of the president in the persecu-
ton Of General Miles. General Miles
| was astonished and angered at seeing
Young's uniform, but he said nothing.
The affair was the cause Of much talk.
Everybody present noticed the affront
to the retiring commander and express
sions of ~disapproval We're heard on
every side. The general opinion is that
1t was an insult without excuse, par
ticularly as Miles would have been out
! Of the way Of his enemies in a short
while. It Is pointed out that General
Young had no legal right to wear a
lieutenant generals uniform until after
Miles retirement, as such action prac-
tically mean that there We're two lieu
tenant generals.
An Ovation.
But if there was nothing illegal about
the proceeding in view of the fact that
! Young had taken the oath Of Office as
commanding general Of the army about
10 O'Clock (although nobody knew why
he should do so, ~inaslnuch as h army
! had one commanding GENERALLY, the APP
pearance of Young in the garb he wore
Is regarded as a fragrant offense
against good taste and common polite
ness.
Given an Ovation.
The humiliation to which General
Miles was subjected by his superiors
and successor was atoned for In part
by the manifest regret of army officers
generally who attended the reception
at losing their old commander. Cen
eral Miles received an ovation lasting
over an hour. Every officer on duty in
the war department and many from
Fort Meyer, Washington barracks and
other nearby military posts, from gen.
erals down to lieutenants filed into
! General Miles Office, shook him warm
ly by the hand and wished him god
speed. Many of the older officers had
served in the civil war with the retir-
ing general, as well as in perilous IN
dian warfare, when Miles was the best
fighter Of the red men on the frontier.
The lieutenant general thanked them
all for their good wishes. Many times
his voice broke with emotion as some
one of his subordinates bade him good
by.
General Miles will leave here tomor-
row to attend the Grand Army encamp-
ment at San Francisco. He will reach
Chicago Monday. The general says he
will not be a candidate for commander
Of the G. A. r., although he has re-
ceived plenty Of assurance Of support.
He has declared himself in favor OF
General John c. Black OF Chicago for
the position and will bring all his in
fuence to bear to bring about the cleo
+ion of the Illinois, man.