Rock Island Argus., 1903-08-11


the most Iaudatory type. Without re-
ferring to the unpleasantness of re-
cent years, Mr.. Root compIimented
Gen. Miles warmly as an officer and n
great commander, praised his patriot
ic deeds and commented on the ex-
ample he had set for every soldier and
the army in general.
Mr.. Root took the matter to Oyster
Bay and submitted it to the presi-
dent. Mr.. Roosevelt tore up the let
ter and ordered that retirement let
ter of the coldest and most formal
style be issued and that Gen. Young
be appointed to the command of the
army for six days, so that Gen. Miles
would be deprived of the honor which
congress intended him to have.
In the past it has been the custom
of the president of the United States
himself to issue an order announcing
the retirement of the commanding
general of the army and at the same
time calling attention to his honor
able service, etc. President Cleveland
issued such an order when Lieut.. Gen.
Schofield. Miles predecessor in com
mand. retired in 1895. The same thing
was done on other similar occasions.
Everybody in Washington was dis
cussing the matter and on all sides it
was agreed that the president had
gone out of his way to administer n
parting snub to Gen. Miles. People
in Washington have known that the
president hated Miles, but it was not
believed that the chief executive
would take occasion to show it SC
plainly. Miles friends characterize
the matter as Il piece of despicablC
meanness. Miles himself has nothing
to say about it. He has been handled
so roughly that nothing coming from
his superiors is surprise to him. He
naturally feels. hurt, but has adopted
the plan of ignoring the whole Incl
dent.
| Another incident which was most
Ihumiliating to Gen. Miles occurred al
the war department during the recep
tion by the retiring commanding
general of his brother officers, who
desired to bid him good-by. Gen
Miles himself wore an undreSs uni
form. as usual in his office. but wher
the reception began at 10:30 and the
army officers came into his office
Gen. Young was at their head, arriv
ing in the complete regalia of Il lieu
tenant general. although he did no.
become a lieutenant general unit
moon. Young was accompanied by
Adit. Gen. Corbin, who is the chic
lieutenant of the president in The
persecution of Gen. Miles. Gen. Mile,
was aStounded and angered at see
ling Young's uniform. but he said moth
ing.
The affair was the cause of mucl
talk. Everybody present noticed the
affront to the retiring commando
and expressions Of disapproval wer,
heard on every side. The general op
inion is that it was an insult withou
excuse. particularly as Miles would
have been out of the way of his enc
mics in n short while. 1t iS pointed
| out that Gen. Young had no lega
right to wear Il lieutenant general.
uniform until after Miles retirement
as such action practically meant thai
there were two lieutenant generals
But if there was nothing illega
about the proceeding in view of tn,
fact that Young has taken the oath o
office as commanding general of tn,
army about 10 o'clock (although no
body knew why he should do so, in
aSmuch, as the army had one com
manding generaD, the appearance o
Young in the garb he wore is regard
ed as a fragrant offense against gooC
taste and common politeness.