The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-05-23

OAN hS III hNNNA
and never will, II he retains anything
OF his native, mountain character.
THE ARMY AS A PERSONAL ASSET.
There is no denying that General
Miles is not altogether popular in the
army. But then lieutenant generals
are not usually popular in times Of
peace. There is a certain social
eminence aud precedence in army
officers OF high rank which in times OF
pence almost inevitably leads to
chickering's aud jealouSies. And then,
too, General Miles is credited with
being a little more free Of speech than
is thought to be becoming 10 the head
Of the army. But make all the allow
ances that can be made in reason and
there still remains much TO be ex-
planned as to the cause of friction
which exists between him and the
authorities at Washington. Aciyilian
secretary, a martinez adjutant, aud a
conceited e~x.colonel of a volunteer
regiment, who seems to have an idea
that he is the greatest soldier of his
time, combine to Stub Miles, to dis
credit him, and to put him before the
country in the light Of a spoiled
child.
1t is hard to escape the suspicion
that Mr.. Roosevelt looks upon the
army as a personal property of his, as
a part of the republican campaign
machinery designed to contribute to
his prestige and glory. "The good Of
the service" phrase, like the general
welfare clause in the constitution, is
capable of very liberal Interpretation.
Nj. Roosevelt seems to conStrue it to
mean that nothing must be permitted
to get out about the army which
might in any way discreet the repub-
+ lican party or affect elections, Root,
Roosevelt aud Corbin are conducting
the affairs OF the army very much like
the majority shareholders of a petty
? corporation often do. Months age
d, General miles, who had won his spurs
while Root and Roosevelt were YET
2 sucking babes, made his report upoI
' conditions 10 the Philippines. This
/, report has been chucked away in
| pigeonhole, After a long clamor TO
the publication of the report a few
passages were given out and the ad
S ministration organs set upon it witt
t vlndictive fury. If there is enythin.
t the matter with the report, why is !
not made public and charges preferre,
n against Miles? II a report of tn
It lieutenant general of the army eau b
smothered, how are the people to &c
'e their information about things whic
10 give this country a character in til
eyes of the world? Is the Philippe
es war a private enterprise Of Mr., Roos'
velt's? Have We come to the poiI
where the people are to be informt
rs only of what some n dressed in
little brief authority thinks is goo
for them to know?
st 1t may be readily admitted thi
there is a small body OF Scavenge
nd ready to pouuce down upon anythil
be 10 the way of army scandal. 1t m.
d, be that there are those who won
ut hasten to convert to party adyanta
any irregularities in the militia
DIS administration Of the P%hilippiul
ed but there is a vastly larger BODY
10 Americans who want to know t
OF truth for better reasons; who wol
1T not see the American soldier CORFU
co. ed for party glory; who would T
rst sanction the exploitation of ten n
en- lions OF people aud The resources
'el- a country far older than our ov
eer There are still several millions
d a people in America who will
ty. join in the adulaton of Mr.. Roo
len welt because OF his muscu,ar
afe and biz front teeth alone. There
ty. still some who are unwilling to 5
ere render all the interests and respoI
ate blities of this country into The ke
1he lag of his privat consciencc.
as