The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-30
CALL It POLITICS. ] ] ].
General Miles Is Said to Be After
the Democratic Presidential
Nomination.
Claimed That His Report on ths
Philippines Was His Initial
Move in That Direction.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York sun 6pecial Sefv1ce. {Aa5 G#
! Chicago, April 30.-Walter Wellnan in
a, Washington dispatch to the Record
Herald. speaking Of General Miles report
! upon the Philippines, says:
! The manner In which this report OF
General Miles reached the public is both
interesting and significant. Obviously
General Miles wrote his report for the
public and not for the eyes of his OFFICIAL
| superiors alone. In preparing it he was
| thinking of the effect it would have upon
1.-The popular mind, not the influence 1t
might exert in reforming the army. Cen
eral Miles never forgets his laudable am
bition to be president of the United
States: and it is apparent he thought this
good opportunity to get before the coun-
I try once more. & p
| After General Miles inspection report
! had been filed at the department. two
| months ago and in the ordinary course
/ placed on the confidential files, whispers
! began to go round that it was a sensa-
1 tiona1 document, which ought to be given
to the public. These whispers were first
/ heard from those who enjoy the conf
dence of General Miles. At length GER
tain of the anti -imperialist people who
have been trying to drag down the army
in some way unknown became aware that
the report contained campaign material y
and they began calling for it's publication
and censuring the war department for
suppressing it. s' a~- j. s.@5 '%@E'
Finally a club at Boston. known as the
Reform club, numbering in its member
ship some of General Miles close personal
! friends, sent a letter to the department
asking that copy of the report be sent
to them o. ~ 5,-...s@ ~
This presented the opportunity for which
Secretary Root had been waiting. He
wanted all the time to give that document
to the press, because he does not like
| o~o1- hy1f he ro0
idea of breaking the rule and publishing
an inspection report. When General
| Miles friends asked for it the secretary
smiled a peculiar smile and said to a
caller: 1-'>%-+ .. -
'Is it possible that General Miles wants
this report published in the newspapers?'
"He is just aching to have it printed
was the reply. ...-% T.. -. ..s,&-.
| well, in that case I will send it to the
Boston Reform club said the secretary
IF General Miles wants 1t published af1o
the country wants to read 1T, am sure
there Is no one in the department who
, should object" ..,.. ."
: That very day Secretary Root addressed
letter to General Miles, asking if he
we're willing to have the report published
t and General Miles promptly replied tha
: he was. Then it was given to the news
papers. ~ ~. .G:-.. -. .@#-a''a-
|, Commenting upon this episode, Genera
: Miles friend said 49,
! Now if Mr.. Mckinley had been in the
t White House this thing would never have
happened He would have sent for Gen
eral Miles and talked sweetly to him, an6
convinced him such report should re
3 main a confidential document. McKinle,
would have saved the United States arm,
. the humiliation of being: denounced i'll hal
S the newspapers of Europe as gang O.
4 torturers, cutthroats and corruptionists II
;. the Philippines, their authority for thi:
: indictment being the lieutenant genera
$ of the army hiunself." ".,...+ go, & !. -, .
In army circles the feeling against Gen
n eral Miles is very bitter. One office
said:
e General Miles hopes to be nominated
y for president next year against Mr. Roose
n welt. In his report he made a play TO
y the support Of the democrats Of the anti
y imperialists: of the Roman. Catholic churcl
II and of the temperance people" '