The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-05-01
GENERAL MILES.

fighting record. Starting at the DeSlh'
ming of the Civil War without military
exnerience-he had been a clerk in
dry goods store-he came out OF II
maior-general of volunteers. Survivors
of the 6lst New York, the first regiment
he commanded, say he had no superior
in the army for personal courage ana
dash. He was promoted, step by step
for gallantry in action; ana IN the
troublous years of Indian fighting be-
tween 1865 and 1850, he gained high
rank in the regular army, finally at a
later period, reaching the highest com
mand with the rank of lieutenant-gen-
eral.
Unfortunately for his fame, however
General Miles developed an almost
phenomenal conceit. If there Is any
one thing that will make Americans,
who are hero-worshipping people
turn and pull their hero down, 1t is the
appearance in him of vain self-con-
seriousness, of assertive egotism, OF the
great I Am. General Winfield Scott was
popular until, with high rank. he de-
yeloped the qualities that made the
people dub him "Old Fuss and Feath-
4,
ers." 1t was the same way with
Fremont. on the other hand, Lincoln,
Grant and Sherman We're loved because
their greatness was buttressed WIN
simplicity. There was affection for the
man himself, when Grant appeared be-
fore Lee at Appomattox, dressed IN
blouse uniform, without a sword. when
after all had its relation to the plain
clothes of the conuuering hero. Much
of the dlsrespect SHOWN Au''iiiai 'a''p
son IN the iast wal was uu' W ,a
lie impression that ne was siioo gu"
the ease WIN "hich iiopson ne",I
turned proved 10 De ms u'iuo,.s ~ I.
navy Dewey iau suuuIn
douche OF flulcuie "iei'' h'Si .u
the general hurrah over .he pat'e VI
Manila Bay ne thousnt ne was uls
enough TO attain the f,esioenes' -.
puohc simply mas no 'o.e, ai,'e tvt '''
one, however ls'insuisi,eu' WV We
Velops the Dig heau, anu 'iia' 10 WY,
despite General Miles saian' anu
meritorious services MS na'he IS pm
cipally USED to sharpen 'he VIII Vi ''e
paragraphers.
The pretentousness Oh Miies tahes
TWO visible forms, decoration VI MS pei
son ana the peilei that ne couiu ne Nun
mated ana elected fresiuehl VI 'he
United states. since the 'lihe ol pen-
eral Scott no more strutt'hg ana peu'%
ened parsonage mas ever con'''ailoeu
the army OF TINS country a uhiLoiii,
Which was soou enough LOT 'ra". anu
sherman ana Sherluah' was iiiuci wv
unpretentious ior Nelson "a Mics nor
was ne satishea 10 command an army
plaliig cIau' TOT hi'''seli Ae ""h'e'
laurel leaVes IN sola on MS coilar anu
sleeSs, more gorgeous s"sh anu
chapeau' superapuruahCe OIL SHt.ei
ana potnp' TOT the troops ne wanted
more coruscatins run dress men ne
Went 10 Europe at the time Oh tne
rrec'aH war lie was WONT 10 par"ue Tue
deck OF the uahS-Atiah'lc passehset
steamer at gwen hour uailS' III iu''
UNIFORM ihCluuils ms sword IN Europe
II was nara 10 get nm out Oh uniform
on any OCCASION anu he petaiie II Tar
get ior the carlc't'urlsts po'h 'nere anu
mere BUT the laughter OF the look
ers-oh taught nm no WISDOM ana
ne continued to swell untl he came TO
peheVe mat the White House was
none 100 large LOT hltl'
"heh the fresiaehtial pee began puZ-
zing IN ms chapeau, General Miles
wits seemed to leave MIN. lie quarrel
cd win all ms superiors-eVen the
kind-hearted ana mild-mannered NC
kinney lie Went to New York and
ostentatlously dlned with croker: he
dld MS pest to break down the Mckin-
ley administration by making violent
ana easily-disproNed charges against
the eominlssarlat OF the army in cuba
holding II up to the contempt OF the
world and hoping by that fouling of the
national nest to so endear himself to
the people that they would prefer him
10 the sage OF Canton. The veriest tyro
in politics could have told Gen, Miles
that he was losing instead of making
political support; that his new-found
friends, the Democrats, would use him
as witness against the administra-