The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-16
Gen. NILES DEFENSE
Addresses an Open Letter to the.
Army and Navy Register Of
Washington.
He Declares Emphatically That He
Is Not an Enemy to the
Army.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
d Washington, May 16.-General Nelson =.
Miles has written a long letter TO the
editor of the Army and Navy Register
for publication to-day In explanation OF
his reports of cruelties and outrages IN
the Philippines The Army and Navy
Register was for some time a supporter
Of General Miles but recently condemned
his Philippine reports.
In his letter General Miles refers 10
the prosecution of Tweed and the lnVes-s
tigation now going on In the ,postoffice
department and remarks that the persons
who started the postal investigations are
not enemies of the administration nor OF
the postoffice department. He argues
that he is not an enemy of the army and
declares that the soldiers were not to
blame for obeying the orders of their Off
GERS, upon whom he puts the blame for
the alleged offenses committed In the
Philippines.
Referring to my reports as presented
In your issue of May 81 he says, you
will understand how one might seriously
object to having communication pub
lished in part with some portions omitted.
When that is done it is impossible to APP
preciate the relative bearing of certain
portions and the writer Is liable to be
misrepresented and the reader to be mis-
led. In your journal no reference was
formed a part Of my report.
TT is proper to say that went to the
Philippines not as tourist, but In an
official capa city, Moreover the instructions
addressed to me as Acknowledgement
commanding the army came from the
highest authority, viz. the president In
them 1 was directed to give especial at
tent to the instruction, discipline and
supplies of the army.
II went very thorly over the Philippine
islands, visiting all the principal garri-
sons, seeing nearly all the troops, com
plimenting them In person and in my Off
cia1 report. The idea that l was gov
erned by prejudice in any way is idle
it is untrue.
'Tn the greatest and bloodiest of al
wars, covering four years and in which
were engaged 100000 of brave men,
have never heard Of single case of hui
man torture, and those who falsely as
sert that it was practiced insult al1k'
those who wore the blue and the gray.
For a hundred years the army ha1
been waging war against savage Indian
and there is no namabe atrocity that a
some time Indians did not commit, bu
retaliation in kind and violence towar'
captive and surrendered Indians have al
ways been prohibited.
TT Is idle to assume that campaigning
In the Philippines has conditions that war
departure from the honorable method Q
conducting warfare, that such depar
lures as have existed should be over
looked and condoned 1t Is most graft
flying that the serious offenses haye nc
been committed by the soldiers unles
they were under the direct orders of Ger
tain officers who were responsible. Sol
diers have withheld fire when ordered t
shoot pisoners protested against acts {
cruelty and written to relatives at HON
urging them to take action to put a ;stp
to these crimes. 1t will ever be one {
the glories Of the army that such deed
committed by whatever authority, ar
abhorrent to the American soldiers. -
1.-THE officers who are responsible d
not by any means constitute the Amer
can army and there must be a very unmis
taxable line drawn between the. gres
body of honorable and faithful officers ar
brave soldiers whose records have bee
commendable and those of whatever sts
ton whose acts have received and shou
receive the earnest condemnation of 6
honorable men,