Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-05-04
REPORT OF
GENERAL
MILES

w NAcIiiNb lON, u ~, May -
1t appears that the report of General
Miles containing a large assortment
of wretched stories of the bad behay-
iaor of our soldiers In the Philippines
has been anticipated by the anti-imper-
ialists and other habitual critics of the
army and the administration for the
secretary of war has large pile OF
applications for copies, many OF them
written several weeks before the date
OF the report. The leaders of the
movement were evidently advised OF
the contents of the document before
the secretary of war or anyone else
In the war department knew what Gen
eral Miles intended to write Before
he went to the Philippines 1t will be
remembered Miles was accused of fur
nishing aid, comfort and ammunition
to the enemy Mr.. Beverldge boldly
declared on the floor OF the senate that
copies of confidential documents from
the files of the war department had
been furnished the Democratic sena-
tors by General Miles. Miles denied
1t. but the senators did not. They re-
fused to give the source OF their infor-
nation, but 1t was made very clear
that the general of the army was in
communication with its enemies and
was assisting them to bring his own
soldiers into shame and disgrace.
President Roosevelt and the general
are understood to have had siren
uous interview on this subject. but
neither of them has ever reported the
conversation.
Whatever doubt there may have
been concerning the charges made in
the senate that Miles was betraying
the war department and furnishing the
Democratic leaders with documents
from the confidential files, there can
be no question in the present instance.
and people may expect to see his re-
port published promptly In pamphlet
form as one of the documents of the
anti-imperialist league. The members
of General Miles staff and some OF
his relatives and friends. have tried
to prevent him from placing himself
in the position of slandering his own
army. He retires from active duty on
the 9TH OF August, and they have been
| anxious to see that he should go out
with the good wishes of his military
| associates. but his jealousy OF his un-
der officers and his hatred of the pres
ident and secretary of war are too vio-
lent to be controlled. 1t is almost I'm
possible for General Miles to say
good word about anybody. His nature
has become soured by what he consid-
ers the Sights that have been put
upon him. Among all the prominent
nj nf WuQ ut n ha hau hui mn
friend outside of his own staff, and
that is Inspector General Brecken.
ridge. The chief of every other corps
of the army is directly attacked in his
report from the Philippines.
II the general had discovered any
thing new different construction
might be placed upon his temper and
the character of his report, but 1t Is
only a complication of old stories that
have already appeared in the newspa-
pers and have long been on the rec
ords Of the war department. where he
could have obtained all the informa-
ton he submits without taking the
trouble of going across the Pacific
ocean. His malice is 80 fierce that he
uses these incidents to prove that the
army of the United States which he
competent and inhuman persons, and
copetent and inhuman persons, and
that our government is incapable OF
conducting the affairs Of the Islands.
Several of the Incidents referred to
have already been investigated and
reported upon to General Miles him
self In Washington some OF them
have been the cause of courts.martial
in which the verdicts have been rem
dered and the persons accused have
either been acquitted or punished.
Other outrages which he reports oc-
CURED more than three years ago,
| while the Philippines were occupied
by the volunteer army. and the per-
sons accused. assuming that they were
| guilty. have been beyond the jurisdic-
| ton of a courtmartial since 1900.