The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-24
MILES WRITES OF
TIMELY SUBJECTS
Discusses Historical Facts in
Relation to Current Polit-
lcal Matters

COLD SPRING, N. J., Oct. 23.-Lieut.
Gen. Nelson A. Miles. retired, has writ
ten the following letter to Col Finley
Anderson, comrade of the Civil war;
Ever since our government was es
tablished by the fathers. it has been main
tanned by eminent statesmen, heroic patri-
OTIS and loyal citizens through all the
vicissitudes of the past century. 1t
sprang into existence from the turmoils of
war and chaos and Immediately became
the grandeSt world power on the globe.
in the sense of its moral strength, sim
plicity of design and purity of purpose.
Our constitution was formed with the
full appreciation Of the practical truth
Of the principle of the minimum OF power
and the maximum of liberty consistent
with order and safety to society-a phrase
which expresses the true end of all civil
government.
"On March 20JI7se, Count d d'Estaing, the
sole admiral of France and president of the
French Society of the Cincinnati. wrote
to Gen. Washington. then president of
the United States, and in the course of his
letter said: The name-of Caesar among
the Romans was considered as the first
Of all noble titles-and the emperors OF
Germany decorate themselves with 1t to
this day. Caesar enSlaYed his country
you have liberated yours
1T was the avowed intention and prayer
of Washington and the founders OF the
constitution to establish government
that could be 50 administered with such
integrity and wisdom that in time our
people would have the glory Of recon-
who were then strangers TO It. Their in
tention was not to force this system OF
government upon the peoples of other
countries, but rather by a splendid ex-
ample to influence other nations to adopt
q similar form of liberal government. This
design has been eminently successful in
people have ever enjoyed and the develop
ment Of the sparSely populated colonies
of the Atlantic coast into the mightiest
republic of eighty millions of freemen.
And NOT &c h44f civ ~ fIanr
tries south of the Rio Grande have thrown
of the yoke of foreign oppression and
adopted constitutions copied after ours,
and now fifty millions OF people are in the
enjoyment of privileges similar to our
own.
Patriotism Not MonopoIized
1--WE have now reached the parting of
the ways and the question whether we
shall continue that glorious career which
our fathers inaugurated and our comrades,
living and dead, preserved, or whether
we shall take that other course which
has been fatal to other republics in the
the sovereign act of our people on the
Sth of next November. Our fathers, in
establishing the government with con-
summate wisdom, created three great CO.
ordinate branches-the legislative, exec
utive and judicial. The history of oul
country shows that for more than 100
years political parties have existed; and
now to assume that there is but one party,
composed of approximately one-haf of the
voters, that is fit or qualified to administer
the executive branch of the government,
one man qualified to hold the highest
position, is utterly unWarranted, in fact,
a serious reflection upon the intelligence
and patriotism of the American citizen.
Extravaganza of Expansion
1.-THE humane, benevolent and generous
regard to political opinions or Affiliations,
unanimously espoused the cause of those
struggling Cuban patriots for independ-
ence; Will ever be one OF the glories OF
our history; yet, unfortunately, that very
act aIIured our people for time to a
reckless expenditure of public money and
an eXtravagant idea of territorial expan-
sion regardless of the rights of the peo-
pie OF other countries. Such a purpose
was purely undemOcratfc and un-Ameri-
can. 1t is not unusual that humane
measures are perverted to selfish purposes
and carried beyond the limit of wise dis
cretion. That sentiment of unlimited
expansion and colonization of subjugated
peoples is as dangerous to a republic as
it has been diScreditable to the great mil
itary powers of the world and unfortunate
to the inhabitants of peaceful and de-
fenSeless countries.
THE territory to the north and south of
us with, our own. contains more unde-
veloped wealth and natural resources than
are to be found in all the rest of the
world The countries of North and South
America are still occupied by only 15O,-
GOO, 600 people, whereas the remainder and
less valuable portion of the earth is oc-
cupied by a thousand millions of the
human race. Hence it is of great impor-
tance that we should have a well defined
established system of reciprocity with all
the countries of North and South America,
and thereby encourage the most friendly
political and commercial relations.
What Duties Include
'Our duty is at home to protect. nour-
1sh. comfort and bless our own people
FfrSt-To maintain untarniShed the
fundamental principles OF democratic gov
ernment.
second-The wise, judicious and eco
romic administration of our national af-
fairs for the benefit of our people and
the honor of the nation, and not for the
perpetuation in power OF any political
party.
Efficiency and integrity should
be the qualifications for appointment and
promotion in the public service
Fourth-The federal government should
be absolutely divorced from obligations to
or contamination with trusts of any char
acter.
Fifth-The three co-ordinate branches
OF the government should be exercised
with absolute independence of any usurpa-
ton or influence over each other.
S1xth@The law controlling Illegal COM
binations should be enforced, and if nee
essaTy additional legislation should be
enacted for the benefit of the people
Seventh-There should be harmony.
confidence and mutual interest promoted
between capital and labor
Eighth = Constitutional guarantees
should be sacredly preserved
Ninth-The system Of improving our
waterways that has been found so bene-
fetal should be continued where it is re-
Quired by the necessities of the public
and not for purpose of expending the pub
lie treasure in the interest of individual
politicians.
T'enth--The pension laws should be car
ried out in spirit as well as in form, and
a just service pension law regularly au-
thoriZed.
Eleventh-The transformation Of our
ARD lands by system OF irrigation which
we have advocated many years and has
been inaugurated in response to the de-
maHd OF the people viii be of inestimabIe
value to the home builders of our coun-
try and should be encouraged.
Tweffth-The measure to promote a
1Sthnlus should be conducted with the
highest regard and sense of honor not
only on our own part, but with regard to
the interests Of others.
The comrades who volunteered their
services and freely gave their lives in that
patriots fought for the preservation of
democratic institutions. Even those who
fought against us fought for principle.
as they believed in the right OF the states
to Withdraw from one federation and to
form another confederation. They did
not fight for an Imperial power, but
fought for republic.
eerIis of Imperialism
The danger of imperialism was awak-
many or them the prominent leaders and
fonnderS OF the Republican party. At
-TSt tEls ldea was Scoffed at and ridi-
culeds Yet the tendency toward central
1zauoe, the exaltation OF the executive 1
branch OF tne government to the prejudice
of the other two, has cauSad :, faoli,1.~ ,1f