The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-31
GEN. MILES FOREsEEs DIRE THINGS.

While he was commander of the army
General Miles gave more than one evil
dence that a soldier with a good fighting
record might it by a disposition to
NEEDLE in matters that did not belong TO
him. amounting almost to spirit OF in
subordination. Since his retirement he
evinces a desire to keep himself before the
public by posing as paragon of good citi-
zenship and watch dog of American lib
erty.
His recent letter TO the national Prohibi-
ton committee assumed a tone of father
ly advice and political wisdom quite dispro-
portionate to his experience in such mat
tiers. and his more recent letter to Demo-
cratic club in Michigan indicates that he is
deeply concerned over what he regards as
the decline of patriotism among the Amer
lean people and. their indifference to the
dangers which he more than intimates
threaten the Republic.
General Miles had been invited to speak
on the subject of patriotism, and his let
ter gave him an opportunity to say that
1T is especially fitting to give the subject
serious consideration at this time, when
We are menaced by serious evils-when we
are approaching an important crisis in our
political history, and the veal woe of
this Republic will depend upon the intel
ligence and patriotism of the sovereign
voters" Continuing in this solemnly pes
simistic vein he says: 1.-The perpetuity of
our democratic government depends not
upon the presence of great armies. the will
of a despot or the dictation OF any ruler.
but entirely upon the patriotism of our citi-
gems This profound platitude has been
embodied in mary a school essay, but
General Miles tries to make it fit an actual
situation. Patriotism cannot reign within
selfish heart or depraved SOUL he adds
with apparent implication that the peo-
pie with selfish hearts and depraved souls
are running things. Finally he concludes
The opportunity and responsibility of the
Democratic citizens of Michigan and of the
whole Union are now greater than they
have been al any former period of our his
tory There are many vexed questions and
problems In which there may be an honest
difference of opinion-but there is one
transcendent principle. far above all other
questions. whether of economics or indivd-
uals, and that is whether the spirit of the
Declaration of Independence and of our
Constitution shall prevail or perish. The
change from oppression to liberty is
wrought by violence, but the change from
democracy to despotism IS quiet, insidious,
subtle and fatal.
From this gather that it is the Re
publicans of selfish hearts and depraved
souls who are driving the country to de-
struction. and that the Democratic citizens
of Michigan and of the whole Union are the
ones who are to save it. The closing SEN
tence indicates the method by which the
party in power is trying to change the gov
eminent from democracy to despotsm. 1T
is by quiet, insidious and subtle methods.
Forewarned is forearmed, and the Demo-
Gratis of Michigan and the rest of the
Union can now measure the work that is
before them.
The spirit of this letter is contemplate
1t seems to imply that when General Miles
retired from the army he took with him all
the patriotism ii contained and that he
still has a corner on the genuine article
There is one phase of the subject, however
that does not seem to have occurred to
him, namely, that it is a very poor sort OF
patriotism that leads retired officer of the
army to inform the world that large part
| of his countrylnen are devoid of patriotism
and that the government is in danger oil
being converted from a republic into a
| despofism