Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-07-04
VOL. XXI.
HON. W. S. HILL WRITES
Of THE MILES INCIDENT
tAdverti-ement.)

Some Of the papers edited In the
s"w'est OF Governor Nardaman, in
saitorials and paragraphs, and some Of
ms friends IN letters written over the
state. have 80 thoroughly distorted tn.
u"th with reference to the matter
wnich has come to he known a. The
shies Incident" though Gen Miles wa.
not directly named in the proposed
mgisiation, one way or the other, that
IL Decomes important 20 state the truth.
one ot these newspapers and q let
Ter which ! saw from a friend 81 Gov.
srnor Nardaman's, written to friend Of
Williams, stated that Williams had
made speech in defense of Gen.
Mies. That was, Of course. a false
mood. Another newspaper headline was
10 the effect that Williams had voted
Tor pension for South Halter Miles,"
ihat Is false. Another that Williams had
voted Tor an increase Of pension" to
him. That is false. A third that VIII.
iams had voted for an increase Of his
pay. That IL false. Another had the
haminR headlines: Williams votes 10
pension Miles, who shackled JEFF Da.
Wis. That is false. Now. "how plain
. truth shall put them down. IL had
become habit for the governors Of
the States 10 appoint aray officers on
the retired list to positions in connec-
oon with the National Guard for the
further training. better teaching and
more soldisrfike equipment of the
guard. The army officers pay on the
retired list is fixed by law and consti-
tltes the amount due him on account
OF past ser, ices for long years on the
1st H.
then and does not see nov that that
fs,y ought to be reduced because OF the
TACT that the officer, instead of spend.
ing the balance of his lifetime doing
nothing, Is engaged in putting his ex.
perienee, which was obtained at West
Point, ut the expense OF the nation. to
the teaching and training and equip.
ment of the militia of the States. When
ir. Douglass was elected governor of
Massachusetts and Gen. Miles went
upon the retired list, Gov. Do,irIass an
pointed him inspector general" of the
National Guard Of Massachusetts. There
we're already several general officer.
upon the retired list Of the rank Of
hrigadier general and major general. ten
general Officers in all, who had ac.
eepted services upon the National
eolonels and lieutenant colonies. The
states indeed had been anxious to have
these men detailed to service in the
National Guard, 50 that they could in.
iuse the proper esprit de corps, and
hring 1t up to the proper efficiency. MIR.
jefferson said that "our best reliance
IN time OF war - well trained mill
TIA. This was the state Of affairs
when the following provi-o was brought
IN upon military appropriation bill:
Hereafter no retired officer of the
army shall. when assigned to active
duty with the organized militia in the
several States or territories. receive any
pay or allowance additional to his paw
as retired officer, 80 as 10 make his
total pay and allowance exceed the paw
anu allowance OF ma jor on the active
hst. Mr. Williams opposed this on the
ground that IL was retroactive.
IL is evident from the peru-al of this
proviso that the effect OF il would bay.
peen To reduce the actual pay of very
many officers whose pay upon the re-
ured list was greater than the pay of a
major on the active list. Amongst those
~ happened that Gen. Miles was one.
but not the only one. The State of
time in a long, long time n Democratic
governor. This and the fact that Gov.
ernor Douglass had appointed Gen. Miles
an Inspector general in the Massachli-
setts National Guard led to many mem.
hers OF Congress regarding the whole
affair simply from the standpoint of
1ov. Douglass and Gen. Miles. the Re.
publican party being very anxious to
n sl 4
the whole Republican administration be.
ing very angry with Gen. Miles because
lie had exposed the embalmed beef
frauds and because he and the pre.i.
dent had had a personal quarrel in the
White House. MIR. Williams did not
regard it then, nor does he regard il
now. as matter narrowed down to
that, although he did very naturally
resent the partisan attempt to hamper
the administration of Gov. Douglass of
Massachusetts. As he said upon the
floor, the proviso went too far. or did
not go far enough; that ii the idea Of
II were economy il ought to provide
that whenever an officer upon the re-
tired list was receiving additional paw
as an executive or legislative officer,
he should equally forfeit some Of his re-
TO the fact that when distinguished
general Of the army had been mem.
her of the house he had received his full
retired paw besides his salary as n mem
Der of the house, and was receiving in
addition to that sI2 q month pension
and no complaint was ever made. Ev-
erybodv knew, of course, that he was
referring to Gen. Sickles of New York.
In the first speech upon the subject he
made some good natured fun Of Gen.
Miles and of the Massachusetts militia
In the language which follows:
"Can II be, Mr.. Chairman, that there
Is an envy on the part of the gentleman
from Iowa of this fearfully and wonder
fully constructed piece of machinery
that has lately been described as emerg-
ing from the great State Of Massach,I.
setts. the general staff of this governor
Not long ago ] read description in the
Washington Post of the manner in
which that staff would go forth when
1t should be fully apparelled, and gath
cred from il that Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these.
There was not in anything he ever
said upon the floor one word in de-
fense of Gen. Miles, unless this brief
and ironicai language may be so con-
strued: "But don't resnub" was used in
reference to the snubbing that the pres
idcnt had given him in the White House
some time before. Although it has moth
ing to do with the matter, Gen. Miles
had agreed to serve the State of Mass
achusetts in his capacity of inspector
general of the militia without any pay
from the State. When the military ap
preparation bill came back from the Sen.
ate it came back with the Hull amend.
ment amended so as to read in the fol
lowing way: Provided, that retired of.
ficers of the army above the grade Of
major shall when hereafter assigned to
active duty in connection with the or
ganized militia in the several States and
territories upon the request of the gov.
ernor thereof shall receive their full re
tired full pay and also communication OF
quarters unless governmental quarters
are available. and shall receive no fur
ther nav or allowances, and provided