Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1899 — MILES TO PACE COURT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MILES TO PACE COURT

COMMANDING GENERAL’S CONDUCT TO BE PROBED. President McKinley Decides to Order Inquiry to Investigate the Army Scandal-Conrt-Martlal May Follow —Miles Denies Newspaper Interview. It was given put in Washington Saturday that President McKinley had decided to convene a court of inquiry to take into consideration the repeated charges of Gen. MUes regarding the rations furnished the army and to make the inquiry as to whether those charges are well founded; or, if not, whether Gen. Miles has been guilty of actidns tending to demoralize the service. When the court is convened Gen. Miles, it is said, will be given an opportunity to exploit bis charges

against the department and the packers to the fullest extent, but if he fails to make them good he will have to suffer the consequences, which will no doubt be removal from command and possibly a court martial for conduct prejudicial to military discipline. There will be no immediate court martial for Gen. Miles, however, nor will he be put on waiting orders, nor will he be transferred to a subordinate command. The President does not intend to relieve him of his station as commanding general of the army or otherwisedo humiliate him pending definite conclusions as to the truth or falsity of his charges. A correspondent asserts that if Gen. Miles has any expectation of posing as the persecuted friend of the American soldier he will be disappointed. If the charges are founded on fact the President wants to know it in order to place the responsibility where it belongs, and he wants to protect the American soldier from any repetition of the offense. A court of inquiry is perhaps the best agency for probing the scandal. It will be composed of military men and will have sweeping powers. It can compel testimony under oath and it can Becure the attendance of military witnesses from the ends of the earth. Gen. Miles is also blamed for his newspaper attacks, because by this publicity he has stimulated European hostility toward American food products. He has aimed a severe blow gt one of the great Industries of the country. Miles has put a club in the hands of European governments, and they are using it already. The Government is seeking more just commercial treaties with foreign nations, but they are presenting Gen. Miles’ statements as objections to letting down the bars to American products. Indirectly his charges also affect agricultural products. Secretary Wilson has had chemists at work for some time making an investigation into the quality of the beef furnished the army, and the results of this inquiry may figure in the proceedings of the inquiry court.

Gen. Miles has the authenticity of the interview printed in New York. He said he had not used the language as. cribed to him, and did not prepare any interview, typewritten or otherwise. He says the alleged interview was made up from his testimony before the commission, and that the reports of regular army officers /were obtained from the commission, and not from him. This statement of Gen. Miles apparently disposes of any willful disobedience to the instructions of the President after the Eagan trial not to give out any more interviews. The general’s denial of the interview also saved him his place for the time being, as major-general in command of the army.