The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1898-11-19
PROVIDENCE WON THE WAR
EVIDENCE or BREcKIERDGE.
The Unitea states Inspector GenernI
Testiaes Before tine Investigating
Commassion, and Says EvfIs Were
Inevitable Unaer fhe sysfena.

Washington, NOV. 16.-GenelAl Brock
inridge continued his testimony before the
war investigating commission yesterday.
His testimony today dealt with the cam
paign in Cuba and the transportation Of
troops to the island
He went TO Cuba as inspector general.
Arriving at Tampa he had observed the
preparation for the debarkation Of troops
and concluded they were quite inadequate.
He said there was no preparations for
landing in the face Of the enemy other
than that which the navy might furnish.
Speaking Of the conflict Of authority on
the transports, he said the masters Of the
vessels did not respond as promptly a.
might have been desired
True he said, @there was little navy
cadet on board each Of the vessels. but
he had no authority. An actual navy Of
Ger. Of the qnartermaster's department ON
each vessel would have been better
Asked As to his opinion a. 70 the ne
suit Of the campaign, Breckenridge said he
thought il was inconsistent with the char.
acter Of the men who conducted it. What
was to be expected from the limitations
of General Shafteri
Il think it would have been different II
General Miles had been in command;
that it would have been more satisfaetor-
lily conducted / think he has more Of
the spark Of genius Of command than any
other man in the army, and l am sure
II he had had charge be would have been
in the front rank"
Ex-Governor Woodbury. suggested that
the hattie in front Of San Juan had been
fought and victory won within eight days
Of the landing.
Breckenridge, in reply, said the victory
had been won when Toral's nerve gave
out"
This, he continued. had been the war
Of all Others when success had been won
in its earliest stages. He believed the war
was the Lords war. and the wonderful
success was due to his supervision While
he considered the result As marvelously
commendable, he did not feel that General
Shafter was above criticism in his con-
duct of the campaign He could not be-
lieve the result was a miracle; but he as
NAAO~4 TIC 04NlAAAA9G ~ AAG AAlN IAAAk lAAG
army was one which was capable Of meet
ing all calls
mo matter how it was tangled ~" he
said, @it went to victory He had. at
the time, quoted Lord BeresfOrd, when he
said to his army upon a certain occasion.
Il have led you into devil Of fix and Il
is now your duty to fight like he'll 10 get
me out Of it"
Evils Were Inevitable.
Resuming remarks of a general char
acter, Breckenridge expressed the opinion
that there had been enough fighting to
obscure the other results common to war.
He thought the evils which had been ex-
Perieneed were inevitable under our Amer
lean system He traced ali the trouble to
want Of preparation and mobilization in
time Of peace.
Replying to question from Woodbury.,
he said. considering the system. he
thought the government had done far
better in its conduct of the var than any
body had expected. and just about one
fourth as well as it should have been
done"
/ General McCook asked Breckinridge If
he had visited General Shafter when the
latter was i'll at Santiago. and Breckin-
ridge replied that he had done 50.
odd he then offer the command Of. the
army to you, as reported in the pressi'
Breckenridge replied: Il very much
prefer not TO answer that question. You
should ask General ShAfter. Such CONVEX
sation as occurred between General
Shafter and myself is not of character
to be spoken of lightly. / fail to see now
reply from me would promote the OBJ
ject of your inquiry. If General Shafter
has not repeated the conversation, ought
not 10 do So"
Captain Robert w. Dowdy. who was
master of transportation at Montauk
Point, stated at the beginning Of the
camp the transportation facilities were
inadequate, though they were afterwards
improved