The times., 1898-09-12
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER u, 1898.
The War Department Inquest


Although Mr. McKinley's selections
Of committeeman, for the purpose of in
vestigating the abuses and outrages
that notoriously have marked the con-
duct Of the war by the War Depart
ment are reconcilab ble with his an
nouncement that he would delegate the
task only TO citizens of the highest
character and reputation, the list fur
nished from the White House on Sat
urday on the whole suggests the idea
that the Administration has been care
ful to place the investigation in friend
ly hands. Indeed. it would be rather
q strain of the imagination to conceive
that active Republican politicians like
Gen. Manderson, Col. Sexton. and Mr.
Robert T. Lincoln. and a majority OF
tie Presidential nine would go to the
bat with any idea Of allowing a result
which might prove disastrous to party
interests at the November elections.
The Times does not intend to insinu-
ate that the gentlemen who will COM
pose the coroner's jury in the War De-
partment scandal case would con-
sciously distort or suppress testimony
or find verdict in defiance of the evil
dence. At the same time, it must be
remembered that the Republican fam
lily honor, Republican power and pa
tronage, and all sorts of things. are at
stake. Under such conditions the hu-
man mind works in a peculiar manner
When an Administration essays to in
vestigate itself, under the whip and
spur Of widespread popular indigna-
tion. the defendant is not in much dam
ger Of capital punishment under his
own pro forma Indictment We are re-
minded of a remark made by an ex-
cellent evangelical Christian brother,
during the Beecher-Tilton trial, twenty
odd years ago. He said that, for his
part, he did not care a rap what people
swore to. The defendant was obliged
to be innocent, in view Of the injury to
the cause of Christ which would result
from his being found guilty.
Nevertheless, we are satisfied that
President Mckinley is deeply incensed
by the incompetency, or worse, which
has jeopardized the reputation of his
Administration, and nearly covered
with War Department dirt the conf
dence which the American people have
come to feel in him personally. Indi-
yidually considered, we have not the
remotest doubt that Mr. Mckinley
wants the hideous matter probed to
the bottom, that he may know thor
oughly who is responsible for the out
RACES committed upon his faithful ar
my. 1t is like him TO proceed with
Yigor and determination TO find out all
about il, and that will not be an easy
adventure; simply for the reason that
we fear it may dawn upon him early
In the effort that some of his close po-
nucal friends and immediate adher-
ents are in position where it would
be highly inconvenient for them to
have the army and navy purchase sys-
TEN of the war too carefully anaIyzed.
The single item of the acquisition of pri-
vate yachts for use as auxiliary cruis-
ers and gunboats would offer a field for
investigation, 'equaled by few and ex-
celled by none" If the President were
to learn the extent 60 which the Treas
ury has been tapped through sound
business methods in that connection.
and TO know of the noble commits
sions" which have been gathered in
by some of the relatives and friends
of the Administration the chances are
that he would be shocked. We might
suggest a similar line of thought in
connection with the subject of mules,
whether on the hoof or in cans. In
fact. the bill of fare is nearly endless.
After all, the question comes TO this.
The inefficiency and rascality which
have characterized the expenditure of
American millions. voted by the repre-
sentatives Of the people for the COM
Portable maintenance of the army and
navy. are too thoroughly known to the
public to make any dalliance with the
scandal, or any attempt to whitewash
its guilty authors. a safe process. In
any event. Congress viii take hold of
the matter. and, of course, in the mean