Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-09-29
THE INQUIRY BEGUN.
The Commission, to Investigate the
War Department Organized.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS TO TEEN.
No limit Placed Upon the Scope of the In
veatigatIon and tho President Desires
Them to sift All the Changes of
Mlsmanagement.


Washington, Sept 96.-The COM
mission appointed by President Nc
Kinley to investigate the administra-
ton OF the war department in rela-
ton TO its conduct of the Hispano-
American war will begin its labors
formally to-day. The commission
effected an organization Saturday by
electing Gen. Granville M. Dodge,
president; Mr. Richard Weightman,
secretary, and Maj. Stephen G. Mills,
of the regular army, recorder. The
president is understood to be thor
oughly pleased with the personnel of
the commission. 1t was his effort
TO secure as members of the
commission men of the highest
character and standing, in whose
opinions and Judgment the country
would have all confidence. He desired,
also, to have represented on the board
all phases of pu bile and political feel
ing, every section cS the country and
all classes of business, professional,
commercial and military. The men
whom he has appointed are possessed
of wide and varied experience, many
of them having served with distin-
guished honor to themselves either in
the union or confederate armies.
The president feels assured that the
verdict of the commission, whatever
that may be, in the inquiry it is about
to conduct, will be accepted and ap'
proved by all right-minded and right
thinking American citizens. That it
is the presidents desire that the in.
quiry should be rigid and searching
was indicated by his statement to the
commission when it assembled at the
white house for conference with him
Saturday. No limit is placed by the
president upon the scope of the inves
tigation. 1t is to include every depart.
ment of the army and the president
assures the commission in advance
that he will afford it every facility in
his power for the prosecution of the
most searching inquiry into every part
of the administration of the war.
In addressing the commission, the
president said, among other thin gs:
Gentlemen: Before suggesting the matters
| which shall come before you for investigation
1 desire to express my appreciation to each o.
| you for your willingness to accept the patriot,
service to which you have been invited YOU
are to perform one OF the highest public duties
that can fall to q citizen, and your unselish
ness in undertaking it makes me profoundly
| grateful There has been in many quarters
severe criticism Of the conduct Of the war will
Spain Charges of criminal neglect of the sol
diers In camp and field and hospital and II
transports have been so persistent that
whether true or false, they have made deel
impression upon the country 1t is my earnes
desire that you shall thoroughly Investigate
| these charges and make the fullest eXamina
tion Of the administration OF the war depart
| ment in oil OF Its branches. with the view Il
establishing the truth or falsity Of these accu
satonS
put upon you no limit to the scope Of you
investigation. OF all departments ccnnecte
with the army invite the closest scrutiny ant
examination. and shall afford every facility TO
the most searching inquiry. The records
the war department and the assistance Of 1t
officers shall be subjected to your call can
not impress upon you too strongly my wis
and complete that your report when made vii
Ak the responsibility for any failure or faul
by reason Of neglect, incompetency or malad
mlnlstratlon upon the officers and bureaus re
sponsible therefor--if 1t be found tlrat the evil
complained of have existed The people OF tn
country nre entitled to know whether or not tn
citizens who so promptly responded to the ca
OF duty have been neglected or misused or NAL
treated by the government to which they s
willingly gave their services. II there hay
been wrongs committed, the wrongdoerS mus
not escape conviction and punishment
The names Of the commissioners are
Mai Gen. Granville M. Dodge, of Iowa
Col. j. A. Sexton, of Illinois; Capt. e
P. Howell, of Georgia; Maj. Gen. ]. Il
Wilson, chief of engineers of the Unite
States army; Hon. Charles DENLY, @
Indiana, late minister to China; ez
Gov. Urban A. Woodbury., of Vermont
ex-Gov. James A. Beaver, of Penn
sylvania; Maj. Gen. II. Med. McCool
of the army (retired), and DR.. Phinea
s. Conner, of Cincinnati, who serve
as surgeon in the United States arm
during the civil war.