The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-07
Mustered Out.

| the necessary drill, discipline and tar
get practice essential for fitting SOL
diers for active service in the field.
Moreover, the discipline of troops near
small towns can be maintained very
much better and more effectually than
near large cities. The troops, there
fore, will be quartered in the middle
southern states where they can live
in tents, as provided by the plan of
the quartermaster general, which
gives stoves to each three tents join
ed together, two sleeping rooms and
n sitting room.
1.-The secretary Of war directed a
board of experienced army officers to
visit the different sites for the pur-
pose of selecting these camps, and
has left that to their judgment, which,
however, meets with his full ap-
THE WAR DEPARTMENT COMMITS
SION.
All the members Of the war inves-
tigating commission were present at
tOday'S meeting, except Ex-Governor
Beaver and the announcement was
made that he would be in attendance
tomorrow when General Wheeler will
be in attendance as the first witness
before the commission.
TOday's session was devoted large
y ~ tiiC III vi bIlC
for the examination of witnesses and
in this connection the question of ad-
miniStering Oaths was discussed at
considerable length. The members gen
orally took the position that under
a strict construction the commission
a no authority to compel a witness
to be sworn by a member of the COM
mission, but there was also a general
opinion hat the witnesses would not
raise technical objections and that they
would in all probability submit to be
sworn without opposition. 1t was de-
cided, however, to inform witnesses
frankly of the status of the board and
, to afford them an opportunity to de-
cline in case they so desire. 1t was
suggested that hi hole difficulty
might be avoided by getting the pres
ident to appoint one of the officers of
the board to the office of a notary
public and it is probable hat this
request will be made.
To Governor Beaver was assigned
the task of leading in the examination
of witnesses, but there is an under
standing that other members of the
board shall ask such questions as they
may desire.
The commission also received sew
eral additional communications which
received attention. Among them was
a letter from Surgeon General Stern
DCI6 Win lLC ~ NIoII
his office. No action was taken upon
this invitation.
At the afternoon session of the COM
mission several complaints were read
in regard to the method of transport
ing men from Santiago, the names of
the vessels on which it was alleged
that abuses had occurred being the
Concha, the Seneca, the Breakwater,
the Olivette and the City of Wash
ington. 1t was decided to make a
thorough investigation of this branch
of the service, and Chairman Dodge
was directed to secure the names of
commanding officers, medical officers
and representatives of the quartermaS-
ter's department on those vessels. The
commission also decided to permit the
presence during the hearings of three
stenographers as representatives of the
press, in addition to the representa-
tives of the Press Associations.
NO MORE TROOPS TO BE MUSTER
ED OUT.
To a number of interested callers to-
day. President Mckinley had occasion
to reiterate his determination to nave
nc more troops mustered out for the
present. In the course of several in
terviews he stated in substance that
it was the intention of the administra.
ton to send fresh trOOjS to Porto Rice
to take the place of the volunteers who
will have to be returned and who will
be given furlOughs. He stated very
firmly that there would be no genera
discharges until the situation wa:
cleared up.
McKINLEY.S TRIBUTE TO THE
SOUTH.
The president also, during the day
testified to his appreciation of the sol
diers from the south. To a delegation
he said one of the results of the wa
which particularly gratified him wa:
that the war seemed to have effacet
the last vestige of sectional feeling a
! between the north and south. He re
ferred to the hearty respons from thu
south when the war broke out.