The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-25

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24-The above
commission to investigate the conduct
of the war department during the re-
cent conflict with Spain held it's initial
meeting in the office Of President Nc
Kinley, at the White house, today.
There were eight members present, and
it was announced that the services OF
q ninth member were counted upon.
The appearance Of Gov. Beaver as a
member of the commission was a sur
prise, as his selection was not known
until he appeared at the White house
at the beginning of the session.
The committee spent an hour and
half with the president and then pro-
ceeded to the room assigned it at the
war department for the purpose of or
ganiZing and beginning work. The pro-
ceedingS with the president consisted
in the main of a general exchange OF
views as to the scope of the commits
siOn'S investigation in Wk "a the presi-
dent participated quite freely. He told
the members that the organiZati-l OF
the commission had been undertaken
at the request Of Secretary Alger, and
read a letter of the secretary in which
he made the request. The president
had put his own views in writing, and
read them before proceeding to a YER
bal discussion. In this statement he
especially at the surgeon generals,
quartermaster generals and the COM
missary generals departments Of the
army, and he suggested that the con-
duct of these departments should re-
ceiVe especial consideration at the
hands Of the commission. To this spe-
cific request he added that it was his
desire that the entire military organiza-
ton should, if it appeared necessary,
be made the subject of inquiry saying
that he was sure the commission would
go to the bottom Of the subject in all
cases and proceed with it's work with
out fear or favor.
WITNESSES MUST RESPOND.
eff" he said, in the informal discus
sion that occurred, "the commission
should have difficulty in securing the
attendance Of witnesses or in obtain
ing access to papers thought to be es-
sential to the prosecution of it's labors,
I hope the matter will be brought to
my attention, when I will do all in my
power to overcome the difficulty. / want
the commission to have a clear field,
and 1 will do all that 1t is possible for
me to do to see that 1t has"
The suggestion was also made to the
committee that the first effort should
be to secure general information in re-
gard to the organization of the army
and the time in which the work was
performed. The president offered the
name of Maj. Mills, of the army, for the
position Of secretary Of the commission.
The letter Of Secretary Alger, read
by the president, asked for a complete
inquiry into the conduct of the war,
especially along the charges made in
the press. He said that the charges
had assumed such magnitude that he
did not feel satisfied to have the depart
ment rest under them, and that he de-
sired an investigation by men eminent
In military and civil life
? Dr. Phlneas S. Conner, Of Cincinnati.
was announced as the ninth member
of the commission. He was not present
at today's session, but no doubt was
expressed that he would serve. He was
selected because Of his eminence as
physician, and the president has been
anxious from the beginning to secure
the services Of O. medical man, because
the medical department Of the arnnv
is much involved in the charges that
have been made.
After the close Of the conference al
the white mouse the president express
ed his satisfaction with the personnel
OF the commission, adding that he he
neVed their investigation would be
thorough and their report fair and i'm
partial.
The commission organized by elect
ing Granville M. Dodge chairman and
Richard Wightman secretary: Mai
Mills, of the inspector generals Office
10 De military recorder. The commits
sion adjourned about $780, to meet at
10 o'clock on Monday.
Inc session was devoted to method
OF procedure, nothing definite being
reached. 1t was expected that prob
abty the investigation, so far as ex-
animation Of witnesses, would be open,
out other proceedings in executive SEES,