The times., 1898-09-25
SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER %. 1895.
The War Scandal Commission.

After much trouble turmoil, and an
guish of soul, the President at last has
succeeded in organizing his committee
for an unofficial investigation of the
War Department The country will
now wait with great patience and per
haps with some cynicism to see what
will come of it all.
We are far from saying that the in
quiry, upon which Mr.. Mckinley has
appeared 10 lavish so much thought
and anxious care, is not badly needed.
Innocuous as the way he has chosen
TO further il may be considered, there
is no reason why any substantial re-
suits that might possibly be reached
should not be accepted and credited to
the originator of the movement.
The committeeman who have been
finally found to undertake task which
public men generally have declined con-
nection with are of respectable charac-
ter and ability in their several walks of
life. We do not doubt that they will
listen with judicial fairness and perfect
decorum to whatever information or
misinformation may be volunteered for
their benefit. But what will happen
when it comes to refractory witnesses
whose testimony would convict them
selves? We are much interested to
know how the committee will handle
them.
There is one fact that it would be well
for the investigators TO realize at the
outset The War Department is rotten
from top TO bottom. That has been con-
clusiyely developed in a hundred differ
ent ways since the beginning of hostili-
ties with Spain. No doubt exists in
the minds of American citizens any
where Of the vital necessity for cleaning
it out thoroughly and pitilessly. What
ever the unofficial and extra-legal COM
mittee may do or attempt to do or
cover up, the abuses, corruptions, and
rascalities of the office will form one of
the first subjects for congressional ac-
tion in December next. Then there will
be, not perfunctory and unauthorized,
but a regular, legal, and searching in
quest, and a movement engineered by
the direct representatives of an out
ragged people to punish paretics and
peculators, and to reorganize the War
Department upon lines of common
sense efficiency, in accordance with at
least toIerable ideals of decency, hon
esty, and civilization.
In the meantime. the Presidential in
QUESTION, naturally acting in a more
friendly and less intrusive spirit, may
be able TO accomplish something more
or less useful to the Republican party
al the polls in November. We are COM
PEELED to think that such a hope is en-
tertained by the Administration. But
for the near approach of the congress
ional elections, it is hardly to be sup
posed that the action of Congress
would be forestalled in connection with
the Alger scandal Ordinarily, the
branch of the Government charged by
law and custom with the investigation
of executive departments would have
been left to take the initiative in so
grave a matter Under existing cir
cumstances, however, we are quite sure
our friend, Senator Hanna, would con-
slider that course open to the objection
of being neither based on sound busi-
ness methods nor yet good politics"
Nevertheless, If any good thing
Should chance to come out of this
Nazareth of polite inquiry on the part
OF Mr.. McKinley's committee, The
Times would be prompt in acknowledge
ing the fact, and in according praise to
whoever might be entitled to it. But
the real business of arraigning the per
secutors and murderers of our troops
in the field and hospitals will begin
when Congress meets.