The evening times., 1898-12-23
FRIDAY, DECEMBER %, 1898.
The Rotten Meat scandal.

IT was a mistake to say that Adjutant
General Corbin allowed a sense OF official
duty 10 overcome his personal interests
SO far that he issued instructions for
General Miles to appear bzfore the Alger
Relief Commission. General Miles states
that he declined to volunteer any testi-
mony whereupon the Commission ap-
pealed TO the Adjutant General to re-
quest that officer to comply with its in
Yitation. General Corbin made no reply
and made no such request Al no time
has he permitted anything to interfere
with his own interests-not even the
safety and comfort of the army. Yet it
was not supposed he would deliberately
scorn' the distinct pledge OF the Pres:-
dent that the War Department should
respond to every suggestion OF the Com
mission.
General Miles, in an interview at Gin
cinnati. states that several months age
he had his suspicious aroused 10 the
sending of bad meat 10 the troops in cuba
and in Porto Rico. His information was
such that he Instituted an investigator on
his own account. That part of my testi-
mony relating TO the three hundred and
tweny-seXen tons of refrigerator beef
and ore hundred and ninety-eight thou
sand pounds of canned beef, all of which
WAS unfit for food, is only an item. This
quantity was sent TO one town in Porto
Rico IL is evident that he has strong
reason 10 believe somebody made great
dead of money by supplying the armies
Ii, l,... no Ia.
says he has the testimony of many officers
ard iren. and some Of the most inn
i,ortari information / have received n he
past few days He says that in his ,es-
timony he used the phrase. pretended eX-
pertinent" with deliberation; that il IS
absurd to say these enormous quantities
OF beef were really sent TO an entire army
simply a. an experiment; ito expect that
beef can be exposed TO the tropical sun
for sixty hours without spelling il is out
% The question
The Importance of this subject cannot
be exaggerated. The commanding gen
eral of the army finds that the commits
sary department supplied the armies in
Cuba and in Porto Rico with many hun
dreds Of tons of meat that was not only
unit To eat, but which was largely re-
sppnsihle for the enormous sum of sick
PCS that wrecked one OF the armies and
soreiy afflicted the other; that he does
not believe il was provided as an cxI,er-
iment. leaving the inference that it was
a gigantic swindIe about which he has
collected important information in the
course Of an investigation that is still
being pursued. In comparison with this,
the charges of irreguiariIy and worse in
connection with the purchase Of vessel
property and the contracts for clothing
on which are based Senator Vests resoIu-
tion for the appointment Of committee
Of inquiry, are insignificant, even if true.
The sMindling of the Government out of
money in vessel and transportation trans
actions. and the fraud on the Govern
ment and bidders for clothing contracts,
and even on the soldiers in the matter
Of clothing, is bad enough; but in the
case Of the meat, sustenance, the
health and the lives yI the soldiers We're
menaced and affected, if General Miles
opinions are well grounded. Some support
is given to his suspicious by facts within
the public knowledge. Among other
things the commissary general admits
The sending of this meat to Porto Rico
after he was informed by General Miles
that beeyes We're abundant there. and
fresh beef could be bought for cents a
pound. His defense was that the fresh
beef TO be had in the island was not good
"A matter about which General Miles.
who was there, is more competent to
speak.
General Miles expressed his surprise
that the Alger Relief Commission had
rot discovered the fact that an inquiry
had been started on this subject That
was merely a neat rebuke to the Com
mission, which is not disposed TO force
its curiosity into things that threaten
the War Department. Its course in re-
iation to the earlier scandals is indica-
ton enough that it would close its ears
TO all suggestions Of a commissary scan
dal. But 1t is not apparent how Con-
gress is to avoid an Investigation Sioca
Senator Vest has been moved by the
complaints of St Louis Clothing men to
take up the clothing contracts, he is
surely bound 10 extend his resolution so
as TO include subject about which the
commanding general of the army has
virtually made charges a thousand
times more serious. Indeed, we may say
with the utmost confidence that unless
General Miles discovers and reports that
his suspicious were grouBdlesz-and that
is really out of the question-Congress
will appoint committee with full power
10 GET al the truth