The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-26
TO FIX BLAME.
The Nine Commissioners Are Ready for
Work.

Washington. September 24-The COM
mission to investigate the conduct oil the
war department during the recent con-
fiict with Spain, held its initial nesting
in the Office of President Mckinley at
the White House. There were eight
members present. They were Major Gen
eral Granville NJ. Dodge of Iowa, Col. J.
A. Sexton of Illinois, Capt. e. ?. How
Ell Of Georgia. Major General j. M. Will
son, chief Of engineers of the United
States army, Hon. Charles DENLY of In
diana. late minister to China; x-Goyernor
Urban A. Woodbury. of Vermont, ex-
Governor James A. Beaver of Pennsyl-
vania, and Major General A. Med. Nc
Cook of the army (retired.) The appear
anos of Governor Beaver as a member OF
the commission was surprise, as his
selection was not known until he APP
peared at the White House at the begin
ming of the session. DR.. Phineas Conner
of Cincinnati was announced as the ninth
member of the commission.
The commission spent an hour and a
half with the President and then proceed
ed to the room assigned 1t at the war
department for the purpose OF organic
ing and beginning work. The proceed
ings with the President consisted in the
main of general exchange Of views as
to the scope of the commissions investi-
CATION in which the President partici-
pated quite freely. He told the members
that the organization of the commission
had been undertaken at the request of
Secretary Alger, and read q letter from
the Secretary in which he made the re-
quest. The President had put his own
views In writing and read them before
proceeding to verbal discussion. In this
statement he said that complaints had
been directed especially at the surgeon
generals. the quartermaster generals
and the commissary generals departments
of the army, and he suggested that the
conduct of these departments should re-
ceive especial investigation. He added
that it was his desire that the entire mill
tary organization should, If it appears
necessary, be made the subject of inquiry,
saving he wished the committee to go to
the bottom of the subject in all cases and
proceed with its work without fear or
favor. 'sIf,' he said, in the informal dis
cussion, 'the commission should have
difficulty in securing the attendance of
witnesses or obtaining access to papers
thought to be essential to the prosecution
of its labors, hope the matter will be
brought to my attention, when I will do
all in my power to overcome the diff
Guilty. 1 want the commission to have a
clear field andsaI will do all that it is pos.
sible for me to do to see that it has. -
The suggestion was also made to the
be TO secure general information in re-
gard to the organization of army and the
time in which the work was performed.
The President offered the name of Major
Williams of the army for the position of
secretary of this commission. Secretary
Alger's REQUEST as made in the letter
read by the President, was for com
plete inquiry into the conduct.of the war.
He said these charges had assumed such
magnitude that he said he did not feel
satisfied to have the department. rest
under them and that he desired an inves-
tigation by men eminent in military and
civil life After the close of the confer
ence the President expressed his salts
faction with the PERSONAL of the COM
mission, adding that he believed their in
vestigation would be thorough and their
report fair and impartial.
The commission organized by the cleo.
ton of Gen. Dodge, chairman; Richard
Wei ghtman, secretary and Major Mills,
of the inspector generals office, to be mill
tary recorder. The commission adjourned
at 1. 80 to meet at 10 O'Clock.