The times., 1898-10-03
The Airer Relief Commission.


General Dodge, and his colleagues Of
the Alger Relief Commission. cannot
complain that the press of the country
has not shoEn every disposition TO give
due prominencessand credit to the work
which the President has wished every
body to believe wfll result in disposing
OF the charges. against the War De-
partment, Of inefficiency. if not corrup-
ton, in the conduct of our military op-
erations against Spain
At the start. we must confess that
public opinion has rather inclined TO the
view that the inquest would turn out to
be of the whiteWashing variety. This
uncharitable idea was TO some extent
modified by the character of the gentle
men selected to make the investigation.
Then it was revived by a report that
the Commission intended to sit behind
closed doors. and to dispose of the time.
until after the November elections, in
giving an opportunity TO the officials
under inquiry to present their side of
the case voluminously in writing.
Ii cannot be said that the popular
view of the Alger- Relief Commission
has been much mended by its recent ac-
ton in decreeing the exclusion of the
press from its sessions, after it had
been decided to,make them quasi pub
lie 1t is reported tkat the plan of ex-
clusion in question was suggested by an
employe of the Commission, whose po-
sition is said to be due to the influence
of some of the officers under investiga-
ton According to the scheme pro-
posed by this person. the representa-
tives of all the leading papers of the
United States were to be locked out,
and only one reporter each for the press
associations allowed to be present. The
local paper of moderate circulation,
with which this indiv.dua is connected.
would, therefore, be the only one in
position to secure special news; while
the matter given out to the associations
would be susceptible of his editing and
censorship rItis to the credit ofGeneral
Dodge that he denies all responsibility
for this effort to muZzle the press, in
whatever interest it may have been de-
signed. u
The members of the Alger Relief
Commission should be told, if they do
not know, that their action in this mat
ter, if not promptly. rescinded and ex-
planned, viii bring. them into unpleas-
ant antagonism-with the leading press
generally sq TheyG should understand
that great American dailies do not ex-
clusively depend upon press associa-
tions for their. news, and that it would
be as sensible to expect them to in this
case. as to expect them to submitto the
exclusion of their several and many
representatives from the press galleries
of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives. ...-.,,I -.-.-...-....
We pass by the question of their good
taste in allowing an employe to attack
the propriety of calling upon Gen. Miles
to give the testimony which is so much
feared by certain officials The princi-
pal points to consider just now are, the
good sense, and good politics OF their
apparent effort to shut off the supply of
information from the newspapers of the,
country.
If the work, and the methods of work
of the Alger Relief Commission will not
bear the light of day, in all conscience,
let it make itself completely inco-
municado, and be forthwith forgotten.
But let that course be taken openly and
aboveboard, and the American public
will think better of the Commission
than it will if that body shall pretend
publicity. while it conspires for press
censorship and suppression.