The times., 1898-09-13
THAT ALGER COMMISSION
May Investigate, But Can Only
Express Opinions.
HAS NO OFFICIAL STANDING
Cannot Compel the Production OF
Evidence and May Have to Make
Report Like a Scotch Verdict
The President BadIy Advised
Commission Should BE Military.

There cannot be the slightest doubt
that in appointing commission to inVes-
tigate Secretary Alger's administration o.
the War Department. President mckinney
was inspired by an honest desire TO get
at the truth; or, at least, to proYlde
means of making an unpleasant truth
known with as little unpleasantness as
possible.
The President has not been criticised for
ordering an investigation; on the conti ary,
that is precisely the course he was urged
TO adopt. It is contended, however. hat
it was a mistake so to organize a commls-
sion as to deprive it of all other power
than that of expressing a collective but
entirely unjudicial opinion.
Cheap PoIiticians' Advice.
Most of the comments on the article in
The Times yesterday describing the alb
solutely informal and necessarily unoffi-
cial character of the proposed invesugat-
ing commission We're to the effece that
the President must have adopted the ad-
vice Of some one of the cheap politicians
who, most unfortunately, have had access
10 the White House and have imposed
upon his confidence throughout his Adj
minisiration.
II was pointed out by many that if the
President really desired that a reporl
should be made which would justify him
in removing Secretary Alger from the war
folio, ne was taking a great risk in APP
pointing a commission absolutely devoid
of power TO compel the production of evil
dence
Suppose, for example, it was said by
some, the Commission, having no author
fly to summon Witnesses and call for pa
pers should not be able 10 find any evil
dence that American soldiers had suffered
and died because of incompetence and
neglect in the management of the War
Department, and should therefore make
a report in the nature of a Scotch verdict
that the charges were not proven, would
the President not lind himself in a pre-
dicament?
President May Be Embarrassed.
Not a few men who make a study of
politics expressed the opinion that in
such an issue the President would find
himself compelled TO face a far more en-
barrassing condition than that by which
he is now confronted. The belief is gen
eraI that the President is personally con-
WINGED of Ayers incompetency, and that
his purpose in ordering an investigation
OF the War Department, aside from a
conscientious desire to expose and root
out the rottenness, was TO obtain political
justification for getting rid of a political
INCUBUS without demoraiizing the party
organization in 4 section of the country
that must be held within the party lines
for the party's sake.
Yet the belief seems to be equally as
general that this purpose is likely to bt
defeated solely because the commission
will rot have the power, even perfunctor-
fly, to do those things which the Presi
dent intended that Il should do.
There is no precedent for the appoint
ment by the President of a civilian com
mission TO vesligate the administration
of a Cabinet officer. especially one II
charge of the military branch of the Gov
ernment, in time of war. The statutes
make no provision for such process.
Commission Should Be Military.
Had the President named a commission
composed exclusively of regular army of
fcers of the highest grade there woul'
have been room for criticism still. in tina
the subject of investigation was superio
officially TO the investigators. But thi
could have been answered by saying tina
the commission was appointed TO repor
upon the acts of the Secretary of War an
not to try him and pass judgment upOl
him for those acts.
As cOmmander-in-chief of the army tn
President has power 10 appoint a militar
commission for military purposes, but i
the opinion of prominent officials he ha
no power TO appoint a civilian commissio
To investigate a military department; an
If even he finds that power in special leg
islation, such as was made necessary b
the exigencies of war, it is not believe
that he has authority TO confer upon tha
commission tribunal powers.
The President Determined.
It is generally conceded that the me
named by the President are all of tn
highest possible character and that the
would strive to do their duty. but it
also admitted that an investigation cor
Quoted by commission having no power
except to express opinion, and no lega
or official existence, could hardly be eS
pected to get at the truth and the whol
truth of the War Department scandals.
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