The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-29

There would be no other course left to
the secretary of war.
The seeretary's attention was called
to the interviews of ex-Secretary Sher-
man, and he read them over with a sad
shake of his head.
Il cannot discuss the actions or the
criticisms of Mr.. Sherman" said he.
He is an old man, and he has paid lit
tie attention to the conduct of the war.
I cannot discuss his criticisms even
though they are personal to myself"
The secretary showed his considera-
ton for the age of the venerable ex-
secretary of state, who has become such
a sharp critic of the administration
since his retirement from the cabinet.
Secretary Alger WILL about Septem-
Der 10, go to Detroit for ten days rest.
Captain Alger, the secretary's son, is
seriously i'll from the effect of the San
ttago campaign, and for two weeks the
secretary and Mrs. Alger have watched
their sick boy night and day, just as
other parents are watching their he
roes. Mrs. Alger will go to Detroit with
the son as soon as he is able to go
home.
There were no new indications today
that a general investigation of the army
administration would be ordered, al
! though the return of the secretary of
war from Montauk Point naturally ex-
cited fresh interest in the proposition.
The only incident was the announce
ment that an examination would be
made of the conditions prevailing and
which have for some time prevailed at
the Chickamauga park hospitals.
There is no cessation of the talk
Which has been prevalent in the war
department during the last week, both
favorable and opposed to a general in
vestgatiOn of army affairs during the
war. The department is being besieged
by communications from all parts of
the country in favor of a searching in
VestigatiOn under official auspices of all
the disputed questions regarding the
| conduct of the various military depart
ments in the campaign MANY tele-
and letters have NV
the secretary of war and the adjutant
general urging that official action be
taken at once, and personal advice to
the same end has been given by persons
of prominence. Adjutant General Cor
bin may be set down as opposed to an
investigation. He believes that the
bulk of their criticisms have been made
by persons who either have no ac-
quaintance with military affairs or who
are inspired by selfish motives in their
agitation of the subject
The subsistence officers, who have been
criticised as severely as anyone. except
the surgeon general and his assistants,
profess to be ready for an investiga-
ton, but they assert that there is posi-
/ lively no basis for the criticisms which
are being made. Commissary General
Eagan said that he had asked the
chairman of the house committee on
military affairs, Mr.. Hull, to use his in
f1uence for the appointment of a con-
gressional investigation committee as
soon as the session opened this winter.
There is nothing to investigate" said
! General Eagan, but since there is such
a demand for an inquiry let US have
one. 1 have nothing to defend myself
or the department against, so I have
nothing to fear. But vastly prefer, if
an investigation is to be made, that it
be conducted by a committee of con-
gress rather than by a military court.
| If conducted in the latter way, and
were Vindicated, as would certainly be
! the case, many people would declare
| that the court of inquiry had been
| packed by friends of the commissary
/ general and his officers.
THE talk about lack of proper food
! at Montauk is absolutely false. Before
any of the troops arrived there loo, 900
rations had arrived There was no need
for any soldier to go without food fitted
( for his condition of health, provided the
medical department did its duty. The
surgeons were authorized to avail
( themselves of the law allowing the
| cOmmisSary general to commute ra-
lions, thus expending the money which
would ordinarily be used for purchas-
( ing regular rations to buy delicacies
and dietary articles for those on the
sick list Since this agitation began I
have looked in vain to find one definite
: criticism, but there have been plenty
! of glittering generalities which were in
! tended to convict the subsistence de-
partment of gross inefficiency''
The surgeon general of the army has
| yielded to the almost universal demand
| for an investigation of the affairs of
| his department so far as to ask the
secretary of war for an official inquiry
regarding the reported condition of af-
fairs in the Chfckamauga hospitals. The
acting secretary of war ordered the in
vestigation, and it will be conducted by
J General H. V. BoyntOn, commanding
! Camp Thomas.