The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-26
INQUIRY INTO WAR AFFAIRS.
COMMISSION TO be-
GIN ITS WORK TODAY.


and PrOminence-Instru Civ
en- to Make the Most Rigid and
Searching InvestIGntfon Possible.
No Limit Placed Upon the Extent
of the Inquiry-Every Facility to
he Given the Commissioners.
Guilty Must Not Escape Punish-
ment
Washington, Sept. 25.-The commission
appointed by President Mckinley to In
vestigate the administration OF the war
department in relation to its conduct OF
! the Hispano-American war will begin its
labors formally tomorrow
The President is understood to be thor
oughly pleased with the personnel of the
commission. The men whom he has ap-
pointed are possessed Of wide and varied
| experience, many of them having served
with distinguished honor to themselves.
either in the Union or Confederate armies.
That it Is the Presidents desire that ,he
inquiry should be rigid and searching was
indicated by his statement to the COM
mission when 1t assembled at the Whlte
House for conference with him yester-
day.
In addressing the commission, the Pres
ident said, among other things: "Gentle-
men, before suggesting the matters which
SHAH come before you for your lnvestiga-
ton, desire TO express my appreciation
to each of you for your willingness to ac-
cept the patriotic service to which you
have been invited. You are to perform
one of the highest public duties that 1an
!
undertaking it makes me profoundly grate-
| full
There has been In many quarters sewers
criticism of the conduct of the war with
Spain. Charges of criminal neglect of soI-
diers in the camp and field hospitals and
in the transports have been so persistent
that, whether true or false, they havs
made deep impression upon the country.
| 1t is my earnest desire that you shall thor
oughEy investigate these charges and make
the fullest examination Of the administra-
tion OF the war department in ali OF its
branches, with a view to establishing the
| truth or falslty of these accusations.
put upon you no limit to the scope OF your
| investigation. or ali departments connect-
| ed with the army invite the closest scru-
| tiny and examination, and shall AFFORD
] every facility TOT the most searching III
| quiry Tho records of the war department
and the assistance of It's officers shall be
subject to your CALI
Il cannot impress upon you too strong
y my wish that your investigation shall
be so thorough and complete that your
report, when made, will fix the RESPONSE
blty for any failure or fault by reason
OF neglect incompetency or maladminis-
tTatiOn upon the officers and bureaus re-
sponsible thercfor-if It be found that the
evils complained OF have existed.
THE people of the country are entitled
to know whether or not the citizens who
so promptly responded to the call of duty
have been neglected, or misused, or mall
treated by the government to which they
so willingly gave their services. If there
Rave been wrongs committed the wrong
doers must not escape conviction and pun
iehment."
Following are brief biographical sketches
Of the commission. except DIR. Connor, OF
Cincinnati, who has not yet arrived IN
| Washington:
Maj. Gen Granville M Dodge, president
Of the commission, born April H. 1881;
graduated Norwich (vermonD University.
as a civil engineer. Entered the military
service April, 1861 as captain; made colo
mel June !. 1861; brigadier general March
l8, 1862; major general, May 18, 1863 Conn
manded Sixteenth Corps in Atlanta cam
paign, 1854 In November, 1854 commands
ed army and department of Missouri In
1S85-68 assigned to command Of the Indian
campaign. Left the army In 1885, built
Union Pacific Railroad and Texas Pacific.
Was member of Congress from Iowa.
Since then has been connected with raii-
way systems of United States. President
of several railroads. Succeeded Cen w,
T. Sherman as commander of Society of
Army of the Tennessee Now commanders
OF military order Of Loyal Legion, state
of New York.
Maj. Gen. Alexander Mod. McCook. ".
s. A. (retred), is a member OF the fighting
McCook family of Ohio. He was born
April %, 1881, was appointed to the min-
tary academy In 1847, graduating In 1859.
and was assigned to the Third Infantry.
When the civil war came he was on duty
al the military academy. He was ap-
pointed colonel of the First Ohio Volun-
tcers April 49, 1861; promoted brigadier
general Of volunteers Sept. 3, 1861, and ma
jor general OF volunteers July H. 1862 He
was in command OF a brigade during the
operatl lions In Kentucky in 1861; of divi-
sion in the Tennessee and Mississippi cam
paign Of February June, 1862 and Of tho
First Army Corps In the advance into
Kentucky, which resulted In the battle OF
Perryville. He was IN command OF The
right wing OF the Fourteenth Army Corps
In the Tennessee campaign of 1S62563 in.
Guiding the battle of Stone river: and OF
the Twentieth Army Corps at the battle of
Chickamauga. He was engaged in the
defense Of the capital at the time of Ear-
ly'S raid, and IN 1865 was sent with the
joint commission of Congress 70 investi-
gate the Indian affairs In the West At
the cloee of the war he was appointed
Lieutenant colonel Twenty-sixth Infantry,
aud served for many years on the staff OF
Gen. w. T. Sherman. He became colonel
OF the Sixth Infantry in 1880 commanded
the infantry and cavalry school at Fort
Leavenworth, Kan; was appointed brig
adler general, United States Army, IN 1890;
promoted major general In 1894, and retir-
ed on April %, 1895. He was selected Ly
President Cleveland as the official repre-
sentative OF the United States at the cor
onation of the Car in 1896.
Brig. Cen John NJ, Wilson. chief OF en-
gineers United States Army was born In
the District OF Columbia; appointed from