The Dickinson press., 1898-10-01
WILL BE THOROUGH
DUTY OF WAR DEPARTMENT. INvEs-
TlaAToRS OUTLINED.

Commissios Inforinsd by the Presidsn
That He Desires = Searching aud Rigid
lnqusry-Appointees Men of Weight
and Standing From Al. carts of tho
couptry-Organisstipn Elected BY ss-
lsctiag General Dodge For Chairman.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2B.-The com.
mission appointed by President Nc.
Kinley to investigate the .adminis,rn.
tion Of the war department in relation
to its conduct to the Hlspano- Amer.
ican war has begin its. .labors The
commission has effected an organiza.
tion by electing General Grenville NJ.
D,lRe president. Mr.. Richard N.
Wrightman secretary and Major
Stephen Mills recorder. The members
of the commission are as follows:
General Grenville NJ. Dodge, the rail-
road builder and financicr, who does bust,
ness In New York and maintains his old
residence in Council Bluffs La.
Colonel James A. Sexton Of Chicago,
formerly postmaster at that city and now
commander-in-chief of the G. A. r.
one of the fighting McCook family" and
retired officer of the regular army.
General John NJ. Wilson, u. s. A.,
chief Of engineers.
Captain Evan P. Howell of the Atlanta
Constitution, q distinguished Confederate
officer.
James A. Beaver, former governor of
Pennsylvania.
Urban A. Woodbury., former governor
of Vermont.
Charles DENLY of Indiann, for IL years
United States minister to China.
DR. Phineas S. Connor, Cincinnati
physician of high standing.
f.lsasei With the lersonnsl.
The lresident is understood to le
thoroughly pleased with the personnel
of the commission. It has been his
effort to secure as members Of the com.
mission men Of the highest weight and
standing, in whose opinions and judg-
ments he could have the highest con.
fd.nce. For this purpose he has ap.
pointed on the board all phases Of
politics, members from all sections,
members of commercial aud military
circles. 1t is the hope that the verdict
Of the commission whatever it may be
will be accepted by all classes as final.
It is the presidents desire that the in.
quiry should be rigid and searching,
which was indicated by his statement
to the commission when it assembled
ct the White House for a conference
with him. The president said among
other things:
"There has been in many quarters
severe criticism Of the conduct of the
war with Spain.
Charges OF Criminal Neglect
of the soldiers in camp aud in the field,
in hospital and in transports. have
been SO persistent that whether true or
false they have made q deep impression
upon the country. It is my earnest de.
sire that you shall investigate these
charges and make the fullest examina.
tion OF the war department in all its
branches with the view to establ: shing
the truth or falsity of these accuse.
tions. I put upon you no limit to the
scope of your investigation. OF all de.
pnrtments connected with the army I
invite the closest scrutiny and exam.
ination and shall afford every facility
for the most searching inquiry. The
records of the war department and the
assistance of its officers shall be sub
ject to your call.
II cannot impress upon yop too
strongly my wish that your investiga..
tion shall be SO thorough aud complete
that your report, when made, will fix
the responsibility for any failure or
fault by reason Of neglect, incompe-
tency or mal.administration upon the
officers and bureaus responsible there
fore-if it be found that the evils com.
planned of have existed"