The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-25

washington, Sept. 24.-The commits
sion to investigate the conduct of the
war department during the recent con-
hict with Spain held it's initial meeting
in the office of President Mckinley at
the White House today. There were
eight members present and 1t was ana
nounced that the services OF a ninth
man were counted upon, although his
name was not made public. The eight
present were: Major General Granville
Nj. Dodge of Iowa, Colonel J. A Sexton
of Illinois, Captain Z. 2. Howell OF
Georgia, Major General j. NJ. Wilson,
chief of engineers of the United States
army; Hon. Charles DENLY OF Indiana,
late minister TO China; Ex-Governor
Urban A. Woodbury. of Vermont, ex-
Governor James A Beaver of Pennsyl-
vania and Major General A. Med. Nc
Cook of the army (retired).
The appearance OF Governor Beaver
as a member of the commission was a
surprise, as his selection was not
known until he appeared at the White
House at the beginning of the session
SCOPE OF THE INQUIRY.
The commission spent an hour and
half with the president and then pro-
ceeded to the room assigned it at the
war department for the purpose OF or
ganizing and beginning work.
The proceedings with the president
consisted in the main of q general eX-
change of views as to the scope of the
commissions investigation, in which
the president participated quite freely.
He told the members that the organ
ization of the commission had been I'M
dertaken at the request of Secretary
Alger, and read letter from the sec
rotary, in which he made the request
The president had put his own views
in writing and read them before pro-
ceeding to verbal discussion. In this
statement he said that complaints had
been directed especially at the surgeon
generals, the quartermaster generals
and the commiSsary generals depart
mentS of the army, and he suggested
that the conduct of these departments
should receive especial consideration at
the hands of the commission. To this
specific request he added that it was
his desire that the entire military or
ganization should. if it appeared neces-
sary, be made the subject of inquiry,
saying that he wished the commission
to go to the bottom of the subject in
all cases, and proceed with its work
without fear or favor.
IF found he said, in the informal
discussion that occurred, the commits
sion should have difficulty in securing
the attendance of witnesses or obtain
ing access to papers thought to be es-
Sential to the prosecution of its labors,
L hope the matter viii be brought to
my attention, when I will do hll in my
power to overcome the difficulty.
want the commission to have a clear
field and 1 will do all that is possible
Coy me TO DO to see that it has"
The suggestion was also made to the
commission that the first efforts should
be to secure general information in re-
gard to the organization of the admin
istratiOn and the time in which the
work was performed. The president
suggested the name of Major Mills~of
the army for the position of recorder of
the commission.
ALGER'S REQUEST.
Secretary Ayers request, as made in
the letter read by the president, was
for complete inquiry into the conduct
of the war, especially on the lines of
the charges published in the newspa-
pers. He said these charges had as
sumed such magnitude that he did not
feel satisfied to have the department
rest under them, and he desired an in
vestigation by men eminent in military
and civil life.
DR.. Phineas S. Conner of Cincinnati
was announced as the ninth member of
the commission. He was not present
at tOday'S session, but no doubt was