The times., 1898-09-14
WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER Il, 1885
The Only Way.

IL must be apparent to the President
by this time that there is nothing
whatever to be gained by his proposed
inquiry into the incompetency. demor-
alization and corruption of the War
Department through the agency of a
committee without standing in law and
innocent of the least power or author
ity TO send for persons and papers. to
administer oaths. or to compel any tes-
timony which it might not suit the con-
yenience Of culpable persons to give.
Such an inquisition could not be made
useful TO the Administration in a po-
litical or any other sense On the con-
trary, its grotesquely farcical charac-
ter would be so plainly apparent to the
American people that they would be
more than likely to resent it as an af-
front TO their intelligence, and to as
cribe motives to the President, for his
action in calling it into being, that we
are sure he is not in the least guilty of.
We are convinced that the best thing
Mr.. Mckinley could do under the cir
cumstances would be to let the matter
drop. at least in its proposed shape
Investigation there will surely be- and
by the governmental body charged by
law With that power and duty Moth
ing could now prevent such move
ment. 1t would not matter if the next
Congress should be overwhelmingly
Republican. No majority could be
great enough or sufficiently Indifferent
to popular wrath to permit the official
or officials responsible for a wholesale
slaughter of American soldiers by mis-
treatment and starvation to go un-
whipt of justice. So there are few
things in this life more certain than
that Congress viii seize the earliest
practicable opportunity to give the War
Department the stern and thorough
sitting that the exigencies of the occa-
sion demand.
With this prospect in view, the pres
ent duty OF President Mckinley would
seem TO be plain. 1t lies with him to
take the initiative in preparing the
ground for an effective inquiry on the
part Of Congress. and he is possessed
of facilities which should render it COM
paratively easy for him to ascertain
facts and develop a prima facie case
against anyone who may be guilty in
the premises. Having accomplished
this. he would be in an excellent posi-
don to make valuable recommendations
to Congress at the beginning of the
session, calling for a full investigation.
Indeed, Mr.. Mckinley is in a situa-
ton to greatly further or to hinder
the purpose Of exposing the disgraceful
rottenness Of the War Department
That, in its organization and methods:
in the personal conduct of some of its
responsible officials, and in almost every
other respect interesting 10 the coun-
try, it is inefficient, in instances cor
rupt, and generally scandalous, is un-
fortunately matter of universal noto-
riety. Some one or more individuals
must be criminally responsible for such
state of things. The guilt should be
brought home without fear or favor
and due punishment inflicted. This can
be done effectually only by Congress:
but the President can promote the work
OF justice through the means at his
hand. he cannot do it through an un-
official. unrecognized. extra-legal COM
mittee of estimable gentlemen, liable to
be shown the door of the first depart