New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-14
TIE ARlfY INVESTIGATION.

Some friends Of the Administration who feel
a deep and lively solicitude In behalf OF the
welfare of the Army, and especially OF the
enlisted men, honestly believe that the pro-
posed investigation Of the management of the
Quartermaster's, Commissary and Medical de-
partments since the beginning Of the war with
Spain is not necessary and Will be unproduc-
tive OF good results. We do lot now nor have
we ever shared this belief but have been con-
tent patiently to wait until the President should
deem II proper to act. He was once a private
soldier, and carried his gun and knapsack In
the ranks, and he afterward bore an Army
commission honorably won by gallant and eff
Client service In his own experience he has
realized the hardships and privations OF the
soldiers life In camp and bvOuac and on the
march, as well es faced its pcrls on the field
Of battle The American people know that his
nature is a sympathetic one. They have also
learned to repose implicit confidence in the
GOODNESS Of his judgment as well as in his firm
ness and self-pose, and we believe they have
been content to wait until he saw ct to initiate
an investigation Of the complaints Of negli-
gence, disobedlence of ORDERS ine1iciency and
nhumanity in Army administration with which
the country has been ringing during the last
few weeks.
President Mckinley waited as we believe
wisely. until active operations in the field had
been suspended. and as many Of the troops as
could he safely spared had been removed from
Cuba and Porto Rico TO a more salubrious eli
mate. before instituting general investiga-
tlon. which could not have been proftably I'M
dertaken or prosecuted at an earlier stage.
There is not any reason to doubt that the in
vestigation will be a thorough and searching
one or that II will result in n disclosure Of all
the facts as well as i'm fixing the responsibility
for abuses which may he found to exist or to
have existed. whether because OF negligence.
disobediencc Of orders. inef1ciency or other
sins Of omission or commission on the part Of
officials Of the War Department or of officers
Of the Quartermasters. COmmissary and Med
ical departments Of the Army. including both
those who were appointed and commissioned
by the Governors of the respective States and
those who bore commissions signed by the
President of the United States. 1t will also,
we believe, be fairly within the province of the
Commission to investigate and ascertain the
causes. IL any, which could not be removed by
Administrative action. that contributed to any
and every serious failure promptly 10 supply
the Army with necessary stores. supplies and
equipment through the Quartermasters. Com
,nlssary and Medical departments. There s
reasonable ground for suspicion that more
than one Congress since the Civil War should
DO held responsible for somewhat more than
mere niggardliness in Army appropriations, and
that the Administration found itself hampered
rs soon as the war came by lnconsiderate or
hostile legislative provisions enacted in time
of peace.
We are sorry 10 note In certain quarters,
from which have issued the most constant and
clamorous demands for an investigation Of off
cial abuses and shortcomings In the Army,
symptoms OF a desire to hamper and embar-
rass il at the outset So strong are these symp-
/ toms in some cases as almost to justify the
suspicion that there are persons other than
officials Of the War Department or officers in
the military service who may be guilty who
would prefer that the truth should not he re-
vealed. the responsibility fixed or the guilty
men punished. Whatever may be the motives