The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-28
A Lesson from Abroad.

The two great objects OF attack by the
critics ofthe Administration during the war
with Spain and since the Agunaldo insur-
rection in the Philippines were and have
been, first, contained beef" and, second,
the censorship of news reports from
Manila by Gen. OTIS.
The accusations regarding "embalmed
beef" were made with such a prolonged
howl in which even many deudcd Repub-
lican newspapers joined, that at one time
the enemies of the Administration We're re-
joicing in the hope that they would destroy
all chances Of n Republican majority in the
Congress elected last year. So persistently
and vocferously were they made, with the
assistance, and indeed provocation, Of the
General III ttuar command Of the army,
that a voluntary commission was selected
by the President to investigate them. After
months of inquiry, during which hundreds
ofwitncsses were examined, the commission
reported that they had no foundation in
fact-that no 'cmbalmed beef" had been
supplied to the Commissary Department
OF the army or issued to the troops. The
howl was kept up, however, on the ground
that this was only a embarrassing" OF
the Government by picked commission.
Thereafter the invest cation was intrusted
to a strictly military court of inquiry,
composed of distinguished officers of the
army. It's finding was the salne-thcre
was no "embalmed beef
The main accusation of tho howlcrs
against the Government concerned chiefly
the canned beef which had been long in
cluded in the regular ration OF the army.
1t was described as unit for food, as
treated with injurious and even poisonous
chemicals, as provocative of disease and it's
Issue to the troops an outrage committed
under the influence of corrupt motives.
1t was true that the same canned beef
was a navy ration and had been used as
such during the war; but the howlers
would pay no heed to facts. Conso-
quently the American industry engaged in
the supply of canned and refrigerated beef
suffered blow which threatened at the
time to do it great and permanent damage,
for these meat companies supplied regu-
arly a great part Of the meat consumed in
civil life at home and sent vast quantities
abroad, and they We're accused of poisoning
the people who consumed it by furnishing
them stuff horribly described rs "em-
balmed, for the purpose of making corrupt
ana lll-pOtlen gains.
That was the first accusation. Two COM
missions disposed Of it as false and silly;
and now comes the sequel. The British
Government has purchased or is now pur-
chasing millions of pounds Of that very
canned beef, which n vast number OF the
bowling newspapers included in the "em-
balmcd beef rs a ration for its troops
in South Africa.
The enemies of the Government followed
up this exploded accusation with a loud
cutlery against Cen OTIS for his censorship
OF the news at Manila, though he proceeded
in strict accordance with the wise military
custom of guarding his operations from the
knowledge of the enemy and from miscon-
structon and misrepresentation at home.
How is it now with British military opera
tions In South Africa? Never has there
been sharper censorship than that now
exercised by the military representatives Of
the British Government. Nothing comes
from the British armies for publica-
ton which has not been edited by the
Censors, So that up to this time the
public are altogether in doubt as to the true
and exact details of the military situation
In South Africa The greatest care and the
closest scrutiny have been expended sue
cessfully to prevent the despatch from
South Africa Of any information except
such as the military authorities desire to
have made known to the public. We are
left to mere surmises or to logical inferences
from facts which have been allowed to leak
out after having been guarded by military
supervision. The exact situation OF the
British army in any part OF the field Of war
Is unknown outside ofthe War Office.
We do not criticise this. 1t is good pol
icy. In war, the object is not simply to
make news for reporting 1t il not mere
spectacular show for the amusement Of the
curious, but the gravest, the most terrible,
business in which men can engage, and
everything must be made subordinate
10 tho requirements and eXiGcncics of the
military situation. The fighting is not
done as an exhibition for the qualification
a V.thl liz e.. :. 4