The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-28

sSsSss n ~
DAY. MAY q, 1893.
sAaer voeunanons reperfs with an army e
191foo ana toheao that, - coaHeA Co.
Daex The osesAee mind. We Wu1 sfa4e tn,
howuvef. anA ws believe the reports. the
erai testimony of Proea- Chitesndsn. Bags-
tov. Atwater. Wiley and Malisk. justify the
otAeeDonf that The nutTtentA proeefn go
what not. found Ia the laboratory furnish
no suitable guide ~ 20 tho ssitabssness.
the vnoaesoneneD a. the heaitAfulness of
the material analysed when taken into the
seomach Of the soldier under the conditions
of active service. or under any conditions,
- 20 that matter. All agree. We believe.
that the true and Anal test Of such food
to called h In the eating thereof: and On
that point We have . mountain of testi-
mouy OF practical experiences against any
theory TO the contrary. We think Prof.
Wiey's views on canned meats. which Ne
read. 81 as rest any doubts on that sub
jec4
To make . practical application 70 the
soldier Ia Caoa or Porto Rico that pound
~ canned roast beef, Of the kind furnished
The soldiers In the campaign, contained
more nutriment for him. and therefore oet-
ter for him 20 eat. than . pound Of choice.
juicy. roast fresh beef fresh from the oven.
would require the most rigorous discipline
70 make him swallow the former and adopt
The theory for future use. From the evt-
dence before this court he detes:s the one
and enjoys the other. no matter what
chemical analysis may show.
In summarizing what we have sought to
present 70 the couft-what appears IN evt-
dence. or u. ~ We believe. . matter Of gem
eral knowledge. We invite attention to the
following:
/. The iife-Eiving properties In the food
Of armies u9 70 the time Of the 6panish.'
American war have been chiefly Obtained
from the nOcks and herds Of the country.
The great armies Of the civil war and
many important Indian expeditions since
were fed upon the herds OF cattle which
accompanied them.
AZ Ill times herd OF fat cattle at every
camp In the United States to meet any and
all exigencies Of service ~ they might
arise.
: AT no time during the war was there
any emergency calling for food supplies BY
other than the safe methods OF proved
experience. Tho war was anticipated for
months before 1t occurred. Congress. by
unanimous vote. had appropriated S60.00o,000
for national defense. and II was perfectly
well known to every military man that ~
the troops were called into service they
would require food. rAlment ana equipment;
and II was equally well known that their
services would be required ia the tropics.
and not In other regions.
l. 1t was also well known that beet cat
tie could be shipped by train or transport
wherever troops. mules and horses were
moved. The records Of the Quarsermaster's
department show that 4zse horses and
mules were landed with the invading army
at DaiQuiri and Siboney without serious
,oss ana certainly beef cattle could have
been landed with equal. Il not greater.
facility.
The travel ration which has been used
for years composed OF corned beef. beams.
bread. coffee. etc., had bsen thoroughly
tested and found satisfactory. and Il In
general use today.
s. The fact had been known for years
that In Cuba q million and 4 half Of people
and a quarter OF a million Of Spanish troops
On their military operations during tho last
three years) had been principally fed upon
the cattle Of Cuba. and those that had been
shipped from the United States and South
American countries: also that the Cuban
army had subsistsd In the same way. and
that l0.o00 troops under Gen. Garcia had
marched and Unanswered against tho
Spanish forces In eastern Cuba. sustained
principally by cattle that accompanied
them.
It was also known that nearly . million
people and 1900 troops in Porto Rico had
lived upon the herds with which that ISL
and IL abundantiy stocked. and. In addi-
tion to this. that cattle were exported from
that island. the same as tobacco. coffee and
sugar. Upon the invasion and occupation
OF Porto Rico BY the army under the major
general commanding, he repeatedly wired
superior authority that there was an album
dance Of good native cattle and that no
other fresh beef was needed.
6. Instead OF supplying the troops during
this war az other armies have been sup
piled with wholesome food (of which there
was an inexhaustibIe supply in the coun-
try), there Was gathered up all Of the
canned food possible, much OF which had
been stored for years In the warehouses OF
tho Baltimore q Ohio railroad. In other
places and In foreign storehouses and false
~ labeled Prime Roast Beef" when there
was not an ounce OF roast beef. and. we be-
heve. not an ounce OF prime beef contained
In the cana
A. shown In evidence, and OF general
notortety. II was meat OF the most. inferior
grade. or the boiled pulp from which beef
extract had been made and the cans were
found filed with grease or ta.low, making
. substance unpaiatabie. nauseating. often
stve and UNIT for human food--so nauseat-
ing. In fact that after few efforts to eat
II the troops often went hungry rather
than try to live upon II. In many cases IL
caused sickness. and In innumerable cases
the troops were made weak by thus being
supplied In lieu OF having suitable and
wholesome food
It 10 true that . small amount Of canned
roast beef WAS purchased for experiment
with small detAchments Of the army prior
to 1855. but owing TO unfavorab.e reports Il
had been practically abandoned and was
not purchased for four years prior To the
war; and through the many reports that
have been received by those who have tried
II during the war and almost universally
condemned IT,, II has been. in effect Aban-
doned as q part Of the ration, and the prin-
cipal use now made OF II appears to be to
issue ic TO the starving cubans.
The evidence that has been presented
which condemned this food car be con-
frmed by the testimony OF thousands Of
soldiers II any additional evidence were
needed
J. The sending Of troops. chained to re-
frigsrators and cold storage and Ice houses.
Into campaign against q hostile enemy
81 20 unprecedented and unm.,itary that It
would be a waste Of words to diasugs II !.