The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-14
LEADS ALL NORTH GAROlnA DAES nN NEWS AND GuRGU 0N

uuence was sure to attract the attention
of the President and a greater part of
the session of the Cabinet to-day was
given to its consideration. 1t is almost
certain that official cognizance will be
taken of the matter very soon.
General Eagan gave no sign today of
any intention on his part to avail him
self of the offer made by the board. His
friends did not hesitate to intimate that
he would eXpunge the Objectionable lam
guage. but he would say nothing for
himself and any intimation on that score
must be obtained from the board itself.
The War Department officials are not
yet clear as to what would be the effect
of a withdrawal or modification of the
statement. One element holds that, Off
cially. the record failing TO show that any
objectionable language had been used,
there would be legal OffenSe. Another
takes the view that while the amend
ment of the statements would mitigate
General Eagan offence, it would not
wipe it out Another aspect of the case
is the bringing forward of the plea of
exemption which was guaranteed in the
name of the President to all of the wit
nesses before the board from the con-
sequences of what they might say. But
again the officials were divided, and
this was also true Of the members of
the Cabinet, as to whether the eXemp-
ton could be claimed in this particular
case
Meanwhile. General Miles is apparent
ly waiting for the War Department
to act. taking the position that it is
- II &c.
sion to protect the army from such at
tacks.
General Miles when asked today what
official action, if any, would be taken
regarding General Eagan's attack, re-
piled that he had not made any state
ment on the subject and did not intend
to forecast the proceedings Of the War
Department. When it was suggested
that the War Department was estopped|
from any proceedings against General
Eagan, on the ground of the protection
by the President to all witnesses in
their testimony before the war investi-
eating commission. General Miles said
that there might be some question as to-
the dividing line between testimony and
personal abuse; that in his opinion, any
court of justice. or for that matter, a
police court, would have stopped wit
ness who had used before it such Ian
guage as was used before the war COM
mission yesterday. General Miles said:
Il did not want to appear before the
war commission in the first place. When
they wrote me suggesting that | volun-
tarily appear before them, | replied that
/ believed it to be for the best interests
of the service for me not to volunteer
any testimony. When ! was ordered be-
fore the commission and they asked me
concerning certain facts that, | then
had in my possession, | was obliged, as
IA matter of honesty, to answer them,
and produced official complaints to me
as my best reply. Even then | did not
tell them all the facts which | had dis
covered by my own investigation This
inquiry was carried on quietly through
the proper branches of the War De-
partment and was begun as a matter
of duty by the Commanding General
after the receipt of an immense number
! of comDlants. That investigation is
still being prosecuted, and l still think,
as | said before, that it would have
been much better had the officers of
the War Department who have in
charge the care and proper feeding of
the soldiers, been allowed to attend to
these matters quietly in their own way.
General Eagan when seen today had
nothing to say. He regretted he said.
the newspaper noteriety which it had
already involved The controversy was
not of his seeking and he should decline
to say anything further regarding l..
In the excitement created by this in
cdent, the pending issue before the
commission, the quality of the army beef,
was well nigh lost sight Of There
were however, two picquant additions to-
that part of the proceedings, one consist
ing of the testimony of General Wood
to the effect that no one who amounted
to anything had made any complaint asl
to the rations and the other nf Il letter
from Theodore Roosevelt making very
severe complaint regarding the beef.
Governor Roosevelt's letter to General
Miles was as follows:
"State of New York,
Executive Chamber.
albany, Jan. 8, 1899.
"Gen. Nelson A. Miles, War Depart
''ment. Washington. ID. c.:
'My Dear General Miles: / do not
distinctly understand about this beef
controversy, but possibly what | nave to-
write may be of some Use.
'"The canned corn beef we found t11
be good. The so-called canned roast
beef that was issued to us for travel ra-
tions. both on the transport and on the
train, and which we occasionally got
even at the front, was praetic;lly WORTH
less. Unless very hungry, the men would
not touch it. and even when sutfcrinG|
from lack of food. they never ate al
fifth of it. At the best it was tasteless;
at the worst it was nauseating. Gherel
was a supply of beef Tin the shape oil
ouarters) which was put aboard our
transport at Tampa. 1t was suppose"
to be fitted by some process to withstand
tropical heat 1t at once became putrid
and smelt so that we had to Gispose OIL
it for fear of its creating disease. think
we threw it overheard At any rate, i'll
was condemned. The beef we got inl
Santiago after about the 24th of 10Th of
July-that is after the siege had ended,
and when my brigade had been without
fresh meat or vegetables for month
was generally good. At that time theI
cavalry .division was in n sicS!v condi-
ton. The fact that the meat ration was