The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-04
TO PROBE THE
BEEF SCANDAL.
President viii Institute For
NAL Inquiry,
TO Try GENERAL MILES
70 TRY GENERAL MILES
HE MUST MAKE HIS CHARGES
GOOD.
METHOD OF PROCEDURE NOT SETTLED
Il May b. Conducted by Military Court Of
hquhy or by an Inspection Eoard.
A Cabinet Discussion Of
the Matter.

NtG WdllClb
Washington, Feb. 3.-The purpose of
the President to terminate the unsats-
factory state of affairs that has exis-
ted for some time as the result of the
numerous charges and counterchargeS
and interviews respecting the character
of the army beef, by instituting a formal
inquiry into these matters and endeav-
oring to place the responsibility where
it belongs, was made known to-day. This
inquiry will not be undertaken before
the commission TO investigate the con-
duct Of the war has made its report
to the President. The scope of this
new inquiry has not been defined, but
it certainly will embrace the aegations
made by General Miles as to the char
acter of the army supplies. and will in
volye that officer to the extent that he
must make these charges good and
to that degree will be on trial himself.
Should the charges be found well es-
tablished a heavy responsibility would
be placed upon the packers concerned
in the meat inspection and perhaps
others; should they fall unsupported
General Miles may be obliged to an
swer TO a court martial for rejecting
upon the character. of other officers.
There are two methods by which such
an investigation may be conducted nc.
cording to established military usage.
The first is by the appointment Of
-,
the appointment of what is known as an
officers or inspection board. In the for
mer case, it would be necessary to
name some officer who is to be the
subject of the investigation. In the
latter the board is charged simply to
inquire into Il state of facts, or alleged
facts, without reference to any particu-
lar person, and to place responsibility if
possible for anything of which complaint
is made. Their findings may serve as
the basis for Il court martial quite as
effectually as the findings of a court OF
inquiry and have some advantages in
that they do not begin with the presump-
ton of court OF inquiry. Where
court of inquiry is ordered it is said
there is conveyed distinct reflection
upon the officer named.
1t is not possible at present to learn
in which direction the President leans.
but he has been in conference on the
subject with the Secretary of War and
the Attorney General, and the matter
was discussed in the Cabinet to-day to
some extent.
1t was agreed that General Miles
should not be suspended from his office
as commander of the army pending the
investigation, as it was not intended
that even by inference should he be
prejudged of any wrong doing in this
connection.
Up to the close of the day General
Miles positively declined to discuss in
any manner the events of the day 50
far as they relate to himself, or to
discuss any statements contained in any
Of the interviews attributed to him. II
may be said Of these interviews thai !
while it is conceivable they might figure
in the inquiry they would not do so. OF
necessity, for the matters to be first
looked into are those connected with
the character Of the army beef.
1t is suggested that it vii be a matte"
of difficulty to secure the personnel
for even a court of inquiry with its
limited membership, without employing
some of the officers who have already
taken some part in the controversy be
tween Geenral Miles and General En-
gan. This is on account of the scarcity
of available officers of sufficient rank to
warrant their assignment to this duty.