The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-02
NEW SECRETARY OF WAR
Is Said to Hare Been Demanded by
Ohio Republicans.
THE WHITEwasH BOARD CRITICISED
Its Stupidity or Criminality is Shown
by the Evidence Which Has Been
Accumulated by the Beef
Inquiry Commission.

Washington, April 1.-(Special.)-wi the
return of the president from his vacation
in Georgia, stories of the retirement of Sec
rotary Alger are renewed. 1t is again al
legged that the Ohio republicans are de-
manding the appointment of a new secre-
tary' of war. Matters have reached that
point now that even those who think Sec
rotary Alger a much abused officer of the
government dare not say SO, so high and
intense Is the feeling against him. The re-
publicans are certainly much annoyed over
the present situation and say that the only
way the administration can clear its skirts
of the charge, be 1t false or true, or of hav-
ing furnished rotten beef to the soldiers, is
to retire Secretary Alger and appoint sue
cessor
The president relying on the report of the
war investigation committee practically eK-
onerated General Eagan and following the
prejudices of the commission cast reflec-
tions on General Miles. 1t is said here that
the president is greatly annoyed that the
war investigation commission should have
In their mistaken zeal to please the execu-
tive and the war department, failed to dis
cover any of the facts which the present
commission is bringing to light in wholesale
quantities. The charge was made at the
time that 1t was a whitewash commission
and since'the developments during the pres
emit investigation 1t would seem that the
charge had much foundation.
Again After Eagan
There is a demand here that General
Eagan be recourtmartialed. This act would
have far-reachlng effects, however, and
Hight Involve some very close friends of
the administration The present investiga-
tion commission evidently thinks that there
mas peen some collision between the con-
tractors and the commissary department.
1t might be through the influence of sena-
tors or men in power and it is to this end
the committee is now working. But
Whetner the committee VIII be able to es-
tabHsh any crookednes or not there has
been enough brought to warrant the re-
courtmartial of Eagan on the ground of
malfeasance. An officer cannot be court
martialed on the ground of incompetence.
Up to the present time the attitude of
the administration has been a steady de-
tense OF the secretary of war. 1t is claimed
here that since the kissing episode In Bos-
ton, followed by the exposures of beef con-
tractors in Chicago that the executive mind
has undergone a considerable change. The
political reasons for deposing Secretary
Alger are many from a republican stand
point. If 1t were left to a vote of a republi-
can ma jority in control of the organization
1t is believed that he would be sacrificed
without hesitation. The situation is inter-
esting and it remains to be seen whether
the argument of political expediency will
be sufficient to overcome the presidents re-
luctance.
Criticism of Whitewash Board
Next to the beef contractors and General
Eagan the party which comes in most for
criticism is the late war investigation com
mission. There Is no doubt that II could
have brought out all the facts which are
now coming to light through the military
committee In charge of the beef investiga-
ton. 1t all goes TO show that civilians can
not withstand the influence of the favor NJ
president The moment any man Is Of
fered a place on a commission his mind pats
it's color from those who appointed him and
he sees only one side of the case. The
military commission has the honor and the
esprit de corps of the army at stake and
cares nothing for the political side The
charge is being openly made that the war
investigation commission either was incapa
BILE of conducting an Investigation or else
was purposely blinded by their desire to
please somebody somewhere
In the meantime the beef contractors are
In a state of complete decentralization.
Some of them have followed the commission
back to Washington in order to get some
token of testimony before it that all con-
tractors were not corrupt. One of these
said to me yesterday: 1.-THE beef interests
in Chicago are almost ruined Not only is
the canned beef and beef extract business
brought absolutely to a standstill. but there
Is even a prejudice against our REFRIGERATED
beef
Can,. c,v. s.v...p...
hunoreds OF thousands OF dollars nave
peeH spent " duNeiliSe ouf ptel SXtrdctS
and canned beers, all OF which Is total