The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-09
AN EMERGENCY RATION
Commission Finds Excuses for
the Rotten Beef.
CRITICISM FOR MILES
The Man Who Objected to Having His
Soldiers Poisoned Blamed by Algers
Whtewashing Committee-No
Chemicals Were Used.

Washington, Feb. S.--The war inves-
tigation commission has completed its
labors and its report will be in the
hands of the president tomorrow. The
commission held a session to-day that
extended we'll into the afternoon, go
ing over details. The members of the
commission will meet tomorrow and
formally attach their signatures to the
formal document and proceed in
body to the executive mansion. inform
the president that they have complet-
ed their work and present their report.
The commission then will cease to eX-
ist. The commissions quarters will
be vacated Immediately and be taken
possession of by General Kennedy and
Major Watkins. who hold the newly
created offices of advisors to the war
department on colonial affairs.
The report of the war commission IS
a volumnous publication of $50 print
ed pages. The report makes an impor-
tant feature of the beef issue and dis
misses as 4 general proposition the
charges that have been made against
the beef furnished the army. 1t finds, it
is understood, that most of the beef
was such as could be properly fur
nshed as an emergency ration, pointing
out that the evidence showed 1t never
was intended to be anything but an
emergency ration. 1t says there We're
only two witnesses who really testi-
fled against the beef, General Miles and
Major DAILY, the chief surgeon, who
made the report forwarded to the COM
mission by General Miles, as was re-
garded as the most sensational. AS
to the testimony of those witnesses the
commission goes on to point out the
mass of evidence submitted to the con-
trary as off-Setting this testimony.
AS to such of the canned beef as
was found to be objectionable, the
commission points to the effect of the
tropical climate in producing liquifac-
ton in the meat and the consequent
rendering of the contents unpalatable.
Most of the beef, though, is found to
have been satisfactory for emergency
i use. where fresh beef or beef on the
hoof could not be procured The
structures of General Miles on the beef
and his public expression otherwise, il
is said, are subjected to severe critl-
cism. . ..
The methods of loading the trans
ports in General Skaters Cuban eH
pedtion are also discussed, ard re-
sponsibility placed for the results.
The report finds that the statements
of chemical treatment made by Gen
eral Miles on the authority Of Major
DalN are not DDIIe Oul DN lHe tliElltl-
cal experts who We're placed on the
stand.
1t quotes from Daly's testimony and
then takes up the testimony of Chem
lists Clark and Bigelow, who examined
and analyzed the beef submitted and
found, as chemical expert, Major DAILY
is not supported by other chemical au
/ thorites, and that therefore his testi-
mony is regarded as not worthy OF Gre
lence.
There are also said to be some rec
concentrations; as to organization of
certain branches of the army, but It is
stated that 1he recommendation are
, not radical. AS to the administration
and conduct of the war, the conclusions
possible was done by the department
mand in making its preparations for
conduct of tie war not only worked
to be worthy Of great commentator
The report says that the evidence be-
fore the commission shows that Secre-
tary Alge" exercised proper diligence
| and supervision and that his suborlin-
| faithful. The commission is a unit in
| it's report and there is no minority re-
! port.
| At the outset the commission divid-
/ ed itself into subcommittee for the
separate examination of designated
branches of the main subject of inquiry
| The substitute reports will be added
to the principal statement OF conelu-