The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-09
REPORT OF WAR COMMISSION
CHARGES AGAINST BEEF FUR
NISHED ARMY DISMISSED.
Iy Furnished as an Emergency Ration
Never Intended to be Anything Else
General Miles Severely Criticised
Secretary Alger Exonerated.
Secretary Alger Exonerated.

Washington, Feb. S.-The war inves-
| tigating commission has now completed
its labors and it's report will be in the
| hands of the president tomorrow. The
commission held a session to-day that
extended we'll into the afternoon, going
over details. Tomorrow the members
of the commission will formally attach
their signatures to the original docu-
ent and proceed in body to the exec
utive mansion to inform the president
that they have completed their mission
and present their report. The commits
sion then will cease to exist
The report Of the war commission is
voluminous document of $50 printed
pages. Each member has been provid-
ed with a printed copy to retain and
arrangements have been made so that
the president will have as many printed
copies as he will need when he makes
the document public. The report makes
an important feature of the beef issue
and dismisses, as a 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
furnished as an emergency ration,
pointing out that the evidence showed
it was never intended to be anything
but an emergency ration. 1t says there
were only two witnesses who really tes-
titled against the beef, General Miles
and Major DAILY, the chief surgeon, who
made the report regarded as the most
sensational, forwarded to the commits
sion by General Miles.
AS to the testimony of these two wit
neSses the commission 1t Is understood.
goes on to point out the mass of evil
dence submitted to the contrary as Off
setting this testimony. AS to such of
the canned been as was found to be OBJ
jectionable the commission points out
the effect of the tropical climate in pro-
ducing liquifaction of the fat in the
the contents unpalatable. Most of the
beef, though, is found to have been sat
isfactory for emergency use, where
fresh beef or beef on the hoof could not
be procured. The structures on General
Miles made publicly on the beef and his
public expressions in other ways it is
are subjected to severe crit
icisin. The methods and manners of
leading the transports in General Shat !
ter's Cuban expedition are also discuss
ed and responsibility placed for the re-
suits. |
The report finds that the statements |
of chemical treatment made by General !
Miles on the authority Of Major DAILY /
are not borne out by the chemical ex-
perts who were also placed on the
stand 1t quotes from Major Daly's tes-
tmony and then takes up the testimony
of Chemists Clarke of the geological
survey and Bigelow Of the agricultural I
who examined beef sub
mitted and finds that as a chemical ex-
pert Major DAILY Is not supported by
other chemical authorities and that,
therefore, his testimony is regarded as
not worthy of credence. There are also
said to be some recommendations as to
of certain branches of the
lrmy, but it is stated, the recommended
ions are not radical. AS to the admin-
stration and conduct of the war the
conclusions of the commission are I'M
lerstood to be that everything possible
vas done by the war department. The
'eport says that the evidence before the
commission shows that Secretary Alger ;
exercised proper diligence and supervi-
sion and that his subordinates also
we're efficient, experienced and faithful.
The commission is unanimous in it's re-
lort.