The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-10

to be Sworn.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-The war In
vestlgatIng commission, with the pres
eniotion Of It's report TO President Me-
Kinley this afternoon. ceases It's ex-
istence.
The report may be In the hands OF the
President several days before given OFF,
cial promulgatior, to enable full con-
sidcratlon OF the document. 1t consists
OF between sixty thousand and sixty
five thousand words. The general
scope of the report was sent out last
night and renewed attention was called
to-day 10 the fact. then pointed out,
that there We're only two witnesses
who made charges agGins. the govern
ment In the beef issue. II Is pointed out
that there were numerous allegations
made and many attacks In the public
prints, but that when those making the
attacks and charges were called on to
appear before the commission with their
statements under oath. or otherwise
substantiatc them, they failed either TO
appear o. furnish proof of what they
had said.
II Is insisted that all the men who had
made any charges were offered ;he full
est opportunity to be heard, and their
statement given full consideration. and
that every effort had been made TO
probe the truth in whatever matters
li2d come up before that body.
Tile EaGan incident Is passed over
without material mention. IL at all, in
view Of General Eagan's revision OF
the statement that he originally made
to them. The report avoids all question
Of the strategy Of the war. that being
matter regarded as outside the func-
tiOns OF the commission.
The references to General Miles, COM
mautiipg the army, are devoted mainly
TO structures on his course with refer
cnce TO the beef issue rs covered In his
testimony. In this connection u main
point made, 1t Is understood. Is us 10
General Miles failure to take prompt
action In reporting on the beef and in
stead Of waiting 4 long time before COM
nunicatinS the facts 10 the department
in the meantime. with the information
he had in his possession, and hts judg
lncnt on the beef supplies made up,
permitting beef he, SO srigeroL.ly con
dcmned to be Issued to the army. The
fact that he was tile only witness fall
Eng to testify upon oath IS referred 10.
No Whitcwash business.
In speaking of the report to-day to n
Star reporter 4 prominent member OF
the commission said:
The report does not whitewash. 1t
criticiscs. but not persons or things not
warranted by the evidence before us.
We started out with the assumption
that the conduct OF the war was all
right, and then We went ahead TO hear
and call witnesses who said 1t was not.
The report represents the honest opIn-
ion OF every member Of the commission.
We were unanimous in adopting 1t. |
say this. as | am of the opposite pOlit-
ical faith and cont expect and don't
want anything from the adminis,ra-
t!un.
II know that every line OF the report
lItStUlS !ils INNlNlii'll view, anu IL my
member tried harder than | did to get
at and out all the facts | have yet to
see him. There was 10 suppression or
concealmcnt. and no point brought out
In the evidence was evaded or CLOSED
over.
The President never saw Il line OF
our report before he received IL ofIi-
cIally: not n single word. Nor, indeed,
has he ever talked with any OF the COM
mission about it..
He has never in amy way, by word
or action or messengers. cvinCed 4 wish
to have us develop anything but the
truth or even touched Upon the matter
OF our work.
We have questioned more than 800
witnesses and the majority OF them had
some complaint thar they wanted To
relate. or Coursc, there were some evils,
but they were expected. The soldiers
in the civil war never had hospitals or
medical attention as good rs was given
them in the war with Spain. And their
army ration then was not as eatabIc
as 1t is now. The mon who complained
the most OF the food we found were
very generally the mili;iamcn from the
Interior Of states. and who had been al
lowed 81 per head for subsistence stores
while they We're in state camps. When
they went into the active lighting they
expected the same sort or thing.
in questioning these men nearly all
confessed TO us that they had always
received army ratiOns. They had no
right to expect any more. I could tell
some Very funny stories 10 Illustrate
this
"Therc were many complaints
brought 10 us that on their face were
foolish and false. bur We went 10 every
trouble and expense TO inquire into the
genuine charges"