The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-05-11
THURSDAY, MAY II, 1899.
The Beef Trust Victorious.

The special court of inquiry appoint
I'd BY the War Department ostensIbIy
10 investigate the charges made BY Gen :
eIal Miles against the emDained beef
and the rotten meat IN cans supplied TO
the army, but In reality to whiiewasi
the war administration and to protect
the Western beef trust. has accomplish.
ed its task. Yesterday the finding of
the court, having been approved by the
President, was made pnbIi...
The court finds that the statements
made bV General Miles were not borne
out by the facts adduced 10y the Inquiry,
rs nothing was developed which tended
10 show that the meat was either I'M
wholesome. or embalmed. or delsteriOus
I'D the health Of the troops
The court find that General Eagan
was culpable In making enormous con
tracts somewhat reckiessly. The off,
eers Of the Subsistence Department are
all blamed for not using proper dill
gence In the exercise OF their duties,
and not reporting promptly on the con-
dition Of the supplies handled by them.
Finally, the Commanding General Is
severely criticised for making Unbound
cd statements. and for not having taken
RfaEs 'A.'fsssary 10 prepare a suitable
ration Tor the troops Intended for service
In the tropics.
The finding ofthc court Is jnst wha
has been expected. The personnel of |
the court mad been carefully selected !
with a view to bringing about just sucn
v result as has been developed. While |
its tiEdIng wbiiewashes the War De- |
partment officials as far rs further pro- I
seedlings are concerned, it will not con-
vince the American people that the
charges made by General Miles were
RnfOan Iel. The evidences brought uIt
during the inquiry overwhelmingly
convinced every impartial man that |,
gross mistnAna cement, II not shameful /
corruption, existed in the furnishing of
Subsistence to the army, thar uuwhOle-
rome food was provided, and that ''em-
balHed" beef WAS actually furnished rs
raiiOns 10 the troops In Cuba and ut the
various camps In this country.
The many aCts of favOritlsm and mis-.
management by Secretary Alger and
hIs satellites In The War Department
have thoroughly disguised the AmerI-
San people with that department.. and
the --latest development. namely, the
finding OF tho ''beel inquiry, will
teSd tOI still further increase that un-
Ii VIII he difficult to con-
vince the people that the finding was +,
not On the interest OF Secretary Alger
and bis fayDrltes, as well rs In the In
terest Of the great packing combinations
Of the West. All these scandals con-
nected With the War Department would (
be potent political weapons 10 use
ngaiHst bhe Republican party in the
next campaign did not the Democrats
prefer 10 saddle themselves with i'm
possible issues aud impractiGAble men,
instead OF taxing up the real vital ques
lions winch the war has developed and J
which affect the very existence OF the /
Irec Institutions and Democratic liberty 8
d the American people. II
But II Is entirely possible that the i
Democratic political leaders are "a !
mach under tho cOptEol OF the beef tRnst q
e are the Republicans. That accnunts1 9
0r the reason that no honest InYesviga- =
Ion Of the beef scandal Is possible.--N. +
,. fieayune. Il
Willie We agree With every WORD the e
Pic says In reieFBnce to the report of c
he Investigating. commission Of whIte- =
washers. we dissent most emphaticauy e
rom Its closing conclusion, that the D
'DeHIoeEaiIe political leaders are as u
nuch under the control Of the beef trust s
3 are the Republicans. The control d
* spirits Of the Democratic patty 10. e
~ are not under the iuIluence Of the
rusls.
They coinbatted and sntagonlxed the n
lteresls Of the trusts Ia 1896. and will 81
niagOulze and combat them in 1890. Ii ct
10y ba&hat they will sustain dogeas tbs q
anisng year rs they did 10 the former u
trough The ireacherOus action Of masq- =
Grading democrats who are the crea- st
% Of trusta and trust influence, but H
y Denccra,ic party as lead and con- IN
listed to-day wilt accept the gaage of II
Attle slpan. that Issue. The Democratic
arty stands to-day, aud has stood since
e tChlcago conSeptiou Of 1896, more to
'n'iy upon the JeffersO0San doctrine Of ca
.qaal rights TO all, special privileges 70 d.
ne. than Il has for thirty year pr