Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-27

OF failure to discharge his duties dur.
ing the continuance NJ the war; ahkeu
Gov. Beaver.
No SIR" replied Secretary Aigcr.
DID any report come TO you OF any
Irregularities or Of any fraudulent
practices Ia the contracting for sup
plies furnished to any department.
mo. sir"
"Did you. directly or Indirectly. have
amy Interest In the selection of any
% the camps occupied by the troops
NO. sir. do not know that any one
connected with me had amy such In
terest."
did you have any interest In any
contract for materials supplied during
the WARP
Not a cent In any contract" replied
the secretary. emphatically.
Docs that apply 10 transports pur-
chascd7"
Yves. sir"
The secretary went on TO state that
he had never had any personal Interest
In the expenditure Of government
funds. directly or indirectly. M con-
tracts for equipment We're entered Into
prior to the declaration OF war.
Have you received any complaint
from the major general OF the army
while at Porto Rico as TO the quality
81 refrigerated and canned roast beef
furnished the nrmy7"
The secretary. replying. referred TO
his annual report. quoting a Dispatch
from Gen. Miles asking that no more
beef be sent because they could get a
large supply there. Gen. Miles had said
something about beef that had spoiled
there.
Gov Beaver nskcd whether actual
preparations for war was not made he
fore the declaration OF war was be-
cause II was thought IL would be avert
ed. No reply. however. was expected
II the question was not deemed by the
secretary proper one.
The witness replied that there had
been hopes that war would be averted
The chiefs OF the several bureaus Of
the departments had never assembled
20 hold council OF war. They were all
too busy. In regard to the Inspector.
generals office. the secretary did not
consider that the bureau had been
practically abolished by the transfer OF
officers to other duty. He believed
that II retained It's efficiency.
Secretary Algcr next told OF the In
spectlon of the camps especially the
tour of Inspection by Gen. Miles. lie
tAlEcr) never had received any official
complaint from the armies Ia the field
In regard TO fresh or canned meat FUR
niHhcd the troops.
Have you any information that
meat was chemically trcatcd7'
'Nutnlnh nut Mnht mas ue'n ntouNnN
out by this commission" Beef. he
went on. has been used ~ an army ra-
ton for many years. and It's Use was
not an experiment IN the spanish war.
No complaints had been received by
him from the camps Ia regard 60 beef.
When asked whether he was person
ally Interested In contracts for furnish
Ing meat III. secretary said with post
tlVcnerH. II have not. ! never had. di-
rcctly or Indirectly. interest In any
property or anything supplied To this
government"
He had never received an official re-
port that beef furnished the army had
caused sickness. lie had received re
ports from several sources that at
ChicknmauTa and Camp Thomas there
had been lack Of medicine and sup.
plies Tho reports were Investigated
and supplies ordered ut once. lie had
never received a report from the sur
reon general that he was unable 10
furnish supplies.
In regard 60 the arrival Of the Firth
corps at Montauk he said that every
possible prccnution had been taken 90
make the camp healthful and COM
Portable. There had been many de.
nciunclcH that II was impossible 10
remedy. but everything that could be
done had been done.
This closed the examination and Sec
rotary AlTcr was asked whether he
wished To- volunteer any statements,
but he declined TO dV 30.