The times., 1899-05-08
MONDAY. MAY s. 1893.
The Beef Report.


ing much space for the purpose of review
ing the report of the Beef Court OF En-
ouiry which the President has approved,
and complete summary of which will be
found in our news columns this morning
There is one thing about it, however. that
is extremely interesting. We are assured
that no change mas been made in the text
since the document was formally submit
ted to the Commander-in-C Chief. and We be-
lieve the statement TO be literally if not
quite morally true. At the same time
there is strong internal evidence, aide
from any of a collateral character that
may exist. that the blue pencil was used
with liberality and yigor between the
time. some days ago. when an inspired
forecast was given out by the Administra-
ton in a quiet and irresponsible way, and
the date upon which the expurgated YER
sioa was finally fled The forecast in
question excited universal surprise and in
dignation- The revised beef scriptures are
not nearly as obnoxious. textrally coEsia-
cred. as the prophecy which heralded
them.
sun, the report will be crystallized in
TO regard with amazement. contempt. and
disgust. II represents the conception of
morals, ethics. and eternal justice that
Gilbert might embody in comic opera
libretto. but which no intelligent and
honest person in a serious mood could
stomach without nausea.
In brief, the conclusions of the Court
amount 10 this: That the evidence which
the whole country considers as more than
sustaining the allegations of General
Miles and several hundred other credible
witnesses, having been ignored, neglected,
or belittled in defiance OF the cemmonest
rules of evidence, the case for the people
has practically failed. Hence. according
TO a tribunal eminently and appropriately
illustrating the possibilities of the pack
ing interest, there is nothing in it. But,
as somebody must be a scapegoat. and it
is not desirable to place the parties and
corruptionists responsible for the crimes
against American soldiers and honor in
that uncomfortable position, the Court
scathes all those who had knowledge of
the scandals, first for learning things
which are declared to have been non-ex-
istent, and second. for not reporting them
Immediately TO Alger, who. in fact. was
generally understood TO have too intelli-
gent a grasp of the situation TO need any
information.
According TO the verdict General Miles
had not sufficient evidence upon which to
base his opinion that refrigerated beef was
-'embalmed'' and is scored for expressing
IT, There is a profound and Dogberry argu-
ment ION the side in this connection. If
the great packing houses were in the habit
of chemicalizing their beef they would re-
quire distinct plants for that purpose No
such plants have been produced before the
Court; ergo. the packers do not use chemi-
Gals No reference Is made to cumulative
evidence enough TO sink ship that, on
the other hand. the general trade under
standing is that chemicals are used; nor TO
the notorious fact that packers constantly
buy salicylic and boracic acids and other
things found in the Army beef. In enormous
quantities; nor TO the eliminating testi-
mony offered in the official correspondents
OF the Commissary Department that some
packers at least have acknowledged the
practice. The Court placidly turns it back
on all these presumptions and decides that,
whereas only comparatively a few people
know the refrigerated beef was embalmed
and could prove il if given chance. a
much larger number know nothing about
II, and that, therefore, the weight OF evil
dence is on the side of and sufficient to ex-
culpate the embalmers.
The findings in the matter of the timed
pulp sarcasticaliy labeled roast beef" ere
equally as silly If not more so. In this
case the truth has been found too obstrep-
erous TO quite defy it. and We much ad-
mire the ariful dodging resorted to in
handling this end OF the whitewash brush
Eagan is castigated mildly for his enor-
nous and reckless purchases. his excel
lent intentions being incidentally asserted
The Court does not learn that any OF this
filthy stuff was other than fresh. or thai
IL was purchased without inspection. In
feren;ialiy IL denies that any of il was re.
imported from Liverpool after rotting il
the docks of that port for a number o.
years We are greatly mistaken II ther,
was not direct evidence that Eagan bough
million cans OF 1t without allowing an,
inspection, and II II was not within tn.
personal knowledge OF members of th'
Court that the story of the Liverpoo