The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-25

10 investigate their merits, then the role
OF counsel might be appropriate. But the
correspondence between the court and the
major general commanding shows quite
clearly the extent to which he has haen
represented before this court, the purpose
being to present and elicit evidence peril
uent 10 the inquiry. His allegations are
nothing more. nothing less, than the COM
paints brought to mis- official Knowledge
by the officers and men of the army, who
participated in active service during the
recent war"
Was Obliged to DO 1t.
Maj Lee said the T9Jor general COM
handing the army was 9liged by his posi-
ton to institute searching inquiry into
allegations concerning the food supply of
the army He then referred to that su-
perb little army which embarked from
Tampa last June for the invasion of cuba
and won imperishable renown, adding
that in less than nine weeks the remain
ing part of it was returned to the United
States, "a pitiable wreck in body and
mind"
No one, he said, claimed any one article
of food was to blame, but" said he "the
overwhelming evidence of, we believe, not
less than 80 per cent. of the officers, and
fully 80 per cent. of the men, shows be-
You'd reasonable doubt that the so-caled
canned roast beef a meat ration was all
that it should not have been and nothing
that it should have been, for the Ameri-
can soldier, who was for humanity's sake
periling his life in a torrd cline in the
interest of an oppressed people.
I'VE neither allege nor charge that
there was any interest or design on the
part of any officer of the army to furnish
a bad or unfit ration, but the evidence
the unimpeachable evidence-of regiment
and company commanders representing
practically every soldier there, shows that
an irreparable mistake had been made
that some one had blundered, and that
the soldier became the sufferer"
without Proper Test.
He contended that the canned roast beef
had been adopted as a ration without ade-
quate or proper test, the sole test being
a sample case sent TO Tampa and cooked
with vegetables and condiments.
Maj. Lee declared that some of the in
spections were so perfunctory that canned
meats were accepted ION the reputation of
the packing firms"
"Since when," he asked, "have gigantic
corporations and trusts become exempt
from that close scrutiny that would be
applied to a dealer of moderate means?"
He then took up the question of refriger-
ated beef, and said
Here again as in the case of the So
another experiment, new and novel in the
extreme of attempting to supply an army
in the field in action with refrigerated
beef. The methods which had in all pre-
vious wars been fully tested and of ap-
proved efficiency, were discarded for this
hitherto untried experiment"
As to Personalities.
Maj. Lee quoted testimony to the effect
that Gen. Egan had said Armour & Co,
and Swift & Co, had knowledge of a pre-
sentative process and continued:
"All this transpjred before the opening
of the bids on June 10, and shows clearly
that a preservative process was then I'M
der favorable consideration.
Mai Lee dwelt at length upon the ques-
ton as to whether preservatives had been
used on the beef and quoted at length from
the testimony bearing on that point, par
ticularly that of DIR. w. H. DAILY, con-
tending that it was esta blished beyond all
doubt by competent and reliable testimony
that the beef furnished the troops in Flor
ida had been subjected to some process TO
insure its keeping The specified contract
time. He then said:
at must be clear that, as a secret chem
zeal process was used with meat delivered
to troops at that point similar use would
no doubt be made of such process at other
points, or for all shipments where 1t might
be deemed necessary as a preservative OF
the refrigerated beef"
Referring to the credibility OF witnesses,
Mai Lee said:
Returning for moment to the SUBJECT
Of credibility of witnesses. We deem 1t
proper to say--but in no offensive sense
that IL all witnesses where self-interest
stands out conspicuously the fifty-one in
terested in the meat industry are pre-emi-
nent Their readiness, zeal and volubility
when on the stand, their eagerness to
palliafe. excuse and deny any and every
criticism or fault found with their meats
must account for much of the most re-
markable testimony ever given before a
court. Pardon me for saying it, but much
If not all. of such testimony is like much
of the roast beef complained of-somewhat
overlooked
summed Up His Case.
In summing up his case, Maj. Lee made
the following claims;
ut was perfectly practicable to have
had at all times herds of fat cattle at
every camp in the United States to meet
any and all exigencies of service as they
might arise.
''At no time during the war was there
any emergency calling for food supplies
by other than the safe methods Of proved
experience.
1T was perfectly practicable to have
landed beef cattle with the armies in both
Porto Rico and Cuba.
There Is no necessity for departure
from the army travel ration, which has
been found perfectly satisfactory.
Instead of supplying the troops during
this war as other armies have been sup
| Piled, with wholesome food (of which
| there was an inexhaustible supply IN the
| country, there was gathered up all of
! the canned food possible, much Of which
| had been stored for years In the ware
| houses Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road. In other places and Ia foreign store-'
| houses and falsely labeled prime roast
! beef when there was not an ounce OF
roast beef, and we believe, not an ounce
Of prime beef contained IN the cans.
Done with Fun knowledge.
'The sending Of troops. chained 10 re-
| frigeratoTs and cold storage bee houses,
| mo a campaign against a hostile enemy
! h 80 unprecedented and unmilifaFy that IL
would be o waste Of words 70 discuss n;
FHrHN