The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-14
MGER TALKS
ABOUT THE WAR.
Says He Did the Very Best
That He Could.
SOME INCOMPETENT
ge Admits That He May Have Made
a Few Mistakes.
IN SELECTING HIS APP0INTEES.
Tho Santiago and Philippine Cam
palgns-Hc Compares Them and
Gives Credit to the Command
crs In Both Cascs-Nothing TO
Say About Miles and the
War Investigation.

OF the Union League club, will leave for
Washington al midnight tonight. In re-
gard 10 the report OF the War Investga-
ton COMMISSION. secretary Alger SAID
that ne wOu-d rather say nothing about
X until he had read the entire report.
General Alger SAID. however. mat he
had carried on the work all the way
through the war 10 the best Of ms
ability.
"During the war. said the Secretary.
when we mad 50 much to 90 criticisms
began 20 appear en- some papers. When
This happened 4 gave orders that these
payers should not De sent 10 me, as there
w@s no time 10 waste. My hrst duty was
10 conduct the affairs OF the department
as well as 1 could
General Alger compared tne depart.
ment win a large private business, say
Ing that many Unforeseen things happen
Ell IN the department jus. as in a large
private business storms came up which
could not beprevented
SOME INCOMPETENT EMPLOYEES.
Sometimes the manager Of a private
business" said the Secretary, mas look
Cd over the field and believes ne has
good and faithful helpers Then he learns
that he has been incorrect IN his thought
AM that some Of his men have not
seen things which Will happen in any
large private business concern as well
as to a government department Though
tho work OF the War Department was
difficult. ! carried 1t on as was my duty
90 the best of my ability"
When asked about The criticism Of the
War Department by General Miles. Sec
rotary Alger asked 10 be excused from
talking about that
Secretary Alger said in connection with
the intended naming Of a commanding
officer for tho army that he thought a
regular army man would be named IN
preference 20 a volunteer. although Con-
gress coulA do as It wished about the
rnat.er He said that the volunteers
have no staining after their two years
term OF service
Secretary Ayers attention was called
20 the selling Of supplies IN Havana az
less than the regular market rates. I'm
connection with which 1t was said that
the supplies were all army rations.
SELLING SURPLUS RATIONS.
The Secretary said: Colonel Bliss, who
was in charge Of the collection Of GUS
toms at Havana. was asked to inves-
tigate this, when 1t was learned that
such sales were being made. Some per
sons were selling supplies at less than
any one else could sell them, after i'm
porting them. and paying the duty. Col
onel Bliss found that two men were
buying Up all the surplus ratiOns from
the troops The rations the troops re-
ceived were more than they could use
and IL Is considered legitimate 10 sell
them again.
1t "a general practice IN the army
for companies to sell their surplus ra-
tions and place the sums received 10 the
credit OF the company funds. These two
men were, in q way. carrying on legiu-
mate business
colonel T. ISIS found that they had
storehouse fun OF -four and coffee, ana
some other things. and that they were
able 10 sell -four at 8 barrel less
than persons who were importing ilour
and paying duty on IL. He told them
after consulting Washington mat they
nous, either pay duty on the goods or
he would prevent them from selling
them. This practically stopped this
nractice. Orders were given 20 the COM
,nfsarv Department TO buy back the extra
ration SO that the soldiers would get as
much from the government as from out
siders and save the scandalous TAX.
In speaking Of the Philippines and
Santiago campaigns, Secretary Anger
said. .,,,..-~.>-e
General Shafter and his expedition
had 10 land on a hostile island and do
~ attacking during the worst season
there. the hottest part OF the rainy sea
son General Otis had been at Manila Tot
some time. and he was prepared TOT the
attack. In Santiago General Smarter nau
20 attack the Spaniarcs. WINE !" ~
Philippines our forces occupied the po''
ton the spaniards had In saht'aso. 10
General Alrer said he wished 10 mar,
-. criticlsrn Of General Otis, who had
49, brilliant work at Manila: ne s"lu
that The two campaigns could haIuiy %
,.av,,vares az they had been loueh' 81
sseeoro,t seasons and from dinerehl lo-
Items The General IN each case. ne NC
-lsrea. was entitled 20 great creui,.
aecretary Alger spoke sei,e,~ IL
,he work now being done IN DuDa. ~
said that there was very i''o e.
:, ssrtiago In spite OF the reports ~
80 $50 General Wood and General
p-oo,te were working IN entire harmony
canerai brooke, he said. In answer 10
= o,e.tion. was In charge OF the wnolo
s.,a-a some misunderstanding had oeeH
rsrsea AZ first by the mistake mace Dy
- oeaciais At Santiago VINO tnoueh'
,bst the moneys collected az sanuaso
bas 20 be sent 20 Havana This was
reoulred. II being necessary 70 sena Only
reports 81 the amounts received.
REFERRING OF CUBA.
THE work Of lettering conditions gen
,~a,iv IN cuba was going on. hampered
.,r,cvshat by the lack Of transportation
ssc,lIties in the interior and BY count
- uttle difficulties. which were coming
an and being mastered. He said that
he vas satisfied with the work. Taking
into confederation the short time that
wo had been in Cuba we were DONG
very well -. a.,
The Secretary said that mystery IN
cuba was the whereabouts % the Cuban
men The United states officers VINO had
gone into the interior had failed 70 find
them
.'Of course" said he. "the reconcen-
tradoes were largely driven into the
large cities but We cannot find any where
near the numbers OF men We expected
10 find For instance an officer from
eancu sDirltus who came back 20 Wash
,n2ton last week told us that that town
vas filed with women and children bur
no men. They are not IN tho country
districts as FAR os We can find The Gu
ban army IS estimated al 10000 men. bur
this does not account for the thousands
who are not 20 be found They are NOT
with Corner and ~ IS yet 10 be learned
where they have disappeared to-
yHEGRIP CURE THAT DOES CURE
Laxative Rromo Qninine Tablets removes