The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-21

authorities and refusals to answer. 1t
must, therefore, be incorrect in it's rep
reSentatiOnS.'
He then commented upon the general
slight inaccuracy Of newspaper inter
views. owing to the dependency of the
writers upon their memories. Hardly
a day in six months has passed that an
interviewer had not applied, and be-
cause of the kindness of the press to
the army, especially to the enlisted
men, he had endeavored to give them
such information as he thought wise
and safe, but never, he said, with a
view to prejudicing any one against
any person or department.
Finally Miles said he did not think
the Journal Interview represented cor
rectly what he had said, because its
contents should be taken in connec-
tion with all that was said--his silence
upon some points and his speech upon
others.
Then, being asked about the inter-
view in the New York Herald of Feb.
l, he said: Il have a letter from the
gentleman who 1 understand wrote
this, in which he says he is willing to
swear that l declined to be inter-
viewed, and thinking something had
been given out, he had proceeded to
write what he knew We're facts"
He then pointed out the interview
was erroneous in that it represented
him as having said he had overwhelm-
ing evidence refrigerated beef was
treated with chemicals. The fact was
his only evidence was what was con-
tanned in the reports of the officers and
the statements of the men who claimed
the beef had the odor of an embalmed
body; that they had seen fluid injected
into the beef and other indications of
chemical treatment. He declared the
interview an erroneous presentation of
what he could possibly have said
Davis, recurring to the statement of
Miles before the war commission, asked
MIN what his idea as to the beef supply
OF the army was when the war broke
out. Replying, Miles said while his at
tentlon was occupied with the weightier
questions of mobilization and equip
ment OF the troops, he felt confident
the usage of 100 years would be fol-
lowed and cattle herds would be
shipped to the army in the tropics and
killed there, just as they We're during
the civil war in the South. He re-
viewed his action in cabling the de-
partment to send no more refrigerat ted
beef to Porto Rico while he was there.
finding it possible to use the beef on
hoof
Miles said he understood our troops
IN Porto Rico were still being supplied
with a form of refrigerated beef al
though the country was as good a graz
ing country as any in the world and
the cattle there We're plentiful and the
Spanish troops drew all their meat
supplies from this source. Davis asked
If Miles knew whether Porto Rico ex-
ported any cattle The witness said
it did to the number of several thou
sand, and they We're fine cattle Recur-
ring to the expedency of feeding troops
hoof beef in Porto Rico, Miles said he
was much in favor of it. He said ma
tive beef killed at night could be very
we'll fed to the men next day
DO you think" continued Davis,
native beef would keep as we'll as re-
frigerated beef in the absence of a
cooling apparatus on shore?''
II am quite sure it would, unless re-
frigerated beef was chemically treated
with preservatives. If it was treated
so as to keep y hours after coming
from coolers, of course, it has the ad-
vantage over native beef so far as
keeping goes"
Referring to the canned roast beef as
distinguished from the refrigerator beef
Colonel Davis read portion of Cen
eral Miles war commission testimony
condemf1fng it in severe terms.
General Miles said the canned roast
beef was issued ito volunteers and regu-
lar troops alike on the transports and
IN cuba until the arrival of the refrig-
orator beef 1t was fully tested by both
the regulars and volunteers. The first
complaints of it, General Miles said, he
had heard at Tampa from some of the
rough riders, but he paid little attention
to it at that time, not realizing fully
that there had been any change from
y TJea q of, g
it aboard the Yale, when the men de-
clared they would not eat it. Again,
he heard of it in the trenches at San
tiago, but he was still largely occupied
with the campaign and he thought
nothing more of the complaints than
he would of hearing that some man
was kicking about his coffee or his
hardtack. What finally drew his atten-
tion seriously to the matter was the
reports of officers that the whole 5tn
corps was weak and prostrated. This
was in August, when the question of a
parade through New York was broach-
ed. General Bates at that time report
ed that only about one-fifth of the men
at Montauk Point were in condition to
march through New York. General
Miles said this seemed to him to be re-
as there was no yellow fever
at the point and he thought the men
certainly ought not to have the ma
aria. He made an inquiry into the
beef about which there had been so
much complaint.
Did you report this matter at the
time to the commissary generals Of
ice?' asked Colonel Davis.
General Miles leaned forward, draw
ng his brows to a furrow. and replied
eorcibly: Il am not required, sir to re-
port to the commissarE general"
We'll, did you report it to the sec
'etary OF war;" asked Colonel Davis.
General Miles, in reply, went at some
ength into an explanation of the rou-
.ine of army headquarters, showing
Why he preferred to conclude his in
luiry so that he might have something
angible to present 10 the secretary.
Colonel Davis put a number of quss-
ions as to why the commanding gen.
.ral had delayed definite action in the
'eef matter and General Mnss respond