The times., 1899-03-24
HnmiIinting Revelations.


HnmiIinting Revelations.
The daily revelations of the Court of En-
quiry are humiliating to the intelligent
American on many accounts. 1t is not
merely that wealthy citizens engaged in the
great enterprise OF supplying the wants
of the country as to certain provisions
should be willing to defraud the Govern
ment and rob its soldiers of their proper
food and endanger their lives through dis
eased meat; it is not only that high Off
cials of the Government, charged with the
duty of providing wholesome rations for
the nations sons who offered their lives
for its honor, should, through corruption
or neglect, permit SO great a crime to be
perpetrated, but also that body of men,
prominent in their own States and selected
by the President to discover the truth
about the scandals, should lend themselves
TO the defence of the unparalleled crimi-
mails and the recreant. perfidious officials.
That incident in the history OF this Ad-
ministration grows more shameful with
every days proceedings of the Court of
Enquiry. When the American people, be-
lieving they had been betrayed in their
generous intentions toward the gallant
soldiers in the field Indignantly demanded
an investigation of the appalling scandals
of the war, the President could not shield
his Secretary of War by ignoring the popu-
lar clamor. Our soldiers had suffered
wholly unnecessary pains and often death
through defects in the administration of
the army, defects for which no adequate
excuse could be offered. To impress the
country with the fairness OF the enquiry,
the President invited men who were widely
known and honored to serve on the Com
mission. but was met by refusal after re-
fusal to serve. At last he induced a num-
Der of men, some of them of high stand
ing, along with one or two of bad, or, at
least, doubtful reputation, to accept Those
who were first selected seemed to fear
that pressure would be brought to bear
on them to use whitewash. When the
Commission was complete. the members
whose integrity is rated the highest al
lowed themselves to be dominated and
suppressed By others who were clearly de-
termined to save the Administration from
all reproach In a day these dominating
spirits justified the title of the Alger Re-
lief Commission.
Ii was to this body of men. chosen by
the President himself to make an honest
investigation and fearless. impartial re-
port. that General Miles made his charges
that diseased and chemically treated beef
was issued TO the soldiers and produced
sickness. The leading members were in
Il 80 hot hi,
should be committed against our soldiers
who deserved so much at the country's
hands. but that such charges should be
made against rich packing firms. 1t was in
this spirit that the Alger Relief Commis-
sion made its enquiry and its report. Ev-
erybody was acquitted except General
Miles and the surgeon who supported his
statement with proofs. Now. day by day,
the truth is unfolded. showing how little
regard the Alger Relief Commission had
paid TO the instructions OF the President
TO discover and expose the facts without
favor. The pitiful subterfuge of the Com
missicn-its poor invention that DR.. Daily
had mistaken an experimental piece of
meat at Tampa for commissary beef-must
cause one to blush for men who had been
intrusted with SO grave duty and failed
so meanly.
There is now ample proof that the condi-
tions were very much worse than General
Miles charged; that the issue of diseased
and innutritious meat caused a vast
amount OF sickness; that the refrigerated
beef was chemically treated; that the Chief
of the Commissary Bureau-the recent sub
jeet of the Presidents amazing kindness
himself purchased great quantities of
beef over the head OF the Government pur-
chasing agent and in defiance of the rules,
and that the Alger Relief Commission will
fully and Intentionally closed its ears to
the truth, insulted and outraged honest
witnesses, magnified the Importance of the
negative testimony of Interested commits
sary officers and employees, and uttered
finding for which there was no warrant
in the known facts. II is enough to hu-
initiate an honest American, proud of his
country. to learn that no trust can be
placed in a commission selected by the
President for a specific purpose. The Al
ger Relief Commission has done more to
shake the confidence of the people in their
public men than any number of profess
sional politicians could In century.
However. there is still some encourage
ment when the president of Harvard Uni
yersity can say OF an American, General
Miles: "Cowardice is rare in our race.
There is. however. higher kind of cour
age, which, at the expense of calumny and
obloquy. seeks fearlessly to make known
the truth. And this is the sort of courage
that General Miles has shown during the
last four months"