The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-10
PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT.
War Investigating Commissions Re-
mort in McISinIex,s Hands.


hands of the President and the commission
is dissolved. All of the members Of the
commission, including the secretary, Mr..
Weightman, and the recorder, Colonel
Davis, met by appointment at the White
House at Ais o'clock this afternoon and
were at once shown into the Cabinet room,
where they were received by the President.
General Dodge, the chairman of the COM
mission, presented the rport, and on receiv-
ing it the President congratulated the COM
missioners on the completion Of their task.
Seated around the Cabinet table the mem
bers went over their work in general way,
and at the request Of the President read
portions of their report, which covered GER
tain points in which he had expressed an
interest. The conference lasted about an
hour and a half, and as the commissioners
were about to leave the President stated
that he was satisfied that each member had
done his whole duty. He himself had rem
dered them every assistance possible and
said that they would bear witness that he
had not sought to influence them in any
manner or in the slightest degree.
General Dodge, chairman of the commits
sion, left here tonight for New York Col.
Charles DENLY leaves tonight or tomorrow
for his home in Evansville Ind. and will
sail from San Francisco on the 21st inst for
the Philippines to join his associate men,
bers of the Philippine commission. General
McCook goes to Fortress Monroe to join his
family, now there. Ex-Governor Beaver
left tonight for his home in Pennsylvania.
Ex-Governor Woodbury. goes with Mrs.
Woodbury. on a trip through the South for
a few weeks. then returning to his home in
Vermont about April ]. Captain Howell
will shortly return to Georgia and Dr. Con-
Wilson will resume his duties as chief of
engineers.
The commissions report may be In the
hands of the President several days before
| being given official promulgation, to enable
full consideration of the document 1t con-
sists Of between 5000 and 65,QO0 words. The
general scope of the report was sent out
last night. Attention was called to-day to
the statement that there were only two
witnesses who made charges against the
government in the beef issue. 1t is pointed
out that there were numerous allegations
made and many attacks in the public prints,
but that when those making the attacks
and charges were called on to appear before
the commission with their statements and
under oath or otherwise substantate them
they failed either to appear or furnish proof
of what they had said. 1t is insisted that
all the men WHO ndQ maze any charges
were offered the fullest opportunity to be
heard and their statements were given full
consideration, and that every effort had
been made to probe the truth in whatever
matters had come up before their body.
The Eagan incident is passed over without
material mention, if at all, in view of Gen.
Eagans revision of the statement that he
originally made to them. The report avoids
all questions OF the strategy of the war.
| that being a matter regarded as outside the
| functions of the commission The refer
ences to General Miles commanding the
army are devoted mainly to structures on
his course with reference to the beef issue
as covered in his testimony In this con-
| nection the main point made. it is under
Stood Is as to General Nfles's failure to
take prompt action in reporting on the beef,
and, instead waiting a long period before
communicat ting the facts to the department,
and meantime with the information in his
possession and his judgment the beef
supplies made up, permitting beef he so Wig
orousiy condemned to be issued to the
army. The fact that he was the only wit
ness falling to testify on oath is referred to.
In speaking of the report to-day prom
inent member of the commission said:
THE report does not whitewash. 1t criti-
cises, but not persons or things not war
ranted by the evidence before us. We
, started out with the assumption that the
conduct of the war was all right and then
we went ahead to hear and call witnesses
who said it was not. The report represents
| the honest opinion of every member of the
commission. We were unanimous in adopt-
ing it. L say this and | am of the opp site
political faith and don't expect and don't
want anything from the administration.
Il know that every line Of the report rep
resents my, individual view, and if any mem
Der tried harder than / did TO get at and
out all the facts l have yet to see him.
There was no suppression or concealment,
and no point brought out in the evidence
was evaded or CLOSED over. We never met
before hearing a witness and agreed not to
examine him or to touch upon certain mat
ters that might turn out unfavorably.
Everything that a man knew or thought he
knew was the subject Of inquiry, and / am
satisfied when the country gets our report
in full that there will be no complaint either
as to our methods or results
1.-The President never saw a line of our re-
port before he received it officially; not a
single word. Nor in0eed las l. e e er ,alked
with any of the committee about it. He
has never in any way by word or action
or messenger eVinced a wish to have us de-
velop anything but the truth or even
touched upon the matter Of our work.
I'VE have questioned more than five hum
dred witnesses, and the majority of them
had some complaint that they wanted to re-
we have omitted to call any witness who has
been brought to our attention as having inn
portant facts to dlsciose But had we de-
could have had 5000 witnesses who could
truthfuiy testify that the conduct of the
"Of course, there were some evils, but
they were to be expected. The soldiers in
the civil war never had hospitals or medical
attendance as good as was given them in
the war with Spain. And their army ration
then was not as eatable as it is now. Most
of the food complaints came from the
militiamen from the interiors of States end
who had been allowed ~ per head for sub
sistence stores while they were in state
camps When they went into the active
fighting they expected the same sort of
thing. In questioning these men nearly all
confessed to us that they had always re-
ceived the army ration. They had no right
to expect any more l could tell some very
many complaints brought to us that on their
face were foolish and false, but we vent to
every trouble and expense to inquire into
every genuine charge"