Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-02-22

ASKED now iOnS ne was IA E'OfCO 1tcn
before be advised the department against
sending more refrigerator beef, Gen.
Miles said he had learned OF. the large
supply of native cattle soon after landing
and advised the war department the next
day after getting ashore.
The Canned Roast Beef.
Referring to the canned roast beef as
distinguished from the refrigerator beef,
Col. Davis read a portion of Gen. Miles
war commission testimony cOndemning it
III severe terms. Gen. Miles said the
canned roast beef was issued to volun-
teers and regular troops alike on the
transports and in Cuba till the arrival of
the refrigerator beef.
1t was fully tested by both the regu-
lars and volunteers The first complaints
of it, Gen. Miles said, he had heard at
Tampa from some of the Rough Riders
from San Antonio, but be paid little at
tentlon to it at the time. not realizing
fully that there had been any change
from the standard ration. He again
heard Of it aboard the Yale when the
men declared they could not eat it and
he ordered the inspector to inquire into
it. Again he heard of it in the trenches
at Santiago but he was still largely oc-
cupied with the campaign and he thought
nothing more of the complaints than he
would of hearing that some man was
tack.
What finally drew his attention seri7
OuSly to the matter was the reports of
officers that the whole Fifth corps was
weak and prostra ted. This was in Au-
gust. when the question of a parade
through New York was preached. Gen.
Bates at that time reported that only
about one-ffth of the men at Montauk
Point were III condition to march
through New York. Gen Miles said
tins seemed 20 him remarkable, as there
was no yellow fever at the point and
he thought the men certainly ought to
be over their malaria. He therefore or
dered 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 Officer
asked Col. Davis
Gen. Miles leaned forward, drawing
his brow to q rurroW, and replied force
fully:
I am not required: sir to report to the
cOmmlssary- general"
We'll, did vou report it to the secre-
tary of war; asked Col. Davis.
Gen. Miles, in reply, went at some
length into an explanation of the routine
of army headquarters. showing why he
preferred to conclude his inquiry so that
he might have something tangible to pre-
sent to the secretary.
as to why the commanding general had
delayed definite action in the beef mat
ter and Gen. Miles responded that he
had delayed, because he did not want TO
act until he had secured information
from the best reliable sources Finally
he issued his orders to officers to report
upon the quality Of beef furnished. He
did not report directly to the secretary of
war because under a rule of 1890 the
nIdn Shn Il fho Il
eral to the secretary.
His attacks upon the canned and re-
frigerated beef before the war commits
sion were then taken up specifically, Col
Davis reading the testimony Of the COM
handing general. which he referred to
as "embalmed beef and said it had
been sent as "a pretense of experiment"
Gen. Miles was asked if he knew when
the war began the canned roast beef was
a part of the army ration. This brought
a partial explanation of his using the
phrase "a pretense of experiment" He
said he did not know that canned roast
beef was part of the army ration,
though in 1888 an order had been issued
including canned cOrned or fresh beef
He did not understand the canned beef
now IN question was meant when his
attention was finally attracted to the
canned roast beef recently issued, he as
sumed, he declared, that lit was being
ISSueu as du experiment, since IL was
not understood by him that canned roast
beef was a part of the regular ration.
Continuing this explanation in answer
to Il question by Col. Davis. Gen. Miles
said he thought his use of ''pretense of
experiment was unfortunate. and he
disclaimed any intention to impute fraud
to anyone.
AS far as indicating fraud" he said,
Il wish to state that no such inference
was intended 1t was perhaps an UNI
fortunate expression and had my atten-
ton been called to it | might have
amended it to say-well, ON the theory
Of an experiment. AS a matter of fact
it was an experiment and a very costly
one"
with that disclaimer" remarked Col.
Davis, ''of course, we will pass to the
refrigerated beef
Replying to a question, Gen. N'iles said
he first heard complaints Against the
beef at Ponce. The first direct state
ment that it had been treated chemically
came, he believed, from Dr. DAILY, who
presented it late in September and ap-
peared subsequently before the war COM
mission.