The evening times., 1899-05-08
BEEF COURTS REPORT
Causes MUCH GOSSIP
Many Army officers Dissatis'
fled With Its Findings.
Commanding General Believed TO
Have Been Unfairly Treated.
Meat Controversy Regarded as End
ed-No Changes Expected In the
department. star.


quiry were the subject of a great deal OF
gossip at the War Department today. The
comment upon the report was varied. and.
although only one officer would be quoted
many Of them talked freely in confidence,
showing that most of the officers directly
involved hold the findings to be generally
unsatisfactory.
The report as a whole Is regarded as
compromise. Secretary Alger. who was at
his desk in the Department today, refused
to discuss the report for publication. but
intimated that he was satisfied with its
findings When questioned closely. he in
timated that he considered the report un-
complimentary to General Miles, and that
the simple fact that the Commanding Cen
eral had been referred to in the report in
such manner was an indication tnat the
charges preferred by him were without
foundation.
Although this view is taken at the Office
of the Secretary officers at General Miles
headquarters professed indifference at the
shafts directed at the Commanding Cen
eral. 1t was obvious, however that Cen
eral Miles friends were not satisfied with
the manner in which he had been treated
by the Court and that they thought its
censure was entirely unwarranted.
AT the Commissary Department there
was general dissatisfaction expressed. AL
though the censure directed at General Ea-
gan was not surprising the unfavorable
reference to General Weston, Eagan's sue
cessor, was not expected by officers in the
bureau. The report condemned General
Weston for having recommended the can
ned roast beef as component ration, but.
according TO Colonel Weston, his position
on this subject was not properly under
stood. 1T is true that l recommended the
use of canned roast beef" said General
Weston today. but at the same time |
recommended that the beef should be used
in conjunction with various vegetables fur
nshed the army" 1t is held at the Com
missary Department that General Weston's
recommendations were not carried cut, and
that, therefore, he is not entirely to blame.
Adjutant General Corbin refused to talk
about the report.
The findings of the Wade Court will put
an end to the beef controversy. While
General Miles is apparently dissatisfied
with the results thus far attained, he rec
ognizes the utter futility of pursuing his
agitation further. being thoroughly con-
WINGED that nothing can be accomplished
by reitsrating his charges.
In view Of the fact, also, that the Presi-
dent approved the recommendations of the
he would not feel justified in prolonging
the controversy. There was consequently
a feeling OF relief ct the department today
over the situation. and officers generally
are glad that the subject has ceased to be
matter of official investigation. OF
course there will he no changes in the
personnel of the War Department staff as
a result of the findings of the Court. and
the talk that General Miles is 70 be forced
n hp lpI h,. nj
General Merritt is entirely discredlted both
at the Commanding Generals headquarters
and at other bureaus of the department.
There was considerable discussion at the
Department regarding the probable atti-
tude which Inspector General Mans, of
General Miles staff, will assume. 1t will
be recalled that Naus was not allowed to
testify before the Court. that body .imp!y
calling upon him for written statement
on the subject Il is generally conceded
that he has the privilege of asking fer
another court Of enquiry to take his tes-
timony in person, but it is highly improb-
bic that he will do so.
General Miles. when seen today declin-
ed TO discuss the report. for publication.
Several inconsistencies in the report have
been pointed out by the friends of General
Miles. 1t is cited that the Court finds
that General Miles erred when he alleged
that the canned roast beef was supplied
10 the army in vast quantities under the
pretense of experiment" and yet in an
other paragraph the Court condemns the
Commssary General of Subsistence for
having made enormous purchases of
practically untried and unknown articles
OF food General Miles friends contend
that 1t was an experiment TO send to the
army IAN untried and unknown article
of issue.
The Court censures General Miles for
not having sooner acquainted the Secre-
tary of War with his suspicious that the
beef was chemically treated. and then pro-
ceeds to find that his suspicious were with
out foundation.
1t is maintained that in making I'D the
findings the Court selected certain parts of
the evidence and did not base its report on
the whole evidence