The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-26
NOT A TIT RATION
GOV. ROOSEVELT THEORETICALLY
DENOUNCES CANNED ROAST
BEEF FOR SOLDIERS
UNBEATABLE, UNWHOLESOME
At IFS Rest the Governor PrOnounc-
ed the Beef UnpaIatabie - HAD
Heard of the SO-CaIled 'EmbaIn-
In. Process''-Wa at First In
clined to Believe That Volunteers
Were Over Particular.


NEW YORK, March %. - The army
court of inquiry, investigating the
charges made by Gen. Miles that the
beef furnished the soldiers in the Cuban
and Porto Rican campaigns was unnt
for use. convened in this city today. Be-
fore the hearing began. Maj. Lee said ne
believed GOV. Roosevelt would be the
only witness heard here. The court Is
expected to adjourn to Governors island
TO hear the testimony of officers OF the
Thirteenth infantry stationed there. Any
other witnesses will probably be called TO
WASHINGTON. where the court sits again
on Monday.
Upon his arrival. Gov. Roosevelt shook
hands with several members of the court
ana then took the stand, after Col. Davis
had administered the oath. The governor
described the organization of the rough
riders at San Antonio, Tex, and told
of the issuance of rations.
when was the first complaint you
heard of the rations?" asked Col. Da-
Wis.
May I answer that my own way?'
asked the governor.
Certainly"
''Well. it was aboard ship at Tampa.
1 saw a mani think his name was Ash.
I know he came from Kentucky-throw-
ing away a can of the so-called roast
beef l asked what was the matter, and
he said he could not eat it. l told him not
to be a baby and that he did not VOlun-
teer for a good time. l thought no more
of the matter until l heard that COM
plants We're being made on all sides.
Then | made inquiries, and was told
that the roast beef was part of the reg
ular ration, and that only the volun-
teers were complaining. 1 spoke to Col.
Wood about ii, and said it was the
regular ration. l ate a mouthful or two
myself, but I did not like it. 1 could
not eat it."
Could you not eat it when served with
onions or potatoes?'
L think at that time I could have eat
en- my hat if l could have had onions
or potatoes. The men would have eaten
anything with fresh vegetables. They
stewed the meat with mangoes and ate
il. Some of the men seemed to eat the
meat without difficulty or distress, but it
was not suitable for sick or half-sick
men"
REFRIGERATED BEEF A RELIEF.
Gov. Roosevelt told at length of his
attempts to get supplies in Cuba. He
repeated the statements he made to the
army investigating commission as to his
attempts to organize a transportation
train TO bring supplies to his men from
Siboney.
when did you begin receiving refrig-
orator beef?" asked Col Davis.
About July %, when ashore about a
month"
Were the supplies regular?"
Some times. We received them about
noon"
What was their condition when you
received them?"
Their condition as a rule was good.
The outside was sometimes bad. but 1t
seemed awfully good to u.s."
What was the proportion that was
bad?"
I can't exactly say, but I doubt If
there were more than two or three issues
when the larger portion was bad
Had you reason to believe the refriger-
ator beef was treated with chemicals be-
fore you received it?"
y never thought about it until L re-
turned home. The meat seemed good to
us. We ate it and enjoyed it. 1t did I'M
doubtedly give the men diarrhoea."
Did you hear any complaint?'
We'll, I heard that some of the officers
aE& men thought there was something
wrong with the meat, but 1 have known
meat, if kept a few days, on a hunting
trip, to have a like effect. None of us
was in very good health, and it took less
to upset US than 1t would have had at
another time"
Did you attribute their ill-heaIth to
the rations?" asked Col Davis.
ITO certain extent, / suppose, yes
When we left Cuba less tsan 20 per cent
of the brigade was fit for active service"
What was issued the men on their
voyage home as a travel ration?'
The canned roast beef"
HOPELESsLY UNACCEPTABLE.
ITO what extent was it acceptable?"
1T was utterly and hopelessly unac-
ceptable."
Was any of it eaten?''
Some OF it was. but it could not be
eaten by the half-sick, and the men did
not like it,"
Maj. Lee was about to ask a question
when the governor interrupted to say he
wished to speak of the talk of the "em-
balmed beef"
when we left Tampa" he said, two or
three quarters of beef were put aboard our
ship. l was told to put it in the shade.
I under stood it was specially treated for
the tropics. 1t did not last, and board
of investigation decided to throw it over
board"
Can you remember the brands or la
of, either that issued In Cuba or at Mon
tauk?" asked Maj Lee.
7 do not think 1 can. Some were
Swifts and some Armour's, l believe"
Gov. Roosevelt said he had submitted
reports regarding the rations through the
regular army channels in July, and again
on Sept. 10. These reports We're omitted
from the published records of the war
department, but were to be printed, so
he said in the next report"
Maj. Lee applied to the court to order a
copy of Gov. Roosevelts report, and to
have it be made a part of the minutes of
the proceedings.
Ger, Wade ruled in compliance with the
motion, and Gov Roosevelt said that
there were some supplementary reports to
the report of Sept. 10, which he consid-
cred very important.
They include" he said, 1.-The state
ments of two captains. four lieutenants,
a surgeon and Capt. Brown, of the regu-
lar service"
''TNill you tell u.s. asked Mai. Lee
what in your opinion, is the value Of
the canned roast beef issued at Cuba and
elsewhere, as an army ration?"
Il wish to say unhesitatingly that it
was utterly unfit and unwholesome for
troops My experience proves beyond a
shadow of doubt or question that at its
best the canned roast beef was unpala-
table. and at its worst it was UNBEATABLE
and unwholesome"
No one had any further questions to
ask the governor, and the hearing was
closed. The court adjourned to Cover
nor's island.
Eugene McAlexander, of the quarter
masters department, who was on Gen.
H0W'S THiS7