Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-02-16

1
was ample, and the inspectors made
reports to the commanding officers, to
whom they had been assigned. Those
reports were often not acted upon and
were not forwarded to the war depart
ment."
FOOD SUPPLY GENERALLY GOOD
General Miles bad Beef Charges
| Not Substantiatcd.
The commission has carefully in
vestigated the subject of the condi-
ton, quality and quantity of the food
supplies to the army. Almost with
out exception it has been shown by
the testimony taken that wherever tho
troops were ordered, whether TO the
various cnmps In the United States or
in Puerto RIGA, Cuba and Manila, the
rations prescribed by law were on iiic
transports and at the camps with the
soldiers.
SO far as we have been tible to as
certain there was but one occasion,
that OF day, in front of Santiago,
when the troops We're. seriously short
of rations; these had been supplied
but thrown aside when the men went
into action. The condition of roads
and lack of transportation prevented
prompt issue. At times the vegetable
ration was not of good quality the po-
tatoes and onions being spoiled. Con-
demned by boara Of survey. such
vegetables We're destroyed and an
equivalent part of the ration issued.
Some trouble occurred because SUCH
vegetables and other damaged food
were disposed of by the company
without the warrant of board of sur
vey. This was done through igno-
rance. their officers not knowing what
was necessary to be done.
"This commission was organized the
Gath day of September last. Up to
the 21st day Of December it's members
had taken testimony in seventeen diff
ferent towns and cities and nine
camps. 1t had also received many
hundred letters, communications and
newspaper clippings from persons liv-
ing in all parts of the country. Ex-
aminations of numerous officers and
enlisted men had been made as to the
quality and condition of meat issued
to the troops. The testimony, with
some exceptions, showed that the re-
frigerated beef issued was pure, sound
and wholesome.
General Miles Testimony.
"On the 21st day of December last
Major General Nelson A. Miles, upon
the written request of the president of
this commission, appeared before it.
lie refused to be sworn, as all other
witnesses had been except one. who
affirmed, stating that he would make
his statements without being sworn,
and was responsible for what he said.
He proceeded, and for the first time in
the history of this investigation the al
legation was made that refrigerated
beef issued to the troops had been
chemically treated.
s'In the statement revised by himself
General Miles said:
""There was sent to Puerto Rico 337
tons of what is known as socalled re-
frigerated beef, which you might call
embalmed beef
He proceeded to read communica-
ton from DR.. w. II. DAILY, major and
chief surgeon United States volun-
teers, on his staff, bearing date of Sep
TENDER 81, 1893, wherein DIR. DAILY
stated that:
In the several inspections made
in the various camps and troop ships
Mt Tampa, Jacksonville, Chickamauga
and Puerto Rico, / found the fresh beef
to be apparently preserved with secret
chemicals which destroy it's natural
flavor, and which / also believe to be
detrimental to the health; of the
troops
although DIR. DAILY swears that he
informed General Miles about the list
of August, 1898, that he suspected that
the refrigerated beef was chemically
treated, it does not appear that the
general informed the war depart
ment that an officer of his staff had
made this discovery, nor does it appear
that he at the time ordered any OF the
officers under his command to probe
to the bottom an allegation which, if
true, concerned the health of 275,000
soldiers of the United States.
DIR. Days Report.
ut appears from the report of DR..
DAILY, which was handed to General
Miles October 81 last, that he then
specifically stated that the refriger-
ated beef furnished to the troops was
apparently chemically treated 1t
does not appear that when this charge
was made, October 81, 1t having been
already made to him in August, 1898,
that General Miles communicated to
you or the secretary of war or to the
commissary general the belief or sus-
picion entertained by him that re-
frigerated meat, dangerous to health,
was issued every day to the troops.
in failure to do which there was dere-
LECTION of duty. 1t is true that OH Sep
TENDER 20 he had directed that an or
der should be issued asking for re-
ports relative to meats issued, but the
order specifically mentions canned
fresh roast beef and nothing else,
and it was reports received in answer
to this that were placed i'll abstract
by the general at the time of his APP
pearance before the commission and
since.
In his report DIR. Daily does not
make the all important statement that
he had already chemically analysed
any meat, although he suggests that
such analysis should be made. He
does not say that in the several inspec-
tlons made by him at Tampa, Jackson
vile, Chickamauga and Puerto Rico he
found the fresh beef to be apparently
preserved with secret chemicals He
said that at Ponce the beef he exam
ined was also of the same character,
being apparently preserved by inject
ed chemicals
For months as it appears, DIR. DAILY
concealed the commission Of "a crime