Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1899-02-16
NILES. WAS AT FAULT.
The War-Board critieises the Com
handing General.
Declares His Story of Embalmed Beef
without Found a and! Cen
sures Him !, in a Mild Way-An ss
!, Outline of its Findings, -, z

Washington, Feb. 13.-The report
submitted to the presid ent last Wednes-s
DAY by the commission appointed by,
MN to j Investigate the conduct Of the
war Department. in the war WITH spain
was made public Sunday. 4Fhesreport
IS unanimous one, all the. members
OF the commission having Signed tex
cept Col. Sexton, whose death occurred
February 4 = The report isa.Eolu4mnous
document, containing about. $4,000
words, and an official abstract, prepared
by the secretary Of the commission, was
furnished to the press fol: its CON
venience. $3.50 :. ''>f ""@- "a ::f NJ
The abstract. after speaking of2tse or
ana IN q e thf commissi9n September
furnish the; American people with the do
lngs OF the body, says that among the first
acts OF the commission was to request the
war department to transmit all the com.
paints RECEIVED BY them touching the adj
M mT1ln!istration Of their respective bureaus.
and from that time forth all Complaints
were forwarded to the commission imme-
pa atey on their reeeipt at the de-
the press, invited all persons having knowl--
edge or belief of any official wrong or dere-
ing. accompanied by such collateral proof
or inform alton as might be at their dis
posal: This invitation met with liberal
requesteda to direct, the: various chiefs of
department under. him tosfurnish the COM
mission with a statement of the condi='
the outbreak of the war and the operations
OF the same during the period of hostilities.
Scope of the Inquiry.
This communications ecited in detail the
subjects on which information was de-
c9mRrsmg acts toHchng the
the amount and kind of camp and garri-
son equlpage on hand at the beginning of
the war, the amount subsequently pur-
chased, similar information with regard
to furnishing the troops with arms and &C
coutrements, information as to which of
equipped in the various state camps, how.
the location of the camp of general rendez-
Xous was determined, full particulars as to
the quantity, quality and kind of food fur
nished, informa tionfasto the tentage, beds,
linen, medicines and all other 'necessarie
staff was efficient, and as to the conditions
and operations of the engineer and ord
nance departments.
No Evidence of Dish = y
''It may be said now, at the beginning of
this report, that there has been no evil
dence before us that anyone in or connect
ed with the war department has dishon-
persistent efforts to secure the attendance
of persons to whose names run1or had'at->
tached an allegation that they knew of cor
but these men have, either denied the state
mertsH attributed to them or have main
tain tained T. silence when invited to tell what
Before proceeding to specific descrip-
ton Of the conduct and management of the
gestions touching certain matters which
came under consideration as logical con-
sequence of the inquiry pursued by the
ident be authorized to call into active serv-
ice in time of war all retired officers of the
army. In the matter of regimental Off
teer commands ofticered by men of mill
tary experience and training Jared much
better than those otticered by. amateurs:
for, enjoyed better health and were better
fed and clothed. The commission recon-
o the ST ait ocers
pointed to the army, regular or volunteer.
The establishment Of schools of instruc-
ton for inexperienced officers taken from
civilian life to meet the emergency created
by the war is highly commended.
Conditions at Opening of the War.
The report now proceeds to take up the
sIfsct Is in their r rder
1898, the strength Of the army was 8, 143 Off
GERS and 26,040 enlisted men, total of 28,-
d 5S wdr A With the bng 90 M Of sRap
volunteers had been clustered into the
service In T. August ~ 1895, the regular army
PA, total of 1863 500. These, figures of them
selves indicate that an immense work was
thrown upon the war department. After
% W the er a Pnn aid nof srf men,
it suddenly became necessary to arm
clothe, feed and equip more than 100000.
n All IN sn feperf
The sudden emergency which called our
people to arms after an interval of half q
was met by the war departme nt with ear.
nestness and energy. Y The situation found
the country unprepared with any large
plies and equipments. That they. Were duly
provided, and that the numerous demands
SO promptly, will remain one of the mar
vels of history" ~ n
one Lesson Taught.
"A Recommendation looking to"the future
then follows: "One of the lessons taught
after be in better state of preparation for
war. Suggestions have been made that
Supplies of al the "a aat not abe
to be continuously issued and renewed, so
that in any emergency they might be avail
with such Supplies which cannot be rapidly
in open market"
A Significant Suggestion.
Perhaps the, most significant autterance
in the Wh9e SO far r.
comes next. It says that for many years
the divided authority and responsibility in
thes,war department has produced friction,
for which, in the interest of the service, a.
remedy, if possible, should be applied. The
makes the president the com
in chief Of the army, and he can
person. The president selects his secre-
ttary of war, who has his confidence, and
general is assigned to duty as
such by the president After quoting the
duties of the Commanding general, the
report says: 1.-THE preside nt must have
the same power of selection of his general
IN chief as he has of his secretary of war;
this there can be no guaranty that
viii place in the general in chief that con-
fidence which is necessary, to perfect har-
mony Neither the Presi e en- IN nor the sec