The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-13
THE CASE OF GENERAL MILES.
Unfortunate that Friction Exists Be
tween Him and Alger.
Philadelphia Inquirer

1t is a matter of the sincerest regret that
the administration OF the War Depar tmeIil
in all its branches has been the oDJect OIL
so much criticism and prejudice. Ihat there
were many evils is admitted. That some OF
them could have been prevented seems prop
able. That there should nave been no crltl-
clSmS was Impossible, but that the scandals
were as great as many believe seems neon
ceiVable The truth mas been a long time
in coming out, ana IL IS not yet CIeaT eA-
actly where blame should be placed ana now
severe that cenSure should be. Tne cOnlnlS-
sion of investigation has been at work Tor
months and its report is expected IN lew
days. Most of the testimony is known, ana
1t must be said that so far 1t has talIed 10
enlighten the public on some disputed
points. . =,
in a shorter time than history has ever pc
fore recorded is abundantly demonstrated.
That much of the suffering and death from
disease was caused by ignorance, careless
ness and Willful disobedience is unquestlon-
ably true, though the death rate even Tor
times of peace was abnormaly low. That
suffering was caused by the haste with
which troops were concentrated, causing the
delivery of rations and supplies to be re-
tarded by congestion, is true Jhat the pol
lev of sudden concentration of large masses
of raw troops was a mistake is now ad-
mitted, but 1t was ordered according 10 the
best Judgment at the time.
The most serious controversy that mas
arisen, however, deals with the supplies OF
beef for the army. The use OF fresh peer
as an army ration in time or war is COM
paratively modern, and the experiment mas
not proved an entire success. 1t is obviously
difficult to supply fresh beef in tropical
regions without the most perfect refrger-
oting appliances. Some of the beef used in
Porto Rico and Cuba was undoubtedly good,
as abundant unimpeachable evidence shows.
Some of the fresh beef, as well as canned
beef, was undoubtedly bad, as proved by
evidence equally abundant and unlmpeach-
able. The chief issue now is over the
charges made by General Miles that some Of
this beef was treated with chemicals to pre-
vent putrefaction, and that these chemicals
were exceedingly deleterious to the health of
those who ate it. This charge was indig-
nantly denied by General Eagan, who made
a vulgar vituperative attack General
Miles, for which he was court-martialed
and found guilty. This. however, has not
disposed of the beef issue itself, concerning
which the evidence is contradictory, leaving
the unprejudiced mind to believe that some
of the beef was treated with chemicals, OF
"embalmed," to use the language Of General
Miles.
But the beef issue is not a single one. 1t is
mixed up with a personal controversy which
has wide ramificationS. General Eagan was
court-martialed, not for furnishing ques-
tionable beef but for using language unbe-
coming officer and a gentleman. The
iatters friends say that, regardless of the
beef issue General Miles has also acted
contrary to the rules of war to an extent
unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, in
that he has attacked army officers and Tho
War Department. He is also accused of
continuing to talk about purely military
ma tiers through the press In direct violation
of the orders of the President. It seems now
certain that an inquiry will be made into