The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-14
STENCIL OF THE BEEF
Governor Roosevelt Said T
Couldn't Be Eaten.
EAGAN'SLETTER RETURNED
The Board Considers the Language an
Affront to Itself-Dscussed by the
Cabinet-Miles Suggests That
Soldiers Be Called,


abatement in the interest exhibited
here to-day in all the incidents con-
nected with the bitter attack made
yesterday by Commissary General Eas-
an upon General Nelson A. Miles. As
might have been expected a matter of
this official consequence was sure to
attract the attention of the president,
and in consequence a greater part of
the session of the cabinet to-day was
given to its consideration The princi-
pals in the case, General Miles and
General Eagan, contributed little dur
ing the day to the controversy, but the
war commission to-day acted promptly
to redress the effront put upon the
board itself as the members regarded
1t, contained in; the decisive language
used by General Eagan. Their letter
returning this latter statement did not
indicate positively whether or not they
would receive it as evidence, even
though the Objectionable language was
exc1sed, nor did General Eagan Linn
selfsgive any sign of any intention on
his part to avail himself of the offer
made by the board His friends did
not hesitate to intimate that he would
expunge the Objectionable language,
but he would not say anything for him
self, and any intimation on that score
must be obtained from the board it.
self.
The war department officials are not
yet clear as to what would be the effect
OF withdrawal or modficatin of the
statements. One element holds that
officially the record failing to show that
any objectionable language had been
used, there would be no legal otfenHe.
Another takes the view that while the
amendment of the statements would
mitigate General Eagan's olfense 1t
would not wipeait out. Another aspect
of the case is the bringing forward
of the plea ef@exemption which was
guaranteed in tSsl name of the pres-
dent to all witnesses before the board
from what they might say, but again
the officials were divided and this was
also true of the members of the cabinet
as to whether the exemption could be
claimed in this particular case. Mean
while, General Miles is apparently
waiting for the war department to act,
taking the position that it is incum-
bent upon it and the war commission
to protect the army from such at
tacks.
In the excitement created by this in
cident, the issue before the commits
sion, the quality of the army beef, was
well nigh lost sight Of There are, how
ever two piquant additions to that part
of the proceedings, one consisting CT
the testimony of General Wood to tEe
effect that no one who amounted to
had made any complaint as
to the rations, and the other from The
odore Roosevelt making a very severe
regarding the beef.
The war investigation commission to-
day passed q resolution in censure of
General Eagan for the language he used
yesterday when he appeared to answer
the charges made against the commits
sary branch of the army by Miles, and
returned to him the carefully prepared
typewriter statement which he left
with the commission after reading it to
that body. Following is the text Of
the letter ordered by the war inquiry
to be sent to General
Eagan:
I'VE respectfully inform you that
after your testimony was read yester-
day the following resolution was unani-
rnously passed:
" Moved that the commission receive
General Eagan's testimony without
that it not be printed at once,
but held for the consideration of the
Carried.'
Having now considered the question
involved, we have determined that in
many instances the vituperative Ian
guage used by you was not such as
ought to have been addressed as a wit
ness to this board. We think the ser
sOnal attacks and Irrelevant statements
in the papers submitted
should be eliminated and before re-
ceiving it as testimony we require that
you revise the language if you choose
to resubmit it for our considera ton.
We herewith return your letter."
Brigadier General Leonard A. Wood
was the star witness before the war in
commission to-day. He
praised the quality of the much-talked-
Of beef furnished the army and said
except for some cans that We're tainted
and consequently promptly thrown
away the beef was of good quality, and
ne himself had used the meat both in
the war and in his own family.
General Wood thought every man in
Ills command if necessary to the gov
arnment, would volunteer his services
again. No amount of preparation, in
addition to that which had been made, |
le said, would have brought about any
difference in the amount of sickness
among the army of invasion. The diff |
army were almost insurmountahle and |
he occasion of shortage was readily ac-
counted for. The roads We're almost i'm |
oassable As to the war generally, he |
lad seen far greater hardships in In |
lian campaigns in the West. AS to the !
oeef. he had never noticed anything |
oad and said the great trouble was the |
ignorance and superstition of the men. |
The average soldier, he asserted, does |
lot regard matured meat with any ia |
for AS to the refrigerated beef used |
Turing the campaign, he explained that |
t was gotten in tremendously hot /
weather. The beef was unloaded in |
good condition, was taken out of the /
'efrigerators aboard at night. owing |
o the cold air then, was gotten ashore |
~ daybreak. Meantime there would |
pc a shower. followed by the sun COM
ng out in intense force, and by the |
ime it reached the camp it would be |
about O'Clock in the afternoon If |
saten that night it would be all right. |
The United States forces at Santiago |
lad unlimited rations and the Spaniards |
eft the city full of food. The popular |