The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-10

THE PRESS ON THE SHAMEFUL
BEEF REPORT.

The press of the country is almost
pnanimous i'm denouncing the finding of
the court of inquiry which stood by Al
GER. Eagan and the Beef Trust.
The Philadelphia Times heads its ell
toriol Futile Whitewash." 1t says the
country will not be content to 'let TINS
infamous conspiracy drop with Alger ana
t,orbip and the rest of them i'll full con-
troll. with Eagan unpublished, and with
the whole military poisoned from the
fountain-head with tyrannical and DIS
honest fayoritism. TO the growing stencil
of which the founess of the contract
beef was but a trifle.'
The New York Journals editorial is
headed "A Bushel of Whitewash,' and
says i'll part:
General Miles is sacrificed to the po-
litical necessities of the Mckinley admln-
istration Although he sold no beer,
shared in no contracts, and had nothing
to do with the Commissary Department,
he is censured by this remarkable court
of inquiry which pronounced the beef
sound and nutritious when it was ptlr-
chased, and charges all the decayed ana
poisonous beef up to the climate OF
Cuba
..All the embarrassing reports tlat the
friends of Mckinley might frame from
now until doomsday could not hide the
stain on Alger or wipe out the crimes
OF the Coinmissary Department. in
league with the rascally beef contrac-
tors. against our soldiers.
This report. no doubt, will give great
personal satisfaction to the President ana
his Secretary of War. 1t was planned
to do that very thing. But it will make.
no votes for Mr. Mckinley and it will
not change the verdict of the public,
w...,h is adverse to Alger, Eagan and the
Beef Trust. :
General Miles has nothing to regret.
He has done his duty fearlessly. He
has won a moral victory that cannot
be furnished by the report of Il court
organized TO save the Administration
from the consequences of its blunders. y
The New York Times calls it An
Unconvincing Report, and adds:
1T is n very shameful report, an indie
cent and disgracefu report. In some
respects, also, it is a cowardly report
Ii is altogether illogical to let Miles off
easily after finding that his serious pub
lie charges about the refrigerated beef
were unslstained. If he made up his
stories out of the whole cloth he must
have been actuated by an ignoble motive.
and the acts OF falsehood and deception
TO which that motive prompted him
n fvII mt
court honestly seeking the truth and
having the courage Of its honesty would
never have contented itself with the
miserable recommendation that nothing
further be done about the matter. Why
did not this court of inquiry report that
Miles, ought to be court martialed? That
recommendation is the natural, the inevi-
table, corollary of its findings. 1t did
not make it because, to put it plainly.
il was not actuated by the high and hon
orabe spirit of a purely military court
hut permitted itself to be controlled
both in its manner of taking testimony
and in drawing up its report. by political
and personal considerations of a grossly
improper and unworthy nature. 1t plainly
felt that its primary duty was to shield
Alger and within the limits of prudence
To crafty his spite against Miles,
The New York World calls it the ''Tn,
Beef Courts Findings" saying the re
port Twill satisfy no honest mind an,
adds:
Its findings are utterly out of ACCORD
with the facts as brought out in the al
ready published testimony. 1t is INSPIRED
from beginning to end by Il manifest!
preconceived purpose to shield Alger, wh'
permitted the wrong, to excuse Eagan
who perpetrated it, and to give an undo
served certificate of good behavior t,
the greedy and INSCRIPTIONS meat
packers who sold innutritious and nau
seating stuff to the government know
ing. as they must, its unfitness for tn,
soldiers use.
The court dismisses the embalme,
beef charge as not sustained, though TIL
testimony in its support was convincing
Ii admits but minimiZes the untitness o
the wretched messes sold to the govern
ment and issued to the troops as "canne,
roast beef" 1t gently chides Eagan 70
buying too much of an untried ration
and sharply censures General Miles am
his SubOrdinates for not reporting it
character earlier than they did. 1t OF
Tentatively acquits the packers of al
blame. and declares that the meats sur
piled by them for army use We're tn
same i'm quality as those which they Sc
TO the public-a statement which ever,
body who has read the evidence know
to be untrue.
In brief, the findings are flagrantl