The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-28


In the hwsef time II my disposal since the
oppeiunion Of the testfmOuyl 0nd u fmp0s-
o1bas 70 attempt . review Of the sstdenes
0ttch has besn presented during thu pre-
1oAGsd stttinga Of the court. ! must, there
1sse. content myself With . brief sfatAnenf
q the salient points ~ they ran ~ re-
on3ted. In whatever rensarks may mAks
wish 81 the outset to Aiscia.m any inten-
s1on 20 rs4sct b any personal sense upon
my one. however high or lcW. VINO hes
beeu referred 10 In connection with the
oubJect matter Of this inquiry.
may be permitted 10 remark that
1--we not appeared. nor do appear, In a1y
techntcai sense - the counsel Of the major
oon4raI commanding the army. II. - has
hesn. and ies ~ hope srroneousiy. nain-
t1lued By some that the inquiry under the
oe6or convening this court was ~ much
1or the purpose Of investigating implied
accusation or tmputAfton against the major
oenesai commanding for entertaining the
o0nplaInts and representations Of his ON
oesn and soldiers - 70 tmproper food. ~ to
lmvestlgAte their inertia. then the role Of
oounsel might be appropriate. But The
oogrospoudeuce between the court ana the
0ajor general commanding shows quite
cIeaxiy the extent to which he has been
Sopresented bsfore this cOuft-the purpose
bs1ng TO present ard elicit evidences par
tluenf 70 tho inquiry. His allegations are
saints brought to his 0flcial knowlsdge By
ne eABcers and men Of the army who par
tjelpated - active service during the re-
cent war. These allegations. baaed on .
fuj1 belief In the corssctnsss of said repre-
sensations. are found In substance In his
relate specifically 10 certain meat supplies
which are believed to have been unsuitable
Tor tssue and dsietertous 70 the health Of
thD soldiers.
A1DA9eA HsWsDADer lnte1vaowo.
r. ID not deemed necessary 70 60 into
1etnils Of csrtain newspaper interviews. ~
shey. even wherever Substantially correct.
adj nothing 10 the facts TO be inquired
Into. and where Incorrect have tendency
20 raise an Issue which can hardly b
loomed worthy Of serious consideration.
might say. however, VITA refersnce 70
TIE alleged interviews ~ tasfifed to before
your court By Nessrs. Reid and Berry. re-
pogtofA that from their own testimony IL
appears that Gen. Miles persistentiy de-
e1tned % talk on the subject or give an
lmtefvjsW "a anybody. and said be swAa
<quoting from Mr.. Reds tsstimOny) most
1fooly quoted without authority from me
~ without any uttsrance on my part II
haa bean q source OF great annoyance 70
0s." And. quoting further from Mr..
0eld's testimony: II tuen Niles) most
positively decline 10 make any statement
b regard 20 the matter" What they may
have made up from running conversation.
had In the corridor Of The hotel while Gen.
Miles waa on his way TO keep an engage
nsns d not deemed worthy Of any further
notice. With reference 60 the Herald In
terview. which. / believe. IL before your
court. u u only necessary to quote extracts
iron = letter received by Gen. Mica from
NJ. Meeker. who admits beinE the chief
author Of that composite report. ~ fol
lews:
.ps.r General: Nc" isri Is r viev : y Ut Inc
hen IS. On reaching tie ofics
~ sAs .sr :ssns nov ssssa Sss
lAen sent 70 al the papar2 They
kad cent man % see you. / said there
81 .soas 's 4. Tn h :sy s saS
snrsss Y up . ntils.' and did.
ean swear that you gave no interview:
you GAIA you had no statement to make.
'.ssE' AZ. M..s.r. New Yor. ner.lay.
This. with the testimony Of the other two
journalists. clearly shows that Cen Miles
repeatedly and pozitiyely declined To be In
terviewed.
Duty - Major General Commanding.
I would not attempt risk offending tho
lntelligence Of this court by attempting to
0liate on the paramount duty OF the major
general commanding the army 20 cause
careful. thorough and painstakinx invcsti-
cation Of the complaints which hAd been
brought 10 his attention By those who
knew the facts. by those who had suffered
from the evils OF a new departure. m I'M
tried experiment with the meat ration Ter
troops In campaign. For any one 10 as
eume or maintain that II was rot the
bounden duty Of the major general COM
h. 70 4Ns Sesssa hfND
inquiry into these matters would be as alb
surd ~ to claim that = captala should not
command his company . colonel his rsgt-
uaent or . general his army.
Let IN recall few matters Of history
with respect to thar superb little army
which embarked from Tampa for the In
vasiou Of Cuba last June and wen upper
tshabie renown for their indy nd and col
lectivs fshttnx qualities They endured
ana suffered all things without complain.
or murmuv, In Less than nine weeks that
army. or the remaining part of II. WAS re-
turaed Go the Cnfssd Sfasss to the se-calied
haven Of Montsuk. q pstishie wreck I'm body
aad mind: and u il believed the statement
cannot today be successfully cunsroverted
thar not less than one.haif 81 those gallant
men are either dead or permanently dis
abied-sna this. TOO. among seasoned regu-
lars and volunteers wssa were tn that cam.
patgn frosn start 20 finish
what Caused the ratnfal Ressls.
Nov. the question arlxaS. what cause
contributed 30 this painful result. = result
which seems 70 have aroused the sngsigna-
ticn ard sympathy Of the entiyr sa,ion.
No one claims that any enc article Of feed
Wax the sole ~ tails sal condition,
but we think II cannos he denied from the
overwhelming ovtdenee-she ev dence Of
men who were On the fighting line. ami
who know whereof they spose--Iaat if ins-
proper. unsuitable or .nsasissen. food was
f6rnishcsl. then. under tho conditions ~x-
isting. Increased sickness woaid naturally
b cABsed and ~ severity Intensified. The
overwhelming evidence nf. zee believe, rot
lees than - per cent. Of ske Officers ard
fully - Per cent % TIE mea. II net more.
shows beyond reasonable aaaas that sas
eccAi,ed esnnet roast eswf n sasat ra-
tian WAS all thai * saonsd ret have been
and nothing that Il sheald have bern for
thu American soldier Who was foe human
ity's sake p<rsisns hts lsfe IN = sssrta elIms
In the Interest ~ an osspr~es~a people.
We neither aisexe nor charge THAI thsre
waa aay intent or sessxn "a the rars 81
any cfseer ct the army - furnish bad %