The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-10
GENERAL MILES DOW NED
Report Of War Commis' ion FINDS the
Army Beef .timony Of Miles
aud DAILY Discre'A ited-The General
severely Criuc' .ed-DaIy,s Testimony
Pronounce .sot worthy of Credencc

Washing ON, February S.-The war
investp, ating commission has now COM
pletrd its labors and its report will bc
n the hands of the president tomor-
row. 1t is a voluminous document OF
$50 printed pages.
The report makes an important fea-
ture OF the beef issue and dismisses as
a general proposition the charges that
have been made against the beef fur
nished the army. Ii finds, II is under
stood, hat most of the beef was sucn
as could be properly furnished as an
ration, pointing out that
the evidence shows IL never was in
ended to be anything else but an
emergency ration. 1t say there were
only two witnesses who really testified
against the beef-General Miles, and
Major DAILY, the chief surgeon, VINO
made the report regarded as the most
sensational, forwarded TO the commits
sion by General Miles.
AS to the testimony Of these two Wit
nesses, the commission. ii is under
stood, goes on TO point out the mass
of evidence submitted to the contrary
rs off-setting this testimony. AS 10
such Of the canned beef as was found
to be Objectionable the commission
points out the effect of the tropical eli
mate in producing liquefaction Of the
fat in the meat and the consequent
rendering Of the contents ~unpalatable.
Most of he beef, though, is found to
nave been satisfactory for emergerGy
use, where fresh beef or beef on the
hoof could not be procured. ~
The structures Of General Miles. i50oY
publicly On the beef, and his public
expressions in other ways, ii is under
stood, are subjected to a severe criti-
cism. The methods and Of load
ing the transports in General Skaters
Cuban expedition are also discussed
and responsibility placed for the re-
suits.
The report finds that the statements
of the chemical treatment made by
General Miles on the authority~OT Ma
jor DAILY are not borne out by the
chemical experts, who were also placed
or the stand. 1t quotes from Major
Days testimony and then takes up
the testimony of Chemist Clarke, OF
the geological survey. and Bigelow, Of
the agricultural department., who ex-
amined analysis OF the beef submit
ted and find that as chemical experts,
Major DAILY is not supported by other
chemical authorities and that there
fore, his testimony Is regarded as not
worthy Of credence.
There are also said to be some rec
concentrations as to the organization
of certain branches OF the army, but,
it Is stated, the recommendations are
not radical.
AS to the administration and con-
duct Of the war, the conclusions of the
commission are understood to be that
everything possible was done by the
department in the limited time that IL
had at its command in making its
preparations for the war, and the re-
port says that h conduct of the war
not only worked out in the end sue
cessfully, but in UGH a way as TO be
worthy Of great commentator.
The report says that the evidence be-
fore the commission shows that Secre-
tary Alger exercised proper diligence
and supervision and that his sublA-
mates also were efficient, experie
and faithful.
The commission Is a unit on it's re-
port, and there Is no minority report.
At the outset, the commission divid-
ed itself in subcommittee for sepa-
rate consideration OF designated
branches OF the main subject Of IN
quiry. These s~ub-reports will be added
to the principal statement Of conclu-
sions handed to h chief executive.