The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-09
VAR BOARDS REPORT
To be Placed in the Presi-
dents Hands Today,
GENERAL MILES REBUKED
Forecasts Vary as to What
AIger Gets Out of 1t.

! Washington, Feb. s.-The war investigat-
/ ing commiss->n has now completed its
| labors and its report will be in the hands
| OF the president tomorrow. The comm-s-
sion held session today that extended
well into the afternoon, ging over details
Tomorrow the members of the commits
sion will meet at their old Office formally
| attach their signatures to the original
document and proceed in a body TO the
executive mansion TO inform me president
that they have completed their mission.
and present th9ir report. The commission
| VIII then cease to exist. The commissions
quarters viii be vacated immediately and
VIII be taken possession of by General
kennedy and Major Watkins who hold
the newly created offices of advisers to the
war department on colonial affairs. The
report OF the war commission is a volumin.
Gus document of 80 printed pages. Each
member has been provided a printed copy
TO retain. and arrangements have been
made so that the president will have as
many printed copies a she wishes when he
makes the document public.
The report makes an important feature
| OF the beef issue and dismisses as A GEN
eraI proposition the charges that have been
! made against the beef furnished the army.
II hnds. it is understood, that most of the
beef was such as could be furnished ss an
emergency ration, pointing out that the
evidence showed 1t never was intended to
be anything but an emergency ration. II
says there were only two witnesses who
really testified against the beef. General
q nd fos
VINO made the report regarded as the most
sensational forwarded to the commission
oy General Miles. As to the testimony of
theese two witnesses, the commission. II
understood. goes on TO point out the
mass of evidence submitted to the con-
trary as ohsetting this testimony. As to
such Of the canned beef as was found to
be Objectionable the commission points out
the effect of the tropical climate in pro-
ducing Hquefaction of the fat in the meat
and the consequent rendering of the con-
tents. Most Of the beef, though. is found
to have been satisfactory for emergency
use, where fresh beef on the hoof could not
be procured. The structures of General
Miles made public on the beef. and his
public expressions in other WAYS. il is I'M
derstood, are subjected to a severe critf-
clsm. The methods and manner of load
ing the transports in General Skaters
cuban expedition are also discussed and
responsibility placed for the results The
report finds that the statements of chemi-
cal treatment made by General Miles on
the authority of Major Daily. are not borne
out by the chemical experts who were also
placed on the stand. 1t quotes from Major
testimony of Chemists Clarke and Rige-
low, who examined and analysed the beef
submitted and found as chemical experts
that Major DAILY is not supported by other
chemical authorities and that therefore his
testimony is regarded as not worthy of
credence
There are also said TO be some recon-
mendations as to organization of certain
branches Of the army but. II is stated. the
recommendations are not radical.
As to the administration and conduct
Of the war, the conclusions are understood
to be that everything possible was done
by the department in the limited time II
had a its command in making it's prepa-
rations for the war and the report saws
that the conduct of the war not only work
ed out successfully. but in such way as
to be worthy Of great commentator. The
report says that the evidence before the
commission shows that Secretary Alser
exercised proper diligence and supervision
and that his subordinates also were ef-
ficient. experienced and faithful The
commission Is a unit on its report and
there is no minority report. At the out
set the commission divided itself into sub
committee for the separate consideration
of designated branches Of the main sub
ject of inquiry. The sub-reports will be
added 10 the principal statement OF con-
clusions.
DIFFERENT AS TO ALGER.
New York, Feb. s-A dispatch to the
Herald from Washington says: president
Mckinley will receive today or Thursday
the war investigation commissions report
on the conduct Of the war. The commits
sion has directly criticised the secretary
Of war for lack of frmness IN his admin
istration of the war department. No
specific Illustration of the Secretarv'e weak
ness Is given by the commission. bur
through its reports the evidences OF this
fault Of the secretary will be found. par
ticularly in the matter Of his relations
with Major General Miles The commits
sion has determined not 10 dwell upon
matters Of strategy. and for this reason
has left out all reference 70 the action OF
General Miles n going 70 Santiago. OF the
secretary's permission for him 10 do 60.
and Of his dispatch 20 General Shafter
that he was net 70 be supplan.ed in MS
command by the major general command
ing Il win be found that General Niles
* severely criticised and the president
viii find ample material. from the stand
point OF the commission. % take action
against the major general commanding.
The commission viii devote an iropor-
tank chapter Of its report 70 General Afiles'
charges concerning the beef and meats
generally furnished 70 the army and will
ind that they are practically without
foundation. Il vii report that the beef
vas not chemically prepared, thst = vac
IF good quality and that the charges %
the "a eof chemicals IN the beef pr1ha-
bly, grew out Of the fact thz; four quarters
OF experimental beef we're placed On hoard
d transport "a Tampa by NJ Powell in
ven;or OF a preserving process which 10
desired % test This meat was thrown
overheard BY direction % General Wood.
No chemicals. according - ne car7n.s-
sion. were employed n tire preparation OF /
the canned meats. but e vii ~ found tha.
that meat was unfit for -se n tn trau5rs
because OF the climatic conditions. which
made Il unsppetizing Sc appearance. /
though Il wae perfectly good except n
those Instances where the cans had been
accidentally punctured o. tmperfsctiy sol
lered. thus allowing sh- ar - enter. A.
,e2tioa viii be called "a IRE fact -hzt y /
he .hlrteen affira-a whnsa r.a-.c-ts &C.,. !