The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-31

the sick both in camp and on the trans
ports. the abuses at Montauk Point. and the
Indifference of the Medical Bureau and the
War Office concerning the rayages OF ty-
phofd fever in the American camps, to-
gether with the cruelty to the sick at
Camp Thomas-all of which has been
proved beyond the possibility OF reason
able doubt. In all these cases the respon
sibility is known 10 rest primarily on the
War Department which suspended Cen
erai Miles because it was resolved that no
giant should emerge from the war.
Because the beef scandal suggests cor
ruption as well as neglect and incOmpe-
tency, il is now receiving more attention
than the earlier atrocities, bat if the Alger
Relief Commission fancies the people have
forgotten the smallest detail of any abuse
it will make a dreadful discovery, provided
IL can have any dread of an indignant
country. We are not yet through with the
beef business, although the Commissioners
have made their unbelicf in General Miles
charges known, and with the assistance of
the agents of the Chicago meat companies
have begun work on the report which, as
Agent Brine tells his Chicago employers
will be all right although the testimony
of Dr. Daily troubles Colonel DENLY. If we
are not at the end of the beef business, at
least we are having revelations that prom
Use a sensational conclusion in spite of all
the protective efforts of the Algerians.
1t is now known that the War Depart
ment including the Commissary and Medi-
cal Offices. was informed months before
the war came that the canned beef was
not fit for food. Not merely because of
the use of acids in preserving it, but be-
cause of the quality of the meat. The
chemists of the Columbian Exposition
found that a man must starve to death
on it, since it was composed only of fat.
fibrine. and gelatine. MIR. Marshall,
reputable retired packer, informed the
War Department and Secretary AlSer, in
person. of this and also that the canned
meat was wholly without nutritive quail
ties. In reply TO his letters he was
told that the Government trusted absolute
" to the honesty of reputable packing
companies. So complete was this conf
dence that no chemists were appointed 10
examine the beef before it was purchased
ana before II "do uistilu"'e4 'iiAio's 't
soldiers.
Here it may be explained that the rep
utable meat companies are not entitled TO
any such trust. IN "a message to the Armour
Company from its agent here directing
the filling of a large beef contract, 1t is
stated that cit is not necessary to be par
ticular as to quality'-that is, it doesn't
matter what kind of meat is supplied TO
the army. Obviously the agent had no
fear of the inspectors of the commissary
office.
In newspaper interview Captain
Howell. one of the Commissioners, is
quoted as saying that all the scandal came
from an experiment with which the Gov
eminent had nothing to do. 1t is hard
TO believe that man who is familiar
with the evidence could say that. 1t
would be to discredit every statement of
General Miles and to deny the honesty of
the score OF reputable officers in Porto
Rico who reported the meat that was pro-
vided by the Government and regularly
issued by the commissary officers TO be
offensive TO sight, repulsive to smell. bad
TO taste. and injurious to health. They
were not talking of the experimental
beef of which Captain Howell speaks We
mean to say. positively. that the proof
that the canned beef supplied to the army
through the Office of General Eagan was
bad, is overwhelming. The preliminary
report of Chemist Wiley goes far TO sus-
tain the direct evidence Of the army Of
ficers.
The Alger Relief Commission refused to
allow Mr.. Marshall to appear before it as
a witness. Among the private kilograms
from Agent Brine to his Chicago employ
ers are several which indicate Colonel
Denbys extraordinary and unaccountabe
interest in discrediting witnesses against
the meat companies. There is one which
says that Professor Atwater, of the De-
partment of Agriculture, had embarrassed
Brine by refusing compensation, but
that later he had become more timber"
whatever that may mean.
There is evidence that the charges OF
General Miles are true; that the Alger
Relief Commission is strangely eager 10
protect the meat companies which are
mot particular about the quality OF the
beef supplied to the Government for the
army; that it disregards the positive
testimony of such officers as Generals
Wheaton and Carpenter in denying the
charges If the report of the Commission
IS fairly outlined in The Times-and the
remarks of Captain Howell indicate that
it is-then it will be apparent that it has
not been guided by the evidence and that
its investigation is not honest and its
conclusions are fraudulent.