The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-09


Trouble With Spain.
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-The war in
vestigating commission has now COM
pleted its labors, and its report will be
IN the hands of the president today.
The commission held a session today
that extended well into the afternoon.
going over details. Tomorrow the
members of the commission Will meet
at their old offices, formally attach
their signatures to the original docu-
ment, and proceed in a body 10 the
executive mansion to inform the presi-
dent they have completed their mis-
sion, and present their report. The
commission then will cease to exist.
The commissions quarters will be va
Gated Immediately and will be taken
possession of by Gen. Kennedy and
Maj. Watkins, who hold the newly
created offices of advisers to the war
department on colonial affairs.
The report of the war commission
is voluminous document of $50 print
ed pages. Each member has been
provided a printed copy to retain, and
arrangements have been made so that
the president will have as many print
ed copies as he wishes when he makes
the document public.
BEEF ISSUE.
The report makes an important fea-
tGre of the beef issue and dismisses as
a general proposition, the charges that
have been made against the beef fur
nished the army. 1t finds that it Is un-
derstood that most Of the beef was
such as could be properly furnished
as an emergency ration, pointing out
that the evidence showed 1t never was
intended to mean anything but an
emergency ration. 1t says there were
Only two witnesses who really testified
against the beef. Gen. Miles and Maj.
DAILY, chief SURGEON. who made the
report regarded as sensational and for
warded TO the commission by Gen.
Miles. The commission, it is under
stood, goes on to point out the mass of
evidence submitted to the contrary as
offsetting this testimony. AS to such
of the canned beef as was found to be
objectionab BILE, the commission points
out the effect of the tropical climate
in producing Hquefaction of the fat
in the meat and the consequent rem
dering Of the contents unpalatabIe.
Most of the beef, though, is found to
have been satisfactory for emergency
uses, where fresh beef or beef on the
heof could not be procured. The
structures of Gen. Miles made publicly
on the beef and his published express
sions in other ways, it Is understood.
are subjected to a severe criticism
The methods and manner of loading
= he 40, g.
expedition are also discussed and re-
sponsibility placed for the results.
NO CHEMICALS USED.
The report finds that the statements
Of chemical treatment made by Gen.
Miles on the authority of Maj. DAILY
are not borne out by the chemical ex-
perts, who We're also placed on the
stand 1t quotes from Mai Daly's
testimony and then takes up the tes-
timeny of Chemists Clarke, of the geo
logical survey, and Bigelow, of the
agricultural department, who exam
ined analysis Of the beef submitted
as chemical experts. Maj. Daily is not
supported by other chemical authori-
ties, and. therefore, his testimony is
regarded as not worthy of credence.
There is also said to be some recon-
mendations as to organization of GER
tain branches Of the army, but, it is
stated, the recommendations are not
radical.
As to the administration and conduct
of the war, the conclusions are un-
derstood to be that everything possible
was done by the department in the
limited time it had at its command In
making its preparations for the war
and the report says that the conduct
of the war not only worked out sue
cessfully, but in such a way as to be
worthy of great commendation.