Graham guardian., 1899-05-12
A REPORT THAT Is A BLUNDER
CFrOn the Philadelphia Times,

Army Court OF Inquiry charged
with the duty of examining into
the quality of beef furnished to the
army in Cuba and Porto Rico, has
not yet been given out, but q
synopsis was furnished to the pub
lie press yesterday and it doubt.
less gives the substance of the find.
ing Of the court.
Assuming that the summary of
the finding as gwen to the public
Yesterday is correct, it will be
| generally accepted as adopting the
policy of confession and avoidance.
General Miles is not sustained in
his charges, founded on the reports
of many Of his officers, rs to the
quality of the beef furnished the
army, and after that finding he is
censured Tor not having made his
unfounded charges at an earlier
day.
Another finding of the court
seems TO be that the meat sent 10
the army in the West Indies was
not proper ration for the sold
ierS in that climate, and that judg'
ment is followed by the deliver
ance that all the meat furnished
TO the army was of excellent
quality, but that some oft became
unit for use by neglect or incom,
petence of officers in the commits,
sary department.
1t is one Of the common errors
of both the army and navy coteries
of Washington that they never
lerrn how impossible it is 10 De,
ceive the American people. The
first tribunal summoned by the
president to inquire INTO the army
rations, was composed Of men Of
high character in their respective
communities, but who has ever
taken the trouble 10 quote their
report as entitled TO public credit?
They were appointed tor a pur-
pose; they were envoired by ad-
ministration influences leading
only TO that purpose, and they full
filled it to the end, thereby for.
feiting the confidence of the entire
country.
The military court, appointed
under military rules to repeat the
inquiry, knew that all the power
OF the Executive and war depart.
ment desired only the vindication
of Secretrry Alger and the sever,
est condemnation Of General Miles
that could be plausibiy supported.
The court has performed its duty;
the war department is vindicated;
General Miles is smirched and
they doubtless assume in military
circles in Washington that the
question is settled.
Some one who is close to these
mistaken officials In Washingt on
should be able to tell that in the
issue between General Miles and
Secretary Alger, the administra-
ton is on one side and the people
on the other side. The people
know that General Miles is the
one conspicuous officer Of the army
in the West Indies who never made
a mistake; who never sacrificed his
men, who looked carefully to the
supplies Of his soldiers, and who
saved Port" Rico by wonderful
of movement that
gave it to us by conquest be-
fore the treaty of peace. They
hno% also that General Shafter
would have retreated at Santiago,
General Miles was hurried to the
front to execute the premptory
orders against retreat and save the
army from disgrace. The most
difficult of all things in politics is
for political power in Washington
to attr mpt to fool the American
people.
It's given out by the friends of
Secretary Alger that General Miles
will be relieved of position as com
mander lnchief of the army. IfI
President Mckinley is prepared
for political suicide he will bow TO
the commands of incompetents and
corruptionistS and strip General
Miles of his military donors, but
when the president decides to at
tempt to dishonor General Miles
he should, within the same hour,
his retirement from the
nnntest of 1000 William Maxim.