The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-10
BOARD TO INVESTIGATE BEEF.
PRESIDENT WILL HAVE THE QUEs-
TION WELL sIFTED.

All the Features of the Case to he
Looked IntO-BOard Has No Pow
er to summon Witnesses, But Can
Recommend Course az to Miles.
The Officers of the Board-COm-
mnnding General Has Nothing to
Sny-New Kind OF an Inquiry.
Washington Feb. 9.-The President has
appointed court Of inquiry to examine
into the charges touching the meat fur
nished the American army during the war
with Spain and other matters involved
in the charges made by Gen. Miles against
the administration of war affairs.
The court will consist of Mai. Gen.
James f. Wade, T.. S. v; Brig Gen.
George b. Davis, U. S. v; Col. George
J." Gillespie, Corps OF Engineers u. s. A.
Lieut. Col. George 3. Davis, deputy Judge
advocate general. The order for the court
of Inquiry, which was issued by the Sec
rotary of War. says:
Tho court Is hereby directed to inves-
tigate certain allegations of the major
general commanding The army in resnecs
TO the unfi tness for issue of certain articles
OF food furnished by the subsistence de-
partment TO the troops on the field during
the recent operations in Cuba and Porto
Rico. In addition to its findings OF fact.
the court will submit an opinion upon the
merits OF the case, together with such
recommendations as TO further proceedings
as may seem to be warranted by the facts
developed In the course OF the inouirv,,
ME will
the 18th inst
Miles Had Nothing 20 Say.
Gen. Miles when seen. had nothing to
say respecting The appointment of the
court. He has been accommodating a Iarpa
amount of evidence along the lines of the
inquiry, but he has not chosen any conn
SCI, ana large part OF his evidence has
been already transmitted to the war In.
Vesugatng commission
This court of inquiry II Is said by per-
sons Versed IN military Jurisprudence VIII
be unique In that il will be directed In ia
Investigations against a state of affairs.
and not against a person, for although
Gen. Miles is named as the author of GER
tain allegations in the formal order, Il il
these allegations and not Gen Miles thar
Is the subject Of inquiry
Tine only regulation In the army mammal
bearing on courts OF inquiry provides that
they may be appointed to inquire into any
allegation against, or the conduct of an
officer or an enlisted man. but nothing h
said about an inquiry into a state OF
things. II is TO be assumed of course.
that the President has thoroughly salts
fled himself as to the legality of this or
der before issuing H. The court has no
power TO compel the testimony of civilian
Witnesses
May FIX Course as 20 Miles.
The court, should II find that Gen. Miles,
charges are not sufficiently established.
may express an opinion az to what courses
should be pursued toward him
lnasmuch as the court of inquiry Will
have TO take up the whole subject OF tho
meals furnished to the army and ascer-
tain the exact state of this meat as it left
the packers hands as well as look into
the preliminary operations of slaughtering.
packing and canning and refrigerating, a
good deal OF time probably will be COLI
eumed in the inquiry
u may be necessary also TO call persons
ally before The court all of the officers
cited in criticism of meat by Gen. Miles.
numbering between sixty and seventy In
which case a great deal of expense will
be incurred and still more time consumed
The administration takes the position
that these charges against the character
of the meat supply shall be thoroughly
slfted. and IL wrong has been DONE that ID
shall be corrected.