Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1899-01-20
VOLUME NXXIII.
The MIlrs-Esnn rontroversy.

General Egnn's testimony before
the Curwission investigating the
conduct OF the war haU ar,.uesd con-
siderable Of tempest. Tho Com
mission refused la receive Egan's
carefully prepared statement nnd re-
turned il la him with the request
that the personal attacks and irrclc-
want statements be eliminated. Cen
cral Egan refused Ia suy any thing
yesterday beyond shat he had given
to :hc Commission. saying that his
statement wis foil declaration ~ his
feelings and belief II was. he said.
an official uttcrnnc" made to the body
which had II right tn hear il and he
declined To discuss il with newspaper
men.
General Miles on beng asked what
official action, IL any. would he taken
regarding General E.an's attack, re-
piled thg; ne had not made any state.
mcHt Uu the subject and did not in
tend Ia fOrcas; the proceedings Of the
War Department. When il was rug
gcstcd ,hat the Mar Department was
cstoppci from any proceeding against
General Egau on the grounds uf the
protection promised 10y the President
Ia all witnesses III their Testimony be-
fore the War Investigating Commits
sion, General Miles said there might
be some quc5 ion hs Ia the dividing
line between the testimony aud per-
sOnal abuses: that in his opinion any
court Of juGticc, or. for that matter,
n police court. would have stopped II
withess who hal usri before il su ia
language Hs was used before the War
C"mmissi"n yesterday General
Nil lea said:
i did not wHrt tO appear before
the Wur Department in the first
place. When they wrote suggesting
that | voluntarily appear before them
] replied that | believed it to be Tor
the best interests oi the service for
me hot tu volunteer any testimony.
When | was ordered before he com
mission and ;hcy asked me concern.
ing facts that | then had IN my pos.
session. was obliged ns u matter Of
honesty, tu answer them, and pro.
huccd on cial complaints to me Gs my
best rrrly. Even then did not tell
them all the facts which | had dis
covered by my own Investigation.
General Miles hns made public the
following letter hearing on the quail
ity Of nrmy beef which hr received
from Governor Ruoscvclt:
Il dn no; distinctly understand this
beef controversy. but possibly what |
have to writc abDul il may lie oi some
use.
The came corn beef wu found To
bc good. Ia. SO called canned roast
beef that WIS issued Ia NJ for travel
ra'iouR, both on hr tram port mnd un
the tram aud which We occasionally
got even nt the front. was practically
worthless. Unless very hungry the
men wOu.d not touch IL, nnh even
when suffering from lack Of food they
never ato one fifth Of it. At the best
II was tHsielcss, at the wor8t il was
ruuscniIng. There WIS ulso u sup
ply Of beef I'm the shape of quarter J
which wns put aboard our transport
ut Tampa. II VIA supposed to bc
fitted by como process to withstand
tropical heat. 1t at once became
putrid md smnllpd so that We had tu
dispose of II Tor fear of its creating
disease. think wc threw il over
hoard. At any rate II was con.
dcmncd.
Tho beef we got at Santiago after
the 2ith or 25th of July-.-thni is, after
the siege had ended and when my
brigad" has been without fresh meat
or vegetables Tor a mnnlh--was gen.
orally good. BY this time the cnyulry
division WIS in "A Hickly condition.
Tho fact TINT tho meni ration wns sn
hnd as generally tp bc incdiblc caus.
cd very great hardship Ia my men
and reduced their supply of food bc
low what wns necessary To keep them
in proper condition. Very sincerely
yours, TuEODORE R0OsEvEIT.T