The times., 1899-04-25


respect to that superb little army which
barEed from Tampa Tor the invasion OF Cuba last
June and Won imperishable renown for their in
diyidual and collective fighting qualities. They
endured and suffered all things without complaint
In less than nine weeks that army.
the remaining part OF ii. was returned 70 the
United States TO the so-csled haven of MOntauk,
pitiabie wreck in body and mind; and il is be
Iered the statement cannot today be successfully
controycrtod that not less than one-half of those
gallant men either dead permanently dis
abled-and this. too, amorg seasoned regulars and
volunteers, who were in that oampa gn Trom start
finish.
Now, the question arises, what cause contrib
uted to this painful result, a result which seems
10 have aroused the indignation and sympathy
OF the entire nation. No one claims that any
article Of food was the sole of this sad
diticn, but we think il cannot be denied from
the overwhelming eyidcnce-the evidence of
who were the fighting line. and who knew
whereof they siscke-that ii improper, unsuitable
or insufficient food was furnished them Under the
conditions existing, increased sickness would
naturally be caused, and its severity intensified.
The overwhelming evidence of. we believe not
less than 90 per cent of the ofice.s and fally 95
per cent OF the men, il not ino.e, shows beyond
reasonable doubt that the so-caed canned roast
beef a meat ration was all that ii should not
have been and nothing that it skoald have been
for the American soldier, who tor humanity's
sake imperiling his life in torrid cline in the
interest OF an oppressed people.
We neither allege charge that there was any
intent or design on the part of any officer OF the
Army TO furnish a bad or unfit ration: but the
evidencc-the unimpeschabe evidence-of rcgi-
mental and company commanders. representing
practically every soldier there, shows that an ir
reparahle mistake had been made. that some one
had blundered, and that the soldier became the
sufferer.
Canned Rcast Reef.
How did the soldier find canned roast beef?
What does he swear toy And he of all men on
earth must know. Some swelled and were
thrown away withou; opening; etheTs offensive
10 taste and smell, when he tried TO swallow il
because OF sheer hunger, and even an apparently
good became rotten refuse between meals
Has anyone here in Washington tried eating can
Of this beef under similar conditions? Has anyone
in Chicago. Kansas City, or New York tried max
ing palatabie stew or lash with app stizing con-
diments CT 4 of this so-called Prime Roast
Beef that was little suspicious? of the thou
sands of cans abandoned as worthless around the
heights O. Santiago. have the packing companies
made good dollar to the Government TO the
taxpayer, 10 the soldier? Let them answer. OF
the many and cans thrown overheard at sea.
and condemned by boards cf survey, and con
signed TO the garbage teams, and thrown into the
surf at Moniauk, has the Subsistence Department
EIucted the packers for tine loss 10 the United
States or to the soldiers Let the records answer.
Are there any records, full and complete of
spoiled or defective cans. they SO adjusted
between commissarios and packing companies that
these is DO certain OF enduring reports of such
de!Inqucncies:
Cheap Reef for Soldiers.
In illustration of the Kind Of cattle (canners)
used in tlse stock market last year. we quote from
the Chicago Tribune under the caption, In
the Live Stock Market viz: MAY .. 1895.
COWS and heifers ciosed 10 to p cents higher,
vita canners about the highest Of the season;
canning COWS .sOa s5-Jv May o. 1895:
Cannes sold steacI:y vita some activity nom
sz-SOeasS.lS." May >, ls9-: butchers STOCK
sold at sz-5O@si.sJ iur poor Gamers 20 enoice
heiieIs. May 10. lsss: There has been a con-
siderable boom IN COW prices since the big con-
tracts were let by the Government Some COWS
sold 10 the Gamers Al $500 sS.I5, tie highest in
many ssaEs. May -3 ISIS: Native COWS and
heiiers sold at the highest prices many years.
most OF the canning COWS setting from sS.i9a
s5-sO. Aiay 81, ISIS. Canning COWS declined
z5a i0c from the recent high times June 10,
lsis: Canning COWS were steady, while good
butchers and bulls sold Ice lower" rei,-
ruary *, 1888, and March ?, losy: Common 10
best canning COWS 81 90 a.
The above quotations. that this grade OF
cattle tcsnners) Is the cheapest in the market
and by common report sells anywhere tom 25 to
~ per cent less tRzn other grades Again and
AGAIN has it been shown by disinterested wit
nesSes, and those who should have been disinter-
esied, That Gamers are OF inferior grade Of
eatiie, and tiiat a rule. the inferior parts OF
these are CANNED, and iaoeled Prime Roast
Beet THE better parts OF this inferior grade be-
ing sold 20 the poor class CT people in the trade,
ana lie inferior part canned, sold, and issued to
The American soicier substitute fresh beef
Rom June 10 July 2D-One m0th and half
- II seems that mol pound of fresh beef was sop
phed by the Subsistence Department to the sol
diefs IN CGia- II ever men needed fresh meat II
MAS when ihe carnpasn on, but II was not
until the army was IN a state OF collapse from
disease; II was not until the conflict was practi-
caiiy ended, that the contractors agents appeared
IN the hsrbor with the refrigerated fresh beef
which had been guaranteed TO keep IN that climate
seventy-two hours after leaving the refrigerator
on board the ship, or for twenty-four hours after
leaving the refrigerator shore, Of which there
Was ncne-the TACT being that, IN many instances,
he fpef Fnf E..af.
camps of troops from three 10 I'VE miles distant
without serious loss OF IRON 10 TO 50 per cent
We believe that the testimony will show the ag-
grcgate loss that fell upon the soldier without
restitution OF any kind, was from 25 TO 80 per
cent OF the entire quantity issued il not appear
ing in the testimony that the contractor suffered
any material loss On account of such detective or
Refrigerated Beef.
Here again, as in the case of the so-calIcd
canned roast beef, undertaken another ex-
pertinent, and novel in the extreme of at.
tempting TO supply an army in the field in cam
p2ign, with refrigerated beef The methods |
which had in all previous wars been fully tested
and o: approved efficiency were discarded for ths
hitherto uniried experiment Various proposals |
were asked for. and among them one stipuiatinp
that the refrigerated beef should keep seventy-two
hours after issue. delivery 70 the army As |
represented by correspondence and testified 10 by
witnesses, this stipulation involved what was re-
earded by many experienced men as impossible |
OF satisfactory fuifllment A preserratiye pro |
cess, in addition 10 the ordinary refrigeration |
seemed sine Qua ncn, and in discussing The |
subject with General Pagan, the Conrnisszry Gen.
efal OF Subsistence, four witnesses, Sypher Gid
dings, Simpson, and Armstrong, all testified In |
eject that the Coinmissary General stated that |
the refrigerating people had special process for
preserving meat, and that one process was being
tested at Tampa, Fla. and in 1.-The next day OF |
two, as Armstrong testified, the CommisSar- |
General informed him that of the four Quarters
that were tested, three stood the test remaining
sound at the end Of seyenty-two hours the re- |
naming one being damaged on account of not |
being covered, and was exposed TO the air." etc
In answer 10 interrogatory read in evidence
Armstrong states General Eagan mentioned thai
sEiit &c. had two representatives vino ex- |
planned to him fully that they possessed a new
freserSatise that would keep the meat fresh and
so'he seyenry-iwo hours after being taken out of
the reiilseratof-, and, in answer to my (Arm- |
strong9 statement that l did not think this |
could he done except some process be used tIr,- /
known 10 the trade generally, he fthe Commis-
sAfy ceDersD stated that Swift & Co. was a re-
liable and responsible hrm, and that they would
be required 10 carry out any agreement they might
make He General Eagan) stated further thar
Armour Co. also proposed 10 furnish meat that
would he treated with process that would in
sure its keeping the length Of time required
under the contract"
The Preservative Process.
All this transpiFed before the opening Of the
bids June lS, and shows clearly that a pre-
scryatfye process was then under favorable con
sideration. Armour & Co.'S bid. as shown bv
their attorneys letter of june Is (withdrawn
from the files about June 2S) involved the owner
ship and OF the Powell process above de- |
sc-ibed and on that process or test they based |
their claim appeal for the award OF the con- |
tract-fhough not the lowest bidder. In an en-. |
doFsement on that letter by the Commissary Gen |
erai TO the Honorable Secretary o. War Justify
frssrf he 4